JJ AND I got back from the hospital pretty late and we went straight to bed. We'd never shared the same bed before but I'd never felt more comfortable with him by my side and I'd never slept so well either.

My dad wasn't thrilled to find JJ and I in bed together this morning but he saw it coming. He also wasn't thrilled when JJ had to tell him I'd gotten into a fight with my stepbrother and his friend which is why we ended up back in the hospital — his end of the deal.

I was genuinely surprised that he let me out of the house again. I thought he was going to tell me to have a day inside just to rest but he didn't. He told me to be careful and he told JJ to watch over me and with and we drove over to Heywards on his bike.

John B had gone awol on us, none of us knew what had happened to him and there wasn't anything we could do about it until he reached out. I was still suffering from retrograde amnesia and I was accepting that I'd probably never get that snippet of memory back but JJ had told me our friend went home after the Royal Merchant revelation. He wasn't home now though but his minivan was still parked outside, a part of me was wondering if the DCS had come for him and none of us had realised.

So here we were, Kie, Pope, JJ and I helping out Heyward for the day. We had nothing else to do really now our treasure hunt had come to an abrupt stop and Heyward said he'd give us a couple of bucks each for helping him out.

The big man himself walked back into his store, his shop apron on and he looked at the four of us getting on with the tasks he'd given us, "So I heard you fell off my boat yesterday, Mally." He said and I groaned.

For a girl as experienced as me on boats it was almost embarrassing that I'd fallen overboard.

"No, that wasn't me." I said innocently, turning to Heyward as I leaned on the counter. Pope snickered at me from behind, "You're getting confused, that was my twin sister.. uh.. Cally. Yeah, it was her. She's always been a bit of a clutz."

Heyward chuckled and shook his head, "There's no shame in falling overboard Mally." He told me, "Pope fell overboard once when he was eleven or twelve."

I arched my brow and turned slowly to look at Pope behind me. He was scowling at his dad, clearly he wanted that keeping a secret, "Did he now?" I asked, amused.

Heyward chuckled, "Oh yeah, it wasn't funny at the time but it sure is now."

Pope dropped his head back in exasperation and groaned as Kie laughed.

"Looks like I'm not the only one to fall off a boat." I mused, looking at my friend.

"I don't like to talk about it." He grumbled, "It's embarrassing."

"Go on then." JJ said with an amused grin, "How'd you fall off."

"Oh, a fish flopped by his feet and his little bitch ass screamed." Heyward told us and I laughed. Pope literally fell overboard because he was scared of a fish.

"Dad." Pope groaned, "Stop.. please."

"You're never gonna live this down man." JJ teased, clapping his shoulder as Heyward returned to his customers outside.

"Like how Mally could beat Rafe Cameron in a fight but you couldn't?" Pope countered, looking to him.

JJ scoffed, "It was two against one."

I nodded, "Yeah, exactly." I said in JJ's favour, winking at him, "If Kelce wasn't there he would've had his ass, wouldn't you?"

He nodded at me, "See, Mal knows I can beat Rafe in a fight."

Kie scoffed and she leaned on the counter opposite me, "So where'd you learn to pack a punch like that, huh?" She asked me.

"Well." I replied, "Believe it or not, that doofus over there." I looked over at JJ.
He smiled, the cut on the side of his lip moving and I pouted, "Shame he couldn't hold his own and Rafe messed that pretty face up though."

His lip curved upwards into a smirk and out of my peripheral vision I saw Kie raise a brow, "You think my face is pretty?" JJ asked me.

"Oh you know I do." I told him, "But why don't we talk about Pope head butting my stepbrother." I diverted, "I'm sure Topper loved that."

"Could ask you the same." Pope replied, "Headbutting Rafe like that."

I tutted, "Ah, but I asked first."

He rolled his eyes, "Look, I don't know man. I just kind of acted off instinct all right? I was a cornered animal."

"Yes." Kie agreed in amusement.

"Hey Pope?" Heyward called, walking back into the store and I turned around to  see him. The good mood he left in not even two minutes ago had disappeared, instead he looked at the four of us with a blank face, "Someone's here to see you."

Deputy Shoupe walked in and I straightened immediately, picking myself up off the counter.

"Afternoon officer." Pope greeted and I saw how tense he was.

"I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property." Shoupe said, reaching for the cuffs attached to his belt.

I looked at Pope, my eyes incredibly wide, "Pope?" How was this even possible? Pope, the best of us all being arrested for destruction of property.

Pope didn't reply to me and I turned to look at JJ but he didn't meet my eyes. Whatever they did that they wouldn't tell me about last night was clearly something bad.

"Hands where I can see 'em." Shoupe instructed and Kie put her hands up, "Young lady, out of my way."

"What did he do?" Heyward asked.

"Look at the warrant." Shoupe replied.

I watched with wide eyes as Shoupe arrested Pope, cuffing his hands behind my back, "Woah, wait. You're arresting him?" I asked.

Shoupe looked up at me, "You're lucky I'm not arresting you too Davis."

I scoffed, "Why the hell would you arrest me? I've not done anything."

Shoupe arched his brow, "Really?" He asked me, "'Cause I heard you set the movie screen on fire over on Figure Eight last night."

"The hell?" I asked in disbelief, "That—I didn't!"

JJ grabbed my arm gently and tugged me back as Heyward stepped towards his son, "What's your proof?"

"Hey, be careful!" Kie said.

"Shoupe, are you listening?" Heyward asked.

"Pope Heyward I'm arresting you on suspicion of destruction of property.." Shoupe started his caution and I walked away from JJ, grabbing on to the back of my neck, ".. anything you say can and will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney."

My only thought there was that I needed to call my mom. She was an attorney, she could help Pope and she could get him out of whatever the fuck this was, "Pope, don't worry i'll call my mom." I said to my friend as Kie and JJ spoke out too.

Shoupe led Pope out of the store but I wasn't content about standing and watching them go so I followed them out, my mouth was running — I was sprouting whatever I could to make Pope feel better but in my head I was just as shocked as Heyward.

By the time we'd gotten outside everyone was watching us. Kie, JJ and Heyward had followed me out and when I tried following Shoupe Heyward put his hand on my shoulder gently and pulled me back, "You don't want to get yourself arrested too, Mally." He told me.

"But.. but it's not fair!" I yelled over Heyward's shoulder as Shoupe opened the back of the squad car, "What did he do!"

"You can't just arrest him!" Kie yelled over me.

"Shoupe, what did he do?" I shouted to the officer. He looked to me and I held my hand up towards Pope, "Look at him man, he's never caused an inch of trouble in his life. He didn't do this."

"Oh, yeah?" Shoupe asked me, "Well if he didn't do it who did, huh?"

"I—" I caught on my own words. I didn't know. I could barely even believe this was actually happening right now, I just prayed it was a dream but I knew it was too real.

"It was me!"

My blood ran cold hearing JJ shout his confession — his words ripping through the tension filled air like a knife — and when he walked passed me I looked up at him. He met my eyes for a second and I tried to read whatever he was thinking but I couldn't and then he looked away, walking to Shoupe and Pope, "He tried to talk me out of it but I was mad because he'd just been beaten up. I was so sick of those assholes from Figure Eight that I lost my shit."

I followed him, grabbing his hand, "—No, JJ what are you doing?"

"It's all right." He told me and continued walking away, "I can't let Pope take the blame for somethin' I did." He looked at him, "You've got too much to lose."

"JJ, what are you doing?" Pope asked.

"I'm tellin' the truth." He replied and he laughed, "For once in my goddamn life, I'm gonna tell the truth."

I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know what they were talking about or what the charge was. I didn't know if JJ was telling the truth or if he was taking the bait for Pope.

Kie slid her arm around mine for some sort of comfort but it had no effect on me, "What are the charges?" I found myself asking.

Shoupe shrugged, "Destruction of property."

"Yeah you've already said that." I snapped, "What property?"

"A 2020 Malibu, 24–MXC." Shoupe told me, "Topper Thornton's boat.. so I have a feeling your mom won't be able to get your friend out of this one."

I clenched my jaw in anger, I knew exactly why Topper pressed charges and now I knew exactly what Rafe was talking about last night at the film series. They beat up Pope, Pope sank the boat and now Topper's pressing chargers.

You hit, you get hit back.

"Look it was me." JJ said, drawing all the attention back to him, "I even took his old man's boat, too."

"What the hell?" Heyward shook his head. He was disappointed in JJ, I could see that much. Heyward could argue until he was blue in the face that he didn't like JJ or even John B for that matter but I knew he did.

"JJ, come on." Pope pleaded and there was something about the look on his face that convinced me JJ was taking the bait for him.

"Just shut up, Pope!" JJ yelled, "Just shut up.. he's a good kid." He turned to Shoupe, "You know where I'm from."

"Yeah." Shoupe nodded.

"This was all me." JJ told him.

Shoupe turned to Pope, "That's the whole truth?"

Pope didn't reply so instead JJ persisted, "That's the truth, I swear to god."

"I know what you think, damn it, I'm asking Pope." Shoupe snapped.

Pope swallowed, looking at JJ and they were silent. I held my breath anxiously, gripping to Kie's arm until I saw Pope nod, "Yeah, that about covers it."

My heart dropped fast and far into the pit of my stomach and Shoupe removed the cuffs from Pope and I felt myself leaning into Kie.

"This can't be happening." She muttered.

Shoupe turned JJ and put his hands behind his back, clasping the handcuffs around his wrists. I couldn't believe my eyes and when the deputy pushed JJ into the car I put one foot forwards, "Wait!"

Kie grabbed for my arm, "Mal, don't—"

"—Shoupe please." I looked at the Deputy as he and JJ watched me.

He contemplated it before sighing, "All right thirty seconds.. and that's it."

"Great." I muttered but I wasn't looking at him. I had my eyes glued to JJ's and I stepped forwards to him, my chest against his. I reached up slowly and put my hand on his cheek, rubbing my thumb over his cheekbone, "What the hell are we gonna do?" I asked him quietly.

"Don't worry about it, darlin'." He replied, "It'll be just fine." He appeared fine on the outside but I could see right through him. He was scared — JJ had been booked a few times before but he always got off with a warning, never before had he faced a charge of something this drastic. It was like he was putting on a brave face for me but it wasn't working.

"I'm going to find Topper." I told him, "I'm gonna kick his ass for pressing charges—"

"—Just keep yourself safe." He shook his head, warning me against it, "I mean it, Mal, you need to get better not worse."

I could feel my nose burning, water gathered in my eyes. I hadn't cried in so long and yet here I was, a mess since we started this damn treasure hunt, "I'm better when I have you by my side."

JJ grinned but it didn't reach his eyes, "Y'know I've never seen you cry over me before." He teased softly.

"All right." Shoupe interrupted, "C'mon kid."

He pushed on JJ's shoulder, forcing me to take a step back and I could only watch as he was pushed into the back of the squad car. Pope looped his arm around my shoulders and I dropped my head into him as the door slammed. JJ met my eyes and gave me a smile, mouthing 'It'll be all right' and then they were gone leaving us watching them drive away.

• • •

I ran up the porch steps to JJ's house and threw the netted porch door open before banging on the white flaky door heavily. My head was absolutely all over the place, I didn't know what to do with myself, all I knew was that I had to get JJ out of jail.

JJ's dad didn't come to the door and I hit it harder, slamming my fist against it heavily, "Mr. Maybank!" I shouted, "Mr. Maybank!"

The door opened slowly and I saw JJ's dad. He barely even looked conscious and the smell that emitted off him made me feel physically sick, he reeked of alcohol.

"Who the hell are you?" JJ's dad asked me, looking me up and down unimpressed.

Luke Maybank wasn't a man many liked on this island, in fact my own dad couldn't stand him. There was a large part of me that was scared of him but I kept it together for JJ.

"I'm JJ's.." I paused. I was JJ's what? Friend? Best friend? Girlfriend? No, no I wasn't his girlfriend, "I'm JJ's friend."

"What do you want?"

"He got arrested." I told his dad, "He needs bailing out."

Mr. Maybank rubbed his nose, "And I suppose you want me to bail him out?"

I furrowed my brows. Why wouldn't JJ's dad bail him out of jail? He was his dad, "Who else is going to bail him out of jail?" I asked.

His dad shrugged, "Can stay there for all I care, the bastard."

I felt my blood starting to boil. What kind of person talked about their kid like that? I always knew JJ didn't talk about his dad because they didn't really get along but I never really knew how horrible he was.

"He's your son." I snapped, "How you could say that?"

"I'm sure he's getting what he deserves. Serves him right for doing whatever he did in the first place."

"Are you serious?" I asked, my eyes narrowed in frustration.

Mr. Maybank stepped past the threshold of the front door, pointing his finger at me, "I don't care who he is." He rose his voice, "The kid's a piece of shit."

I stepped backwards but I forced myself not to move again, "That's not true!" I argued.

"Who're you? His girlfriend?"

He carried on cornering me and as threatening as he was I wasn't going to let him overpower me. I shoved him away from me as he got in my face but he just retaliated. Luke raised his fist and lowered it before I even noticed. It was when I felt the pain in my face did I realise he'd rose his hand to me. I stumbled to the side as my cheek stung and when I opened my eyes I saw double again.

"Get off of my property!" Mr. Maybank shouted at me and I didn't stick around. In fact my legs took me away on their own accord because I was already walking away without realising it.

My hands were trembling as I turned and I ran down the dirt track, I didn't even know where I was going but I just knew to get away from this house.

• • •

I had two things with me, my cell phone that had no service and JJ's old hoodie that I'd had wrapped around my waist from this morning. I was glad I had his jumper with me because I'd gotten cold quickly and when I pulled it on it gave me a sense of comfort I would never be able to explain.

Once I left JJ's house I started to cry and it had all cascaded from there — and not in a good way either. I had been that scared that I had just ran blindly, not paying attention to anything until my lungs were screaming for me to stop. Then I started walking around and for once in my life I felt tired and my head was hurting so much, I found an abandoned shed and I slept in there and when I woke up it was still dark.

Only it was the next day.

I'd missed out on that much sleep and I was that tired, physically and mentally I'd slept the whole day.

When I left the shack I started walking again but I still didn't know where I was. I'd never gotten lost on the Cut before — or at least that's where I think I was — I could've been on Figure Eight for all I had known. I cuddled into JJ's jumper, holding the long sleeves up to my nose and inhaling. It smelt of him, cheap aftershave, wet wood and weed and it gave me so much comfort.

And as I smelt the jumper I thought about him and I thought about how he was in trouble. It wasn't just being caught for trespassing and getting a quick warning before being sent on our way. He got arrested.. for destruction of property and there was no way he could talk himself out of that one.

If he did get bail it wouldn't be long before he would face a court.

Tears dropped down my face again as I thought about it, JJ would probably go to juvie and for how long I didn't know but the both of us had only just started on this path. It was only the other night where after so long of constant teasing and flirting we finally made our move. I was scared that now that all that time I thought we had was going to disappear.

I found a dock — just a single one and it had a lamp on that illuminated a small part of the marsh. Unless the Cut had gotten its power back while I was gone I had somehow ended up on Figure Eight.

I sat down on the edge of the wood, crossing my legs and threading my hands into my hair and just sitting there. I couldn't begin to think of how my dad must've been feeling right now, his daughter gone for over a day but there was no way I was going to be able to navigate my way off Figure Eight in the dark — and no Kook would help me.

So I just sat and I cried silently, my head throbbing with every tear that fell down my cheeks. I thought some sleep would've helped me feel better, cleared my mind up but instead it made me feel so much worse. I felt like my brain couldn't even function anymore.

I laid my phone face up on the dock next to me and I pressed the home button. I didn't even know why I had it with me to be honest but regardless I only had a low portion of battery left on it. The time read 10:48pm.

I sighed to myself, unsure of what to do. I wasn't tired and I knew even if I tried there would be absolutely no sleep in me tonight. It left me with this, sitting at this dock all night.

"Hey you know you shouldn't be—"

I jumped hearing a voice behind me. I didn't hear anyone approaching me, I hadn't heard a car or anything and I was shocked. My heart was pounding in my chest.

"—Mally?"

I turned my head to see the last person I expected to see.

"Topper?" I asked and then I remembered that everything that had happened in the past 24 hours was because of him, "What the fuck do you want? You asshole."

He continued to shine a flashlight at me as he walked down the dock, "What the hell?" I heard him say and when he reached me he crouched down, pointing the flashlight between us. He got a clear view of me and I watched his blond brows furrow together. A tear slipped from my eye and I reached up to wipe it away as I sniffed.

"What do you want, Topper?" I asked dully, turning back and looking to the marsh.

"Mally what happened to your face?" He asked me. 

"You already know." I told him with my jaw tight. I couldn't ignore my anger, "I fell off Heyward's boat."

"Not your head.. your cheek." Topper sat down, "Did someone hit you?" My lips parted and I looked away from him. I wasn't going tell him JJ's dad hit me.

"Just leave me alone Topper." I said to him, "Please, you've caused enough damage."

"What happened?" He asked me and I found myself breaking down in an instant.

I threaded my fingers into my hair and held them there shaking my head, "Like you care." I said to him, my voice shaking.

"You can tell me." He replied, "Wether or not I care it doesn't mean I won't listen."

I was surprised. I'd never seen this side of Topper— hell I didn't even know he had a side to him like this. I wiped at my cheeks to get rid of the tears using the sleeves of JJ's jumper but I recoiled when I pressed over my cheek, it started to sting and I pulled away.

"Is this about Pope getting arrested?" Topper asked me and I turned to him with a confused frown.

"Pope didn't get arrested." I told him, "It was JJ."

Topper shook his head, "No, it was Pope who pulled the plug on the boat. We saw him on the cctv footage."

"I can't believe you pressed charges you fucker." I seethed, "You jumped Pope, how could you do that and not expect him to retaliate?"

"My mom pressed charges." He told me, "I didn't want to, I already feel guilty for jumping him at the movie series."

I shook my head to myself before dropping it back and looking up to the sky, "So it was Pope?"

"I mean, yeah." Topper told me, "It looked exactly like him."

"Well JJ took the bait for him." I muttered, another tear slipping from my eyes, "Because he knew if he got arrested he'd lose his merit scholarship."

"So it was JJ who got arrested?" My stepbrother asked me. I nodded silently, "Did you two—?"

"—I think so." I told him, drawing my knees to my chest and resting my chin there. Yeah, we had a thing going, "I think we did and now.. now it's probably ruined." I sniffed again, tears running down my cheeks.

It was silent between Topper and I as I cried to myself and after a few minutes he broke the ice again and got to his feet, "C'mon Mal, I'm gonna take you home."

I looked up to him, "Don't bother."

"I'm not taking no for an answer." He replied and gestured for me to follow him. I stood up and walked back up the docks where I noticed his car. It was a brand new black Jeep and I climbed in the passenger seat, flicking the light on and pulling the sun visor down. The first thing I did was look at my face. There was a deep blue and purple bruise sitting on my face and underneath my eye — a small cut on across my cheekbone.

"Looks nasty." Topper said to me as he pulled away.

I pushed the sun visor up and turned the light off, "Mhm." I nodded.

"You don't have to tell me what happened if you don't want to."

I crossed my arms, leaning my head against the cool window, "I wasn't going to anyways."

He nodded, "Yeah, alright."

We sat in silence, driving for only five or so minutes when we drove past the Point. There were cop cars everywhere, blue lights flashing into the sky. There were ambulances, cops and coast guards out everywhere and I looked out of the window to see Sheriff Peterkin stood under a lit tent, surrounded by her officers.

Topper pulled to a stop and I turned to look at him with my eyes wide, "What's happened here?" I asked, it looked like a murder scene.

How much had I missed?

"The whole island is looking for you Mally." He replied, meeting my gaze, "You've been missing for 32 hours."

I looked back out of the window again and quickly undid my seatbelt, getting out of Toppers car and shutting the door. He followed me out and walked round his car, "Your mom demanded Sheriff Peterkin had the whole island looking for you. She didn't know what happened and with your head.."

I turned back to Topper, "My mom?"

He nodded, "They've been searching all last night and today."

"Oh my god." I muttered. I hadn't even realised how much damage I'd caused. The thought of my parents thinking I was missing didn't even cross my mind and suddenly I felt extremely selfish. I'd probably caused them so much pain and fear.

"Where's my dad?" I asked.

"He should be here somewhere." Topper told me, "I think he went to pick your friends up. They went out to help look for you."

I looked back to the scene again and shook my head in disbelief, "I can't believe I've caused this."

"It's not your fault." Topper told me and I saw Deputy Shoupe look over in our direction.

"Hey, Sheriff?" He called to his boss and slowly Peterkin turned around to see Topper and I stood by his car. I watched as Peterkin's shoulders relaxed somewhat and she, followed by Shoupe, jogged over to me. They moved through the teams of people that they had collected, professional and citizens and Peterkin sighed when she reached us.

"Mally? Are you all right?" She asked me and wordlessly I nodded. She looked to Shoupe and nodded.

He pulled his radio up to his mouth, "All units already out stand down." He spoke, eyes lingering on me, "We've found her."

Some people around us started to notice me and they stopped to look.

"You must be freezing." Peterkin said to me.

I shook my head, still shocked, "I-I'm fine." I replied, fisting the sleeves of JJ's jumper in my hands.

She nodded before pointing to my face, "You wanna tell me what happened to your face?" She asked.

"I fell." I lied and I saw Toppers eyes on me.

"That's a lie." My stepbrother spoke up.

I turned to him sharply and slapped his arm, "Topper." I groaned in annoyance.

"They need to know someone attacked you Mally." He fired back, "It's not fair."

"Someone did this to you?" Sheriff Peterkin asked me and I turned back to her.

"No." I lied before sighing, "Yes." At least we both knew it wasn't those square groupers but I could tell exactly what she was thinking. That person she warned me about yesterday — or the day before now — the one who had killed those square groupers, he was quite possibly after John B and she was thinking maybe he'd gotten to me.

I was absolutely positive Luke Maybank wasn't that man.

"Mally you can talk to us." Peterkin said, edging closer towards me, "We want to help you."

"No!" I cried loudly, taking a step back and anyone who wasn't looking before was now. I felt myself getting worked up and I wasn't even sure why. Maybe it was all building back up again, "You can't do anything for me, all right? If I tell you it's just my word against his." Topper wrapped an arm around me to steady me as I stepped back into him.

"Did this man hurt you?"

"I can't—" I cried, tears pushing over my eyes, "I can't tell you."

I'd never felt this broken and vulnerable before, I absolutely hated it. I hated showing people when I was feeling weak, it just exposed me.

"Why not?" Peterkin asked me, "Are you afraid of him?"

"Of course I'm afraid of him!" I yelled while scoffing through my tears. I could feel my blood pumping quicker around my body, "He hit me.. I'm fucking terrified of him!"

"Mally!"

I turned to see my dad pushing his way through the crowds, "Dad!" I yelled, "Dad!"

My dad broke through the crowds of people and I ran to him, wrapping my arms around him tightly whilst crying into his chest, "I'm sorry, dad, I'm so sorry."

"Come on now." My dad comforted me, "It's okay... how did you get here?"

"Topper found me on a dock somewhere." I told him.

"Thank you." My dad said and I assumed he was talking to Topper.

"I found her on the far side of Figure Eight." Topper said, "I have no idea how she got there."

My dad pulled away and frowned at me, "Did you run from the Cut all the way to Figure Eight?"

"I guess." I cried, tears blurring my vision of him, "I was scared."

"Oh, my— Mally! Mal— get out of my way!" I looked over my dads shoulder to see my mom shoving her way through the crowd. She walked over to me putting her hand on my shoulder and sighing before pulling me into a tight hug, "Mal you had me scared shitless." She said to me, kissing the top of my head, "Christ, where have you been?"

"Topper found me on Figure Eight somewhere." I replied.

"God." My mom sighed, "Thank you Top." She looked back to me and grazed her hand over my face, "What happened to you? Who did this to you?"

"That's what I'm tryin' to find out." Peterkin said and my parents and I turned back to her, "Only she says she can't tell me."

"Can't tell her?" My dad asked in confusion, "Sweetheart why the hell not?"

"Who's going to believe an insomniac sixteen year old with concussion?" I asked my dad, "It'll be my word against his."

"It won't be, Mally, we have evidence." Peterkin said.

"My face don't you mean?" I asked her sarcastically, sinking into the protective comfort of my parents.

Peterkin sighed, "If you don't tell us who did this to you he might do it to someone else—"

"—He already has!" I shouted. I wasn't stupid, JJ might've been a brilliant liar but I never bought it when he told us he fell into a tree when he appeared with a new bruise on his face or he'd crashed his bike. I wasn't the first person JJ's dad had hit before and hell, if he hit JJ it wouldn't surprise me if he'd hit JJ's mom before too, "Plenty of times."

"Whoever it is we can stop him." Peterkin said to me and I shook my head in response, leaning into my dad's side.

"Why won't you tell them Mally?" My mom asked me, "They're cops, they can help you."

"No one'll believe a Pogue let alone a teenager." I said to her while shaking my head. I knew what I was saying was true, as horrible as it was. We were stereotyped as kids who were looking for trouble. The cops hated us, hell they'd see us walking down the street and they'd stop to search us — check we weren't going off to do anything illegal, "It'll just make it worse."

I remembered Topper telling me my dad had gone to get my friends and I pulled out of my parents comforting embrace. My friends were the only people I wanted to see right now and I looked around all over for them.

It was hard, the blue police lights scattered across the faces of many and I struggled to see them but eventually I did. Pope, John B, Kie and..

"..JJ." I muttered, my eyes falling on him and never looking away.

His face looked similar to mine, cuts and bruises littering once side of his face, and I figured his dad had given it to him after he got his parole.

He was stood by my dads car and slowly I walked away from my parents, I walked past Peterkin and Topper and I walked into the crowd of people who parted to let me through.

I didn't think JJ would even be eligible for parole and if he was I didn't think in a million years that his dad would bail him out after what he said to me. I didn't expect to see him and now I could I felt myself crumbling.

I picked up my pace and I jogged towards him as he started to take steps towards me and then he was in an arms reach of me and I was pulling his body against me, wrapping my arms around his neck tightly and burying my head into his neck.

He wrapped his arms around my back and he held me tight, "Where've you been?" He asked me quietly, "You scared the shit out of me, the whole island thought you were dead."

"I'm sorry." I apologised, pulling back and grazing my hand over his bust lip, "God, I'm so sorry."

JJ had tears in his eyes and the blue hue of his irises were storming. He clenched his jaw tightly as he looked at me, "Did he—?" I nodded at him and I saw the anger in his eyes, "Son of a bitch." He muttered lowly, "I should've killed him. I should've killed him."

"It's all right JJ." I told him, pulling him back into me, "I'm all right."

• • •

A/N; So this is why I added the extra day! Midsummers will be taking place the day after this instead of the night JJ got arrested in case any of you were confused