CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.
and salt the earth behind you

WHEN SHE WOKE up the next morning, Nova Van Kirk felt. . . at peace. Sure, the situation she had inserted herself into over the past couple of weeks when she allowed JJ to drag her into the Pogues little treasure hunt, made it almost impossible to find even a single moment of peace. Knowing that the entire island was searching for her friend to arrest him for a murder he didn't even commit was a terrifying thought, and after last night's events, you know, the one when Nova relapsed and stuck a gun in Ward Cameron's face, peace and tranquillity was out of the question.

But waking up the next morning with JJ Maybank lying right beside her, her head resting on his chest whilst she listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, his arm wrapped securely around her body as they slept peacefully all through the chaotic night, that was the first time in a long time where Nova felt truly at peace. And it wasn't just because she was in the arms of the one person who made her feel safe, an unbreakable bond of love and trust withering between the pair, but it was because Nova Van Kirk was lying in the arms of her boyfriend.

     Boyfriend. It was such a strange thing to say to herself, almost like a foreign concept for the girl. Maybe it was because she had never really used that label on any of the guys she had been with before. There was that one boy she made out with, but that was never anything serious. Her only other real relationship was with Rafe, but even then, they were breaking up and getting back together every other week. Hell, Rafe only ever told Nova he loved her as an manipulation tactic whenever she contemplated breaking up with him for good. So Nova never really knew what they were to each other. Maybe she never really knew what truth love was.

That was until she met JJ Maybank.

     With JJ it was different. It was different because he genuinely and full heartedly loved Nova, and it wasn't the multiple versions of herself Nova pretended so she could fit in perfectly with her Kook life that made JJ fall in love with her. JJ fell in love with her — the real Nova Van Kirk. He saw past her picture perfect life wrapped in bubble wrap and even saw past the facade Nova put on to please others. JJ could touch the coldest parts of the girl, the boy melting the ice around her heart and filling her with warmth, accepting her flaws and he still loved her anyways. He was the glimmer of light in the middle of all her darkness, and day by day, he dragged Nova into that light with him.

     He drew stars around her scars, and saved her from a lifetime of pain and anguish. If that wasn't love, then Nova didn't know what was.

     Shortly after waking up, Nova had found herself standing by the entrance to The Wreck whilst the others slept. Juno, Kiara and Pope must have gotten to The Wreck shortly after her and JJ had fallen sleep the night before. As for JJ, he was still peacefully sleeping along with the rest of the group. Nova thought it was best to let them all rest for now before they resume their plan to get their friend off the island. The girl then continued to stare at the view displayed in front of her crystal, blue eyes, the sun shining bright on the Outer Banks, making the island appear as radiant as ever. Nova would have believed that too if it wasn't for the sirens ringing sharply through the morning air, the ongoing hunt for John B Routledge still at an all time high.

     But it was a friendly reminder that her Paradise on Earth wasn't as perfect as it used to be. Maybe it had been that way for a long time and she was only realising it now.

Suddenly, the girl was snapped out of her train of harrowing thoughts when she felt a pair of arms sneak around her waist and pull her in close, her back pressed against their front. Nova felt the corners of her lips turn upwards into a small smile, her hands finding his own, sparks of electricity igniting across her skin in the process, her body being held so close to his own causing for a hoard of butterflies to flutter in the pit of her stomach. God, she couldn't believe he still made her feel this way. The blond boy then nuzzled his face into Nova's hair and pressed a short, but sweet, kiss behind her ear, a quiet giggle leaving the girl's lips soon afterwards.

"Good morning, Princess." JJ Maybank mused quietly into Nova's ear, his given nickname for the girl being enough to send chills up and down her spine. Before the nickname, Princess, never really had much of an effect on her. It was just something JJ used to call her to get underneath her skin, but after last night, hearing it fall from his lips again was like a rush she had never felt before.

"Good morning." Nova replied, her smile only continuing to grow.

     Nova turned around to face the boy, her back pressed against one of the wooden beams holding up the establishment she was standing underneath of, her eyes locking with JJ's to see the admiration in his eyes whilst he continued to stare back at her. It was a look Nova had seen many times before whenever he laid his eyes on her, but Nova had never truly acknowledged the love in his eyes until now as he towered over her, the pair standing in close proximity as each other in the process.

"God..." JJ breathed out as he began to smile, stretching out his hand to tuck some of Nova golden, blonde hair behind her ear. "You look beautiful." He contemplated, his voice barely above a whisper whilst he spoke.

Nova let out a chuckle and stared at JJ with amusement twinkling in her eyes. "Smooth, Romeo." She teased as she caressed his jaw with a comforting touch, her thumb brushing over his cheek, before she brought him closer to her and pressed her lips against his own.

The kiss was short and fuelled by endless passion, their lips moving together in perfect sync as JJ lifted his hand and caressed Nova's cheek, his gentle touch filled with warmth and a kind of tenderness that seared across Nova's skin, a chill running up her spine when she felt the cold of JJ's rings touch her cheek. As an attempt to deepen the kiss, Nova then curled her hand around the nape of the boy's neck, her fingers getting tangled in his messy, blond hair, the girl beginning to smile into the kiss. It was the kind of feeling Nova found herself not wanting to break away from. That was until someone did.

     JJ pulled away from the kiss abruptly, causing for Nova to stare back at him absolutely breathless, to see his smile fading from his swollen lips, a frown washing over his face in the process as he lowered his gaze to look at the ground. This caused for Nova to frown back at JJ, her brows knitting together in confusion when she noticed the sudden shift in the boy's mood. It made her wonder what he was thinking about, and why he was becoming hostile in just a matter of seconds. For a split second, Nova truly believed she had done something wrong, fear and worry beginning to creep into her bones all over again.

"Did I do something wrong?" Nova asked. She had finally done something right in her life. The last thing she wanted was to screw that up too.

"No. No, it's not you..." JJ told her in a reassuring voice, lifting his gaze and offering her a small smile to ease her nerves. "It's just...what are we doing here, Nova?" He questioned, leaning back against the other beam opposite the girl, earning a puzzled look from Nova in response. Truth is, she didn't exactly understand a word that just came out of JJ's mouth.

     "What do you mean?" She asked, shrugging her shoulders in the process.

     JJ let out a loud and heavy sigh, the boy taking off his cap for a moment to comb his callous fingers through his blond locks in frustration, before he placed his hat back on top of his head once again, leaving a few blond strands sticking out from underneath his red cap. Nova could tell that whatever was swirling in that head of his, it was nothing but negative thoughts, making the girl wonder what was really going on deep down. Only a couple of minutes ago, she was kissing JJ and everything was perfect, and now he was pushing her away again. It made Nova wonder if he regretted his decision to give in to his emotions and sweep the girl off of her feet.

"I...I just don't want this to be like before." JJ finally confessed, his sad eyes filled with worry staring deep into Nova's concerned ones. "We got high together and hooked up minutes later. Afterwards you told me it was a mistake and that it should never happen again. I just don't want this, whatever this is between us, to be some kind of mistake you're going to regret later on because you weren't exactly in the right frame of mind last night. I just...I don't want to get hurt again." He elaborated further, his voice shaky whilst he spoke.

     Nova felt a twinge of guilt erupt in the pit of her stomach when she heard those words leave the boy's lips, her eyes softening in the process. Nova was aware she had royally fucked with JJ's head in the past, especially after their casual hookup months ago. However, she never knew the true extent of the pain she caused for the Maybank boy until now when he stood in front of her and opened up about how he truly felt regarding the future of their relationship. He was scared to be in a relationship with her if it meant setting himself up for another heartbreak at her own hand, just like the last time.

     But this time was different for many reasons. Before, Nova never knew the real JJ Maybank. All she knew about JJ at the time was that he was a reckless bad boy who liked to get high by the beach and get himself thrown into jail one too many times in the space of the same week. That was the JJ Maybank she felt stupid for hooking up with. This summer, Nova had taken a chance on the boy and got to know him for the person he truly is deep down underneath his incredibly cocky and reckless self. Nova discovered he was a boy with a terrible home life, but he never let that prevent him from having a heart that shined like gold. JJ Maybank was a good son and friend. He was also someone who believed in second chances. That's why he bent over backwards to save Nova from herself.

     As for the rest, even the parts that would normally repulse Nova, like his nosy attitude and his crude comments, she learned to love because it didn't take long for the girl to realise she could love the bad parts as well as the good parts. She knew she always could because JJ did the same when he first met her. They both got to see the ugly sides of each other's lives and personalities before the beauty was revealed underneath. That's what made this time so different. . . because now they knew each other in ways no one else knew them and loved one another despite it all.

     Nova inhaled sharply and nodded her head to show she understood where JJ was coming from, before she stepped closer towards the boy and placed her hands on either side of his face. "I know how it might seem to you, and I get that you don't want to get hurt again, but, JJ, believe me when I tell you that I love you. Nothing's ever going to change that, okay?" She explained in a reassuring voice, hoping she could drill it into his skull and for it to be enough that he believed her.

     A ghost of a smile formed across JJ's lips, a nervous chuckle rolling off his tongue as he locked eyes with the girl. "You do?" He inquired, needing the reassurance one last time.

     "Always." Nova replied, nodding her head. If there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that nothing and no one would ever change how she felt about JJ Maybank.

     JJ bit down on his bottom lip for a moment, before he leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on the girl's lips. When JJ pulled back again, Nova couldn't help but smile as they continued to stare deeply into each other's eyes, neither of them being able to gain the courage to separate themselves from. That was until a quick thought crossed JJ's mind, his eyes flickering over to where Juno, Pope and Kiara slept peacefully, the boy nodding his head into their direction.

     "So, when do we break the news to the rest of them?" JJ asked, his words causing for Nova to turn her head to the side to glance over at their friends.

     Nova shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I like this whole just you and me thing. It makes it more scandalous." She joked as she stretched out her arms to reach over JJ's shoulders, JJ's hands moving down to hold onto fhe girl's waist at the same time.

     "Well, I would like to be able to show off my girlfriend at some point." JJ retorted, his comforting smile turning into a small smirk when those words left his lips.

     There it was again — the flutters in her stomach. Hearing JJ call her his girlfriend left a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, but it was a good feeling. Nova would never normally get this way around a boy before. When she was with Rafe, it was rare that he made her feel special or loved just because he was always focused on himself. And when Rafe did label her as his girlfriend, he did it as a form of possession, so he could have some sort of power over her. To hear the same term come from JJ's lips was a surprised because his voice carried a sense of warmth and admiration, almost like it was coming from a place of love instead of possession.

     Nova's silence was something JJ quickly picked up on, the boy raising his brow. "What is it?" He asked her.

     JJ's voice was enough to snap Nova back to reality, the girl lifting her gaze to lock eyes with him, before another smile formed across her lips. "Nothing. It's just...you called me your girlfriend." She told him, shrugging her shoulders in the process.

     "Was I not suppose to?" He interrogated further, frowning in response to the girl's words.

     "No. No, it's not like that." Nova paused, a quiet sigh escaping past her lips. "It's just...we never put a label on us. I was just surprised, that's all."

     JJ chuckled, nodding his head as he continued to stare back at Nova with a glimmer of amusement twinkling in his enchanting gaze. "Well, Nova Van Kirk. Would you do me the honour of being my girlfriend?" He proposed, his question causing for a soft giggle to slip past Nova's lips.

     "You are such a dork, you know that, right?" She reminded him, her comment making JJ's cheeks flush a light shade of red. Luckily for him, Nova didn't notice as she parted her lips to speak once again, the girl nodding her head. "But, yes. I would be honoured to be your girlfriend, JJ Maybank. But let's just keep it between us for now, and tell the others when we're all together again. Let's just worry about getting John B off the island first." She explained, earning a nod from JJ in response.

     "Sounds like a plan." He agreed.

     Shortly after those words left his lips, a quiet groan coming from Pope ripped through the brief moment of silence. This caused for Nova to remove her arms from JJ's shoulders, before she backed away from the boy and leaned back against the wooden beam behind her, a chill running up her spine when she felt the vacancy of where JJ's warm and inviting touch should be. But they agreed to tell the entire group when they were together again, so it was best to play pretend and act as if they were just friends, when in reality, both Nova and JJ were counting the minutes to when they could be in each other's arms again.

Nova glanced over to see Pope slowly approaching the pair, a tired look burning bright in his dark eyes whilst his gaze shifted between Nova and JJ. Nova couldn't help but smile over at the Heyward boy, a very small action that the boy quickly reciprocated, a faint smile planted across his lips, "Are you okay after last night?" He asked the blonde haired girl, a look filled with concern glazed over his eyes.

Nova nodded her head. "I'm doing better, Pope. Thank you." She answered, a grateful expression plastered across her face as she folded her arms over her chest, her attention shifting from Pope and over to the view of the island from where she stood when she heard another round of sirens whirling through the air.

"He's pinched for sure, man." JJ insinuated. It was a fair assumption and Nova knew that. With the amount of cops patrolling the island, Nova wondered how it was possible for someone to still be on the run. If she was in John B's position, she would have surely been caught by now.

Pope was quick to shake his head in response. "No. They wouldn't be patrolling if they caught him." He informed the pair. Nova knew he was right. Cops wouldn't still be searching the island over nothing, but that was a good thing because it meant John B was still hiding out somewhere. They still had a chance to get him off the island.

"At least that means there's still a way for us to get him off the island before he has a chance of getting caught." Nova piped up.

JJ nodded his head as he glanced at the girl. "Let's hope."

"You know, we were in that car." Kiara's familiar voice caught Nova's attention, the girl looking over her shoulder to see both her and Juno were now awake, the pair staring at them from where they had been sleeping the night before. Kiara then shrugged her shoulders, her lips parting so she could speak. "They're probably looking for us, too."

"She's right." Juno nodded her head in agreement with her girlfriend, the girl standing up from where she was previous sat, before she approached the group. "It's probably not safe for us to be here right now. The best thing we can do is keep moving and get shit done." She elaborated further, hoping everyone else would be on board with her idea.

Pope spared the O'Connell girl a quick glance, before he walked away, brushing past Juno in the process, his shoulder knocking harshly into her's. Nova didn't know what was going on between the pair, but there was undeniable tension between them both since the night he told the entire group about Juno's and Kiara's secret relationship. Juno didn't seem angry at the boy for what he did, but Pope held some resentment towards Juno for whatever reason. Nova just didn't know the reason why.

"Well, if we're gonna be outlaws, we might as well help John B." Pope states, reaching into a bag and grabbing a set of keys, before he began to make his way towards the door. "I'm gonna get gas for the boat. Meet me at the dock at three. Don't be late." He declared, referencing towards the boat that belonged to JJ's dad — The Phantom. JJ told Nova about the new plan last night. She just hoped it worked.

     As Pope left, Juno was quick to chase after the boy, followed by the rest of them. Whilst Nova, JJ and Kiara stood just outside the entrance to The Wreck, Juno ran down to confront Pope who was throwing his leg over JJ's bike. "I'm coming with you." Juno instructed, standing in front of the bike and grabbing ahold of the handlebars so he couldn't drive off and leave her alone.

"I'm better off without you, thanks." Pope remarked, sticking in the key inside the ignition slot.

Juno shook your head. "I get that you're pissed at me after last night, but you need to grow the fuck up, stop acting like a child and let me help you. None of us should be alone right now in this situation, okay? So I'm coming whether you like it or not." She explained, her harsh voice surprising Nova a little.

     Furrowing her brows together, Nova leaned closer towards Kiara, a curious look burning bright in her eyes as she watched the scene unfold. "What happened last night?" Nova asked, hoping the Carrera girl would have all the answers.

     "Pope has a crush on Juno." Kiara deadpanned, shrugging her shoulders. "He told her last night and she kinda rejected him. So now he's pissed." She added, her words being enough to make Nova turn her attention over to JJ, the couple looking at each other with a surprised look in both of their eyes. Neither of them expected Pope Heyward of all people to have a crush on Juno O'Connell.

     All of a sudden, Nova looked ahead once again to see Juno climbing on the back of JJ's bike, making it clear to the girl that Pope must have given in and let Juno tag along with him. Pope then turned on the ignition, the loud rumble of an engine ripping harshly through the air, before Juno and Pope rode off into the distance with each other, leaving the rest of them alone at The Wreck so they could take care of business elsewhere. Following the departure of both Juno and Pope, another loud and distant rumble echoed through the air, causing for Nova to lift her gaze to look up into the sky to see a helicopter going right over their heads.

     "Who the hell is that?" JJ asked, not looking too pleased with the possibility, ans neither was Nova who released a sigh past her lips.

"Reinforcements." Nova announced to the boy, staring up at the sky for a brief moment, before she turned her attention back to JJ, a quick thought crossing her mind. "Juno's right. We have to keep working together to make sure John B gets off this island smoothly. Um...you still have the keys to Juno's car, right?" She asked.

JJ nodded his head in response, before he began to fish around in his pockets. "Uh, yeah." He replied, and handed the keys over to Nova.

Nova took the keys from the boy's hand, before she shot him a grateful look and made her way down towards where Juno's car was parked, the girl quickly being followed by JJ and Kiara in the process. It didn't take long for them to catch up with Nova, Kiara being the first one to speak up. "Where are you going?" She asked her.

Nova stopped in her tracks and turned around to face the pair, the girl inhaling sharply, before she decided to speak. "Look, when I went to my house yesterday, I went to get John B some extra cash, just enough to get him bye until we can figure out a way to clear his name and prove he's innocent. But Rafe showed up and I had to get out of there. I'm going to go back to mine and grab the cash." She informed the pair.

"Are you sure?" JJ queried, stepping closer towards the girl and staring into her eyes with an overprotective look burning bright in his own. "Juno's right. None of us should be going off alone, especially if the cops are looking for us all." He reminded the girl.

"First of all, the cops are looking for you guys since they caught you in the car with John B. I have nothing to worry about. And if I do run into any trouble, then I know how to get myself out of it." She corrected, trying her best to reassure the boy that she would be safe, but when she sure the doubt written all over his face, she knew she had to say something else to convince him. "JJ, I'll be okay. I promise." She whispered to the boy, reaching out and discreetly grabbing his hand with her own, giving it a tight and comforting squeeze.

JJ held onto Nova's hand for dear life at first, hesitant on the idea of letting her go off on her own. He was worried about the dangerous obstacles that would cross paths with Nova, and that was more than enough to make the boy fear the worse. However, he still trusted Nova, and if she was sure she was going to be safe, then he had no other choice but to believe her. This caused for JJ to sigh in defeat, before he nodded his head in response to the girl's words, earning a small smile from Nova in response.

"Okay, I shouldn't be too long. Just text me the address of the warehouse where the boat is and I'll meet you guys there." She informed them both, letting go of JJ's hand, before she opened up the car door and climbed into the drivers seat of the vehicle.

JJ nodded his head in response to Nova's words, leaning closer towards the car, their faces inches away from each other ( so much for being discreet ). "Hey, be safe out there. I mean it." He told her, his voice barely above a whisper.

A ghost of a smile tugged at Nova's lips. "You too." She replied.

As JJ backed away from the car, Nova stuck the keys into the ignition slot and started up the car, the rumbling engine echoing through the air, before Nova steered the car out of where JJ had previously parked it the night, the girl pressing her foot on the gas pedal and driving off into the distance. JJ watched as the car became smaller and smaller to the naked eye, a thick lump forming in the back of his throat when he saw the vehicle disappear down the road. In the middle of a terrifying situation, all he wanted was for Nova to stay true to her promise: stay safe.

"Hey." Kiara called out to the boy, causing for JJ to turn around to glance back at the girl. "Nova's smart. She'll be fine." She reassured the boy, hoping to ease his worries over the girl.

JJ just hoped Kiara was right.

━━━━━━━━

When Nova pulled up in front of her home, she pressed her foot down on the breaks and switched off the engine shortly afterwards. The girl turned her head to look out the window to see where her family home stood in all its extravagant glory, a sharp pang erupting in her chest when she thought back to the last time she stepped though those doors. Nova's mind then flashed back to when Rafe had broken into her home and forced her to listen to some pathetic excuse he had prepared after killing Peterkin, and when she wouldn't hear him out, he wasn't afraid to try and more lethal approach. Nova was sure that if she didn't fight back when she did, she probably wouldn't have made it out of the house alive.

The very thought of what occurred in the place she was suppose to call home was enough to leave knots twisting in her stomach, an invisible grip latching onto her windpipe and squeezing so hard that it almost felt like she couldn't breathe, her chest becoming tight in the process. The memories of what happened the day before seemed to have a long lasting effect on her, the girl becoming haunted by Rafe's violent outbursts and his failed attempts to harm her. Nova knew he wasn't there. And if he was then he wasn't alone since her dad's car was parked in the driveway. She knew she would be safe. But her crippling anxieties continued to tell her a completely different story.

     However, despite how she felt and the fear that seemed to rattle its way through her bones, Nova knew she had to push it aside for the sake of John B and his chances of getting off the island. So, the girl swallowed thickly and opened up the car door, before she climbed her way out of the vehicle and began to approach the front door of her house hastily. It almost felt as if she was trespassing on unknown territory. At least that was how she was slowly beginning to see her home after all this time. Between her parents lies, a dead brother and the violence that had occurred there a day before, Nova's home was far from a home anymore.

     When Nova stopped at the front door, the girl reached out and wrapped her hand around the handle, twisting it clockwise and pushing it open to reveal an empty home. The mess caused by her and Rafe's fight almost nonexistent as she began to walk through the callous hallways, a chill running up her spine, causing for the girl to shudder, before she reached over and grabbed her bag from underneath the stairs. Nova then continued to make her way further and deeper into the Van Kirk household, her girl slowly approaching her father's study to see the door was no longer on the hinges, and instead was placed against the wall inside the room.

     Nova knew she had to be quick. If her father caught her stealing money then she would be in even bigger trouble than she already is. This caused for Nova to quickly walk into the room and approach her father's safe, the girl punching in the code, before the light flashed green, allowing Nova to pull the door open to reveal what remained inside of the safe after she had stolen her father's gun. First she spotted old case files her father was currently working on, and then her eyes quickly flickered over to what she wanted, a ghost of a smile filled with sweet victory forming across her lips as she grabbed a few handfuls of cash and shoved them into her small backpack.

     Once Nova knew she had enough money to help John B out over the next couple of weeks, maybe even months depending on how long it takes for the rest of them to prove his innocence, Nova shut up the safe and threw the bag over her shoulder. But as she was walking around her father's desk, Nova couldn't help but notice something odd from the corner of her eye. This caused for the girl to stop in her tracks, before she tilted her head down to look at the scattered sheets of paper spread across the desk, analysing what her eyes could see.

     From what Nova could tell, they were payments to a rehab facility on the mainland. At first Nova sighed in disbelief, shocked to find out that her parents made plans to go behind her back and send her away to the facility instead of trusting her enough that she could get better on her own with the support of family and friends around her. However, the longer Nova stared at the sheets of paper, the sooner she realised the payments dated back to months ago. . . four months to be exact. The same amount of time Riley Van Kirk had been dead for.

That's when it clicked.

"That can't be." Nova whispered quietly to herself, a frown washing over her face as she continued to stare down at the scattered pieces of paper.

It was impossible. Nova was there when she found her brother surrounded by a pool of his own blood and vomit. Riley wasn't responsive the entire time. Sure, the paramedics were able to get a pulse when he was being loaded into the ambulance that night, but by the time Nova had gotten to the hospital a while later, her mother told her he didn't make it. Riley Van Kirk died that harrowing night. They had a funeral for him and everything. His loved ones grieved. Nova grieved for the loss of her brother time and time again. There was no way he could be alive after all this time. . . Right?

Whatever the answer was to Nova's burning question, it would have to wait because when Nova heard footsteps coming down the stairs, the girl was quick to walk around the desk, dark thoughts about her brother plaguing her mind as she tried to make a quick break for the back door. The last thing she needed was for her father to catch her trying to sneak out the house, especially with the island crawling with cops and a violent tropical storm making its way over to them. If she was caught, she would be forced to stay and what use would she be to John B and getting him off the island if she was confined to the four walls of her home?

"Nova Van Kirk—" Nova practically winced at the familiar sound of her father's voice as it ripped harshly through the deafening silence, his stern voice laced with authority whilst he continued to speak. "—Where do you think you're going, young lady?"

Nova slowly turned back around to face her father, her eyes locking with his harsh stare as he slowly began to approach the girl. "I'm going out with a few friends. We're just going to get together and wait out the storm that's coming tonight." She lied. Well, it wasn't exactly a lie. She was going to see her friends. That part was true. It was just the rest thay wasn't. She knew her dad would blow a fuse if he found out she was trying to help a known fugitive get off the island.

     "You and I both know that was a lie." Ethan deadpanned, a disapproving look evident in his eyes.

     Shit. Nova had to think of something quick, but all she could do was shake her head, her lips parting to speak. "I'm not lying." She retorted, trying her best to sound convincing, so her father would leave her alone.

     "Nova, please, for the love of god, don't lie to me." Ethan begged his daughter, a sigh filled with frustration leaving his lips as he rubbed his hand over his face. "I don't know what's been going on with you lately, but I've had enough. I came home yesterday to a mess. Your mother's family ornament was shattered, the door to my office was ripped off the hinges, the gun from my safe is missing. And on top of all that, the airport called me asking for verification for a flight to Malibu underneath John B Routledge's name?" He listed, not approving of Nova's strange behaviour.

     Nova knew she was in for it now. Lying to her father was bad enough, but after breaking the rules and stealing from him as well, she'd be lucky if she wasn't put on a flight to the nearest boarding school by the end of the day. But it was a worry she had to put aside for now until she knew John B was safe and off the island. All Nova had to do next was figure out a way to slip out of her home without being dragged back inside by her hair because after everything she had done in the last twenty four hours, that was the direction she was heading right now.

Ethan scoffed in response to Nova's silence, shaking his head. "I mean, come on, Nova. Where even were you last night?" He asked, placing his hands firmly on his hips.

Nova simply shrugged her shoulders in response to her father's question, a frown plastered across her face. "I stayed at The Wreck last night with Kiara Carrera and a few other friends." She informed him.

"Kiara Carrera?" Ethan paused, furrowing his brows together in confusion. "Since when were you two even friends?"

"Since a few weeks ago, but not that you would even notice. You're never here." Nova shot back, her eyes flickering over towards the front door for a moment, before she forced a smile across her face, her lips parting to speak once again. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to see Kiara." She declared, making an attempt to leave, but her father was quick to step in her way, blocking the girl and preventing her from leaving.

"You can't leave." Ethan instructed in a stern voice, earning a quiet scoff from Nova in response. "Your mother will be back at any minute and we need to have a talk about something important. Besides, it's not safe out there..." He was trying to explain, but when he saw a strange glimmer shine bright in his daughter's eyes, he began to realise she knew more than she cared to let on. "You know what's going on?"

     Nova nodded her head, swallowing thickly. "I know that I have to go and help John B." She told him.

     "John B?" Ethan queried, a look of disbelief evident in his eyes. "You're trying to help the boy that shot your godmother?"

     "John B didn't kill Peterkin." Nova argued, raising her voice in the process.

     "Really?" Ethan pressed further, laughing in amusement. "Then who did?"

     Nova rolled back her shoulders and took a few steps closer towards her father, squaring up to the older man with her eyes narrowing into a sharp and agonising glare. "Rafe Cameron shot Peterkin. John B and Sarah saw the entire thing go down after Peterkin showed up at the runway to arrest Ward Cameron for killing John Routledge." She explained, the girl taking notice in the way her father's breath hitch, causing for the girl to nod her head. "Yeah, dad. Your best friend's a murderer." She shot back, a sharp and venomous tone dripping from her tongue.

Ethan continued to stare down at his daughter. He was in so much shock that he didn't notice her walk past him until she was close towards the door. This caused for Ethan to turn back around and chase after Nova, the man wrapping his strong grip around her upper arm and turning her around to face him. Nova stared up at her father to see the desperate look mixed with a look filled with authority burning bright in his eyes. It was almost like he was pleading with the girl to stay. Nova was curious to know the reason why. But it would have to wait for now.

"Nova, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. This place is crawling with cops. There's a storm rolling in. It's not safe. You're going to get yourself killed." He explained to her, hoping it would be enough. "Please, I'll explain everything to you. But just stay."

Nova couldn't even resist the urge to scoff. "So you can just lie to me some more?" She questioned.

"What are you talking about?" Ethan argued back.

"I overheard you and mom arguing the night you came back. You're both keeping secrets from me. I know you're business trips aren't business trips, dad. You're both lying to me and you have been for months. At this point I don't want to find out the truth." Nova answered, tears forming in the corners of her eyes whilst she spoke. "I don't think I want to come back here if it's all built on secrets and lies."

     Ethan's eyes softened at the sight of the girl in her fragile state. "Nova, come on. Don't say that. We're family—"

     "This family...it's broken. You and mom are on the brink of a divorce, Riley is dead. It's too late for this family..." Nova reminded him. Truth is, she didn't even know if that last part was true anymore, but she didn't have time to question it. "But I have another family...out there—" She paused, sucking in a sharp and harrowing breath. "—and I have an opportunity to save it, so that's what I'm going to go and do right now, and you're not going to stop me."

That was all Nova Van Kirk said before she left her home and ran towards the car, climbing inside the vehicle and switching on the engine, a crushing weight on her chest as she began to drive away from her family home. It was a harsh truth she was forced to face. She knew her broken family wasn't an easy thing to come to terms with. The thought of how hurt her father looked when she told him their family was broken was enough to bring tears to her eyes, crippling guilt weighing heavy on her shoulders.

     But then she remembered her friends, and what they meant to her. Nova Van Kirk couldn't help but smile as she continued to drive away from her home when she realised Juno O'Connell, Sarah Cameron, and the Pogues were more than just her friends. They were her chosen family. They weren't the type of family she was forced to live with since birth. They were the kind she had to find on her own. And after the many painful obstacles and hardships she had been forced to face, she had finally found them.

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authors note.
So Nova and family drama? What are we thinking about that? And is Riley actually alive or am I just fucking with you guys? It'll all be revealed in the final chapter of season 1 coming later this week!! And shit is going down in the next chapter so I hope you guys are excited!!

Until then, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.