chapter nine
fast and furious

"The train's starting." JJ stated as the officers drove off. The sound of the train's engine starting back up loud and clear from where they were crouched.

"We gotta help them." Athena told him.

"There goes the plan." JJ sighed, standing up. "We gotta help them."

"Come on."

The two made their back over to JJ's bike. He fumbled in his pocket for the keys, dropping something onto the floor as he did so. Athena looked down.

"Hey you dropped your—" She cut herself off as she saw Mike Carrera's money clip on the grass. Athena picked it up slowly, looking at JJ. "Why do have this?"

"If I'm gonna be accused of being a thief, might as well get something out of it." JJ spoke casually. Kie had told Athena what her parents had to say about JJ when Athena was complaining about Sage's parents. Athena was shocked to hear what Mike would say about the boy considering they claimed they'd be different this time.

The Carrera's were like a second family to Athena and with Sarah staying there currently – when she wasn't at the Chateau with John B – they were basically Athena's guardians for the time being.

"JJ I have to give this back to Kie, you're just giving them ammunition." Athena told him.

"Ammunition for what, Athena?" JJ snapped. "They're already against me. So who cares?"

"They didn't have a reason. You're giving them a reason. Kie could get banned from hanging out with us, hanging out with you. They're basically my family, JJ, they could find a way to stop me from seeing you." Athena argued.

"Who cares?" Athena stared at him in slight shock. "Know what? We don't have time for this. Get on. Get on the bike, Athena. Get on the bike, Attie, please."

Athena looked between his eyes before nodding, getting on the bike behind him as Topper's truck sped past them.

"That's Top." JJ observed. "And that's the cross."

"Let's go!" Athena hurried, the two speeding off the grass and down the road, following after Topper's truck. Athena's arms stayed tightly around JJ's waist as he sped up, staying close to Topper as the police raced after them. "JJ."

"I know, I know."

JJ sped up even more, moving so he was driving next to the truck. The entire group inside the truck stared at him weirdly, Pope shouting. "What are you doing?"

"Top, keep going straight." JJ ordered.

"Y'all be careful, all right?" Topper called out the window.

"Get ready to jump." JJ told Athena.

"What?" Athena exclaimed. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Probably! Fast and furious, Attie." JJ stated. "Get ready to jump."

"Come on, come on." Pope urged. "I've got you. I've got you. Come on."

Athena steadied herself, pulling herself so she had one foot on the seat, her hand resting on JJ's shoulder.

"Thena, what are you doing?" She could hear Sarah shout worriedly.

"Athena!"

"Thena!" Sage and Kie were watching from the back seat nervously.

"Easy, easy now." Pope grabbed her hand as stood on the back of the bike, before jumping on top of the cross, both Pope and Cleo holding her arms to keep her steady.

"You okay?" Cleo and Pope asked her as she rolled of the box, settling in between them.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." She spun around to watch JJ.

"What's he gonna do?" Cleo questioned.

"I don't know. I don't think he knows either." Pope answered.

"He's trying to get killed." Kie commented.

"Okay, maybe he's just trying to get rid of the cops." Topper suggested.

Athena watched as he drove back towards the cops, before launching something at their windscreen. The officers quickly drifted across the road, turning around and chasing JJ.

"Shit."

"He did it! They're chasing him." Topper spoke in relief. "Oh God."

"We have to turn around!" Athena exclaimed.

"Topper, stop. Stop the truck." Sarah stated.

"Oh my god. I'm not stopping the truck."

"Hey!" Pope banged on the back window. "Stop the truck!"

"Stop the truck!"

"We're going to get JJ." Sarah told the boy.

"Stop the truck." Kie stated firmly.

"Turn the truck around Topper before I push you out and drive it myself." Sage threatened, noticing the worried look on Athena's face from the back.

"Come on man!"

"I'm not going to jail for you. No chance." Topper shook his head.

"Stop the truck. Please." Sarah begged.

"Topper! I will jump if you don't stop!" Athena shouted.

Topper finally gave in, stopping the truck. Athena looked around to see Sarah trying to convince him to turn the truck around so they could find JJ. After a moments hesitation, Topper turned the truck around, driving back down the road and following the sound of sirens.

"Go faster, you need to go faster." Sarah told him.

"I'm trying."

"Let's go!"

"Move it!"

"Lightening McQueen this shit Topper, god!" Athena exclaimed.

"Fast and furious, Thornton." Sage gritted her teeth.

"Turn left!" Pope instructed, leaning out the side of the truck to get a better look at where JJ could be.

"No, I'm not—"

Sarah interrupted him, forcing the boy to turn left so they were on a parallel road to JJ. Athena watched him as he raced down the road, the police close behind.

"Turn right!"

"No way, he's up on the overpass." Sarah observed.

"I have a bad feeling." Athena let out a breath, watching the boy. "A real bad feeling."

And then suddenly, the bike was coming through the overpass bridge. The familiar red of JJ's bike falling through the air and crashing onto the floor. Topper slowed the truck and they all rushed out of the back.

It was like Athena couldn't breathe, everything around her seemed to fade. She didn't notice any of the others getting out of the truck. She couldn't hear there shouts for JJ or curses under their breaths. She looked around, trying to find him, trying to see even a glimpse of his stupid blonde hair, or stupid blue eyes.

Her hands went to her forehead. "JJ! J! No, no, no, this can't be—JJ! No, no."

"Athena." Sage placed a gentle hand on Athena's shoulder.

"No! No." She shook her head, facing Sage who held a sympathetic look.

"Thena..." The brunette pulled her into a small hug.

"I wish I could say I did that on purpose," the entire group looked behind them to see JJ stood there. "but that was the gnarliest power slide I've ever done."

"You're alive!" Pope was the first to move, rushing over to JJ and wrapping his arms around him with a laugh. "Dude!"

"I know, I'm surprised too." JJ laughed.

"Shit, that was gnarly." Topper stated.

"That was trucking, dude. Oh Jesus." Sarah shoved the boy next before bringing him in for a tight hug. "Oh god."

"We really thought you did it this time, Jayj." Sarah told him.

"Yo, dude, what the actual hell—" Kie let out a scoff of disbelief as she hugged the bioy as well.

"Glad you're alive Maybank." Sage smiled, hitting the boy's shoulder gently.

"The pleasantries are nice but we should get out." Pope announced, moving back over to the truck.

"Yeah, yeah, let's roll." Topper agreed.

JJ took a step towards Athena as everyone began to make their way to the truck. She shook her head before lunging forward, pushing him with all her might.

"Don't." Push. "Ever." Push. "Do." Push. "That again."

JJ didn't do anything, just took her shoves as Athena panted out breaths. She stared at him with teary eyes before she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close to her tightly. JJ's arms snaked around her waist, letting out a slight breath of relief as he bathed in her much needed comfort.

"Why? Did you—We don't live in a fast and furious movie." Athena pulled back, her hands on his shoulders. "I thought I was never gonna see you again."

"You got all the attention last time, thought I would try and have a near death experience." JJ joked making her laugh softly.

"You're an idiot." She told him with a small smile. They stared at each other for a few moments before she pulled him in for a hug once more. After a second, they pulled back and just as JJ opened his mouth to say something, to pull Athena closer to him.

"Hey! Hey, you kids, don't move." Their heads snapped up to see the officers shouting at them from the overpass. They quickly turned, rushing towards the truck and jumping in the back, Athena sat on Sage's lap while the other's squeezed next to them, the back being bigger than they realised. Topper started the engine, rushing down the road.

"Shit, they definitely called it in." Topper panicked.

"Top, Top! Turn here!" JJ ordered, leaning forward to hit the boy. "Turn here!"

"Don't touch... don't touch the driver, man."

"Topper, turn around." JJ leant forward again.

Sarah hit JJ's arm harshly. "Stop. He said don't touch the driver!"

"It's a liability."

"Then go faster." Cleo exclaimed.

"If I go faster, that's gonna draw attention." Topper told them.

"And the massive wooden box in the back hasn't." Athena snapped.

"Yeah, I feel like that ship has sailed." JJ agreed.

"You guys are a nightmare." Topper commented. "Do you argue about absolutely everything?"

"Put the pedal to the metal, boy!" Cleo exclaimed once more.

"Yes!"

"Maybe put it a little bit. You're going 65!" JJ shouted.

"All right. Screw it. Here we go."

"Let's just go faster."

Topper began to speed up, JJ looking back happily. "There you go. That's what I'm talking about."

They went over a bump and suddenly the entire car was knocked forward, everyone lurching in their seats as the cross fell out the back of the truck. Athena hit her head off the ceiling, groaning as Sage held onto her. They screeched to a stop.

"Stop! Stop! We lost the cross." Pope rushed out, opening the door.

"Great, Topper." JJ rolled his eyes.

"You guys told me to go faster."

They all got out, running after Pope who rushed to the cross. He pushed the lid to reveal stuffed tires instead of the cross. The group stood slightly behind Pope, staring at it in shock.

"What the hell?"

"Shit." Pope sighed. "It's fake. It's all a freaking fake."

"Of course, we did. Of course, we stole a fake." JJ scoffed.

"Pope, I'm so sorry." Sarah stated. JJ walked over to the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it in comfort as the sound of sirens wailed in the background.

"Y'all hear that? Okay, I can't be here. My grandfather's a judge." Topper began to panic once more.

"Dog, would you relax?" JJ turned to him. "They're not gonna think some dude in flip-flops is a part of a robbery."

"Oh, yeah, with the crate sitting right next to my truck." Topper spoke sarcastically.

"I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Your mummy will bail you out Top." Sage stated, shoving the annoying boy.

"Pope, we gotta go." Kie told Pope firmly, the boy still crouched by the crate. "We gotta go."

The boy didn't budge. Athena stepped forward, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Pope, we'll find it, I promise. But we can't get caught now."

He looked up at her, a fleeting glance before staring at the fake cross once more. Athena sighed, looking at Cleo as she made her way back to the truck. She decided that she did not want to be stuck squashed in the back and so sat in the pick-up bit of Topper's truck. Kie decided to join her, sitting there in silence, staring at the sky as Topper drove down the road towards the ferry port.

"You okay?" Kiara turned to her friend as they leant against the back of the car.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because you were very sarcastic to Singh, which is unlike you. You've been snappy and you and JJ broke up which I never thought would happen. Athena, I haven't even heard you say some silly comment since the island, you've just been... different." Kie explained. "So what's wrong?"

"Everything feels different this time." Athena stated.

"What do you mean?" Kie asked.

Athena let out a small sigh. "John B and I got shot at, after we found Big John. He took us somewhere, some antiques shop to get something and Singh turned up, his guys shot at us and we had to run because of some dude that I had only officially met less than an hour before."

"Thena, I'm so—"

"No, it doesn't matter, that wasn't the point I was trying to make." Athena watched the road for a moment before looking up at the stars. "You remember the party at the boneyard right at the beginning of summer."

"Yeah." Kie nodded.

"When I finished helping John B, after you and Pope left, he walked you home, I stood on the porch trying to build the courage up to announce to JJ that I was leaving. We just kinda stood there in silence while he smoked, staring up at the stars a-and it was almost like they were shining directly on us. He walked home that night, I learned a lot about him." Athena laughed softly. "And then we were trapped on the boat, you me and Sarah, and I laid for, staring at the stars hoping wherever he was, he was looking at too, thinking the same things I was, after you had told me I had to kiss him. Sarah and I always had a thing for stars."

Kie didn't say anything. She simply listened to the girl who so clearly had something to get off her chest. Kie knew that Athena hadn't spoken about any of what they've been through lately to anyone and was bound to explode if she didn't. So Kie volunteered to listen, she would sit there forever and simply listen because Athena was her best friend, and Kie was Athena's, and they knew they needed each other right now, and so together they would be... for as long as the universe allowed.

"We weren't apart a lot after Sarah and JB... you know. But before we went back to school, me and JJ spent a lot of time staring at the stars together, just in each other's company. And when I couldn't sleep on the island, we would watch the stars, pray that they were actually shining down on us and would bring some luck. I didn't look at the stars when I was with John B and his dad, I was inside but I was thinking of him." She covered her face with her hands, letting out a breath. "And now, I'm looking at the stars, thinking about him when he's five feet away from me and I can't do anything because he left, I said if he left I was done, and he got on his bike and he left me just like everyone else. I was scared that everyone I love will leave me, you know family trauma and that, and it came true."

"He hasn't really left, Athena. He's always gonna be there." Kie tried to reassure her. Athena turned to her, shaking her head.

"He said I was a Cameron, through and through. And he, um—" She grabbed Mike's money clip from her playsuit pocket, throwing on the floor in front of them. "He stole this from your dad."

"Athena, you know what this means?" Kie looked sympathetic.

"I know." Athena nodded. "I thought all of this would be easier without Ward being present as my father but actually it just means that I get all of your parents as my parents. I have to ask Heyward for things and I'm supposed to be living with you and Sarah at your house meaning your parents are basically mine. How messed up is that?"

"Totally not fair." Kie commented. "If it makes you feel any better, my relationship isn't going great either."

Athena sent her a confused look.

"Sage and I got really close on the island and it was great, um, and we spoke on the boat on the way back here. She was really scared for us and we had this moment and it was kind of weird."

"Good weird or bad weird?" Athena asked.

"I don't know." Kie sighed. "I-I don't know because I've grown up with the idea that I'm gonna get with a guy and live my life with some guy that probably surfs and hopefully cares for the environment and then Sage came in and change everything but I didn't realise until she was gone so it was back to guys, and Pope and Athena I've only come out to you."

"And that's okay, Kie." Athena reassured her, placing her hand over the girl's with a small smile.

"But—it—I don't, I don't date girls. I can't." Kie stated.

"Why?" Athena wondered softly, no judgment in her voice only curiosity.

"Because I'm supposed to be a guy, right?" Her voice broke as her eyes watered.

"Kie, you're supposed to be with whoever loves you." Athena told the girl. "Boy or girl. It doesn't matter as long as they love you, and no one will judge you for that."

"Sage and I argued about it. Because I didn't want anyone to know about me and she thought it was because of her. It isn't." Kie shook her head. "I love her Thena, I have for years. When she left it killed me."

"I know, Kie." Athena nodded. "Sage is like JJ, she pushes people away when they get too close. And she hasn't been around actual people for a few years now, you have to take it easy. And don't blame yourself for how you feel, communicate and you'll be okay."

"We'll be okay." Kie stated with a firm nod.

"Yeah you will." Athena smiled, placing her head on Kie's shoulder. "And if I have piece of advice for you, it's don't focus on what you're supposed to do, who you're supposed to be. Society has restraints and you don't have to live within them, break free and live day by day as yourself because you are fricking awesome, whoever you are, whoever you love. Dorota taught me that."

"Live laugh love Dorota." Kie joked.

"Live laugh love Dorota." Athena repeated with a laugh. Kie rested her head on top of Athena's as they stared at the stars for a few moments in silence. "I'm different because I'm tired. And the longer we stay in OBX, the more tired I become because everything doesn't feel worth anymore. Like the gold, the cross, the island of gold or whatever feels like a pipe dream now, like so far out of our reach that everything we have done, everything we have lost and everything we have been through has been for nothing, has been in vain and I don't want to lose anything else, I can't go through anything else. I'm tired. I'm done."

"It does feel like that sometimes." Kie sighed. "I get it. Maybe we are close though, maybe we're just... missing something."

"I don't think so." Athena shook her head, sitting up slightly. "I think we've lost. I think it's time we finally hang up our treasure hunting hats."

"Maybe we just need a day of normality to get things going again, you know." Kie suggested.

"I like that you're the optimistic one today." Athena told her.

"Someone has to be, we can't both me pessimists." Kie stated. Athena laughed softly.

"One day of normality, if something crazy doesn't happen or we have some sort of treasure revelation, I'm done." Athena agreed.

"Deal?" Kie held her hand out for the girl to shake.

Athena shook Kie's hand with a small laugh. "Deal."

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
just cute near death jathena despite
being broken up 🤭🤭
athena and kie are my favs frrrr
some insight into kie and sages side
relationship and kie feeling the same as
people i know who are part of lgbtq but
want a romance they see in the movies just
know that a wlw romance is just as
beautiful if not more than any conventional
wlm one
also go check out my jathena edit to reckless
driving by lizzy mcalpine i posted on my tiktok