CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:
GAME CHANGER
(episode eight: the runaway)

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HAVEN'S MIND WAS ON overdrive as she laid in the spare bedroom at John B's house. The window was open to let in a cool breeze, and the pulled-back curtains allowed the shadows of tree branches to dance across the plain white roof. Everyone else was asleep. Kie was snoring softly beside her while Pope had taken the pull-out couch and Arden and JJ slept in John B's abandoned bedroom. Haven wasn't sure how Kie had managed to drift so quickly. She couldn't stop thinking of JJ's face in the hot-tub, the way his body had trembled beneath her touch like every brush of unfamiliar skin was a threat. Just the thought brought tears to her eyes, sniffles she smothered desperately so as to not wake Kie. It was upsetting for all of them, Haven didn't want to make that worse.

The silence was broken by creaking floorboards. A moment later, the screen door leading out to the porch opened and closed. Haven hesitated before following the sound. It was useless lying there alone with nothing but her thoughts to taunt her. So instead, she slipped out from beneath the sheets, pausing to adjust them around Kie before creeping out past Pope. She'd anticipated Arden to be waiting for her, but instead she found JJ. He'd wandered over to the hammocks, stubbornly ignoring the reckless sight of the hot tub glistening beneath the still flashing disco ball lights. None of them had thought to turn it off. In truth, it was the last thing on their minds.

"Hey," she murmured as she slipped onto the hammock next to him. Their bodies swayed back and forth, JJ's shoulder pressing into her side. "Couldn't sleep?"

"A lot on my mind."

"Yeah," she breathed out knowingly. "I know the feeling."

For a while, they just sat in silence. Haven watched the moon's reflection shimmer along the marsh surface, so calm and peaceful compared to the bruised boy beside her. JJ's eyes were still red-rimmed and his hands were clenched like he didn't know anything different. Eventually, she turned on her side to look at him, frowning as he sighed and met her gaze.

"Will we ever be okay again?" she asked, hesitant, fearful of the response she might receive.

JJ sighed again, before reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. "I forgave you a long time ago, Haven. I just didn't know what to say."

She huffed out a soft laugh. "I think that's something we both need to work on."

He grinned, leaning his head back to watch the tree branches sway above them, like hands reaching for each other through the wind. For a second, he looked like a teenager again, the bruise around his eye long forgotten. But one wrong move and the pain returned. His smile dropped.

"My dad caused your accident," he stated. It wasn't a question anymore. "Didn't he?"

"Yes," she murmured, watching as he nodded to himself, face blank. "Are you angry with me? That I didn't say anything to you sooner?"

Much to her surprise, he laughed. "I want to be, but I'm not."

Hope. It was just like water, and much like JJ, Haven wasn't immune to it. It slipped through the cracks of each wall she built up, again and again, a false promise that Haven always found herself clinging to.

"So we're okay?" she checked again, as if he'd have changed his mind in the five minutes since the last time she asked.

"We're okay."

Haven smiled a genuine kind of smile, the last of the tension falling away as her eyes slipped shut for a second, then a minute. Then, as the moon slowly gave way to the sun and JJ dozed beside her, she finally went off to sleep.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

"WELCOME TO THE LAND of the living. It's about time you woke up."

Haven grumbled to herself as Arden clambered up onto the hammock at her feet. She frowned, confused for a moment about how the contraption was holding up all three of them, before she felt the space where JJ had fallen asleep beside her and came up empty. The sky was a pale shade of grey above their heads, the sun hidden behind a thick layer of clouds. A storm was brewing. The birds were chirping noisily in the branches above. It was a wonder Haven hadn't woken up when JJ moved or from the absolute ruckus their friends were making to disrupt the birds' routine.

"What time is it?" she asked, voice croaky from disrupted sleep.

"Just gone eleven," Arden said. Through the faint glare of sunlight, Haven managed to make out the exhausted look in her eyes that she was sure matched her own. She tried to hide it behind a pair of sun shades and a cute outfit but everyone knew she was running on fumes. "The others are testing Pope's plan to get the rest of the gold. It looks like it's working."

Haven craned her neck in the direction Arden pointed. There was a metal container of some sorts hanging from the other side of the tree that kept the hammocks up. Kie was bundled up inside it, grinning down at Pope as he quizzed her on its durability. The ropes keeping her up seemed to hold steady. A positive sign, Haven thought through a loud yawn.

"Do we have to get the gold today?" Haven whined as her eyes flitted shut for just a second. "I'm sure we could use a good rest."

Arden flicked her leg until she looked at her again. "We've got this, Have. You can rest when we're rich."

"You sound like JJ," she huffed.

Arden just smiled. "Come on."

With a reluctant sigh, Haven allowed Arden to hop off the hammock before following her. They made their way over to where the hot tub was. JJ had sat down on the edge, his bruises looking yellow in the mid-morning light. He grinned at them as they clambered up to join him, Haven crossing her legs beneath her while Arden dipped her feet in with a giddy laugh.

"Looks like John B's pulling a Houdini," he said as he swigged from a bottle of beer he'd found.

Pope had noticed the girls moving and helped Kie down, the two heading over to join them as they waited for John B to show his face. "Yeah, where is he?" he asked. "I've got my scholarship interview tomorrow morning. We've gotta get this done now."

"That's tomorrow?" Haven gasped.

He nodded. "With everything that's happened, I almost forgot about it."

"It's gonna go great, you'll see," she assured him. "You're the smartest guy I know. If anyone deserves a scholarship, it's you."

"That's cute, guys," Kie huffed. "But we should think about finding John B first. We can't get the gold without him."

The crackling of branches breaking caught Haven's attention. A figure was marching through the yard towards them, their head bowed but Haven was able to make out the unmistakable mess of John B's hair. She smiled in relief.

"Looks like we won't have to," she said and pointed over to him. "He's right there."

"Speak of the devil," JJ smirked cheekily. "Hey, dude. Just so you know, I set up the entire winch to pull up the gold and everything."

Pope face dropped. "No, he did not. I did that."

"Please, as if anyone would believe JJ," Arden scoffed, before giggling when he huffed and poked her side.

They hadn't noticed John B's silence yet, but Haven had. He refused to look in their direction as he stormed up the porch steps and into the house, but she'd noticed the tears falling freely down his face. He looked heartbroken — no, crushed, like someone had torn the heart out of his chest and smashed it to pieces. For a moment, she wondered if Sarah was to blame, but Kie had told her that Sarah promised not to leave him. She wouldn't break that promise so soon, right?

"Guys, something's wrong," she said just as the door slammed shut.

The sound jarred them to the present, as did the worry that radiated from Haven. She swung her legs down from the hot tub to follow him inside, the others quick to follow. They'd just reached the porch when glass shattered inside, prompting them to run the rest of the way to John B. The living room was beyond trashed as he searched every drawer, every hiding spot, for something. There was a dark, grief-stricken look in his eyes that rooted Haven to the spot. This was more than anything Sarah could cause.

"You alright, man?" Pope frowned and wandered over to him. He quickly flinched back, though, as John B huffed to himself and slammed a glass cabinet shut ruthlessly. "Uh, what's up?"

"What are you looking for?" Kie added on with that same wary look.

John B simply ignored them both, stepping past them like they were nothing but air and striding over to the couch to search the cushions.

"Hey, what's going on, man?" JJ snapped.

There was a click, like bullets being loaded into a pistol. Haven gasped, the sound whirring them into motion as John B wheeled around. He looked rabid, like he'd hurt anything between him and his target. It terrified Haven. At that moment, she didn't recognise her friend. He was just like those men on the marsh who were so insistent on harming them.

"John B, what do you need the gun for?"

"JJ, stay back," Arden whimpered as he rushed over to get in his way. "JJ—"

"Come on, John B, talk to us," he sighed and reached out to take the weapon away.

John B didn't like that. Uncaring, he shoved JJ onto the pull-out, ignoring Arden's outraged cry for him to stop and Haven and Pope standing in his path. He simply stepped around them, shoulder slamming into Haven's as he disappeared back out the door. Her eyes met JJ's as Arden helped him to his feet. They knew, all of them did, that John B couldn't leave with that gun.

"John B, what the hell are you doing?" Kie screamed, the first to run after him.

An engine roared. Haven practically sprinted down the steps and across the yard to where he sat hunched over JJ's dirt bike. He was sobbing now, so hard that it was a wonder he could see as he stashed the gun in his pocket and kicked the bike into motion.

"John B, stop," she exclaimed through the chorus of their friends' panic. "Just talk to us, please."

"Ward knows about the gold," he shouted over them. He still refused to look at them, his sights on the road ahead where a man waited for his bullet. "He killed my dad."

He killed my dad. He killed my dad. He killed my dad.

The words echoed, over and over again, as Kie and the others chased after him. But he was long gone, and Haven knew it. He'd make Ward Cameron pay for what he took from him, whether it was in blood or other means. There was nothing any of them could say or do to make his pain fade. An eye for an eye only made the world go blind, but John B's rage was a monster let free, and only he could control it now.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

IT WAS DARK BY the time the pogues figured out what to do. Haven had wanted to stay, to wait at the Chateau for when John B eventually returned, but the others voted against it. Kie voted against it. She was determined to find him, to stop him from making a huge mistake that would only end with the entirety of Outer Banks after him. But everyone was getting tired, especially Pope. Haven could see the frustration on his face as they took the HMS Pogue out onto the marsh and made way for Figure Eight. The Cameron House was dark and void of life when they docked at their jetty, no Ward or John B in sight.

"What now?" JJ huffed, growing just as annoyed as Pope. "We just go up to the front door and ask, 'hey, have you seen John B?'"

"Look, he lives at Tannyhill now. It's plausible," she insisted. Haven just sighed and shook her head. Everyone knew it wasn't, even Kie. "We can play dumb."

"Play dumb?"

"Come on, guys."

"It's pretty late," Pope muttered weakly. But Kie wasn't having it.

"I've never seen John B like that. We should honestly be going to the cops."

"The cops?" Arden repeated incredulously. "Kie, are you trying to get him in trouble?"

"Of course not."

"And what are we supposed to say to them?" JJ huffed. "We're worried about our friend because he's going off on a rampage because Ward Cameron killed Big John?"

"There's no way they'd believe that," Haven agreed. "Look, our best bet is to just—"

"Hey! I see Ward."

Everyone's eyes snapped to Pope. While they were arguing, he'd taken the binoculars from Kie's bag and was scouring the house towering by the water. A light had switched on in one of the bottom rooms, the yellow glow seeping out into the darkness just enough for Pope to make out the man in question.

"Let me see," Kie gasped and snatched the binoculars from his hands.

"He doesn't look dead to me," he said. "Let's go home."

Home. Haven still hadn't figured out what that was. The thought of seeing her mother still made her sick to her stomach. She didn't know what she would do if she risked returning to that hell hole only to find Liam or whatever his name was shacking up with Melinda. No, the closest thing she had to a home was the Chateau, now trashed by John B, and the people in front of her. But Pope was right. She was tired, they all were. No amount of sleep seemed to fade away everything they'd been through over the past three weeks. She just wanted to go home, to whatever she could salvage.

But again, Kie didn't agree. "What? No."

"Obviously, Mr Cameron is fine," Pope said. "And even if John B was here, he isn't now, okay?" Kie glanced at Haven and Arden, her expression outraged, but both girls just turned away. Pope wasn't exactly wrong. "Plus, I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours."

"Yeah, well, our friend is in trouble," she scoffed.

"I'm in trouble," he snapped, jaw clenched. "Guys, I haven't been home in three days. My dad's probably put all my shit on the street by now."

"Pope, it's okay if you need to go," Haven said, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder as he stood under Kie's annoyed gaze. "We get it."

"No, we don't," Kie shook her head. She waited for Pope to say something but he didn't. "So that's it? In a time of need, you're just gonna bail? You're just gonna walk away?"

"Hey, that's not fair," Haven frowned.

"Haven, now's not the time to be standing up for your boyfriend, alright?" Haven bristled at the jab, opening her mouth to retort but was cut off by Kie looking away from her to glare at Pope again. "So? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Guys, can we not do this right now?" JJ sighed.

Kie looked ready to have a go at him too, had it not been for Pope huffing angrily, "I have a scholarship interview in the morning. I can't—"

"Okay, well, what about John B?"

"Why is it always about John B?"

She didn't know what to say now. Pope laughed, sharing an annoyed look with the others as she struggled for words. Finally, she stammered out, "I-It's not always about John B. You're so stupid. It could be any of us in this situation."

"Oh, bullshit."

"Guys—"

"This is about friendship," she snapped, eyes teary.

Arden sighed and reached out for her. "Kie, you're not thinking straight..."

Kie just shook her off. "This is about pogues for life!"

"What about forensic pathology, huh?"

"Forensic pathology?" she scoffed.

"That's my life," he shouted, the two getting up in each other's faces while the others watched on helplessly. "Everything I've worked for, Kie."

"That's seriously your priority?"

"Oh, would you stop with the moral high ground bullshit?" he snarled, effectively stunning her into silence. She'd never heard Pope so angry before.

For a second, the five of them just sat in tense silence. Kie had tears dripping down her face that she hastily moved to wipe away, but Pope couldn't bring himself to apologise as he glared at her. He looked ready to say more, but Arden stepped forward in an attempt to lead Kie away.

"Pope, come on, that's enough."

"No," he snapped, moving in the way of the girls and forcing Kie to look at him. At that moment, he wanted to hurt her, to lash out. "She has no room to talk. Where were you when Big John went missing? You weren't there. You weren't there for John B, you weren't there for any of us. Remember your kook year? Yeah, you forgot about us. And now, you feel guilty."

"Oh, give me a break," she cried, ripping her arm away from Arden to shove at his chest. Haven rushed forward to steady him, everyone whirring into motion. "Is that what you need? A break?"

"Kie," the other girl shouted.

"What? Are you just going to let him speak to me like that?"

"Enough! You're being ridiculous—hey!"

"Would you cut it out?" JJ yelled in sheer frustration. It was enough for Kie to pause for just a second and for JJ to shove between them, acting as a barrier between the fretful girl and Pope. "If I'm the one mediating, we've hit rock bottom."

Silence. All of Kie's anger seemed to melt away as reality caught up and hit hard. She didn't protest as Arden moved her away again, just watching sadly as JJ forced Pope to the bow and Haven followed without looking at her. She understood that Kie wanted to help John B, but sacrificing Pope's feelings like they were nothing wasn't fair. Nobody spoke as JJ took them back to Pope's house. The boy left the boat without a word to anybody, just soundlessly pecking Haven's head as she wished him luck for his interview before disappearing into the night.

Kie took the chance to try and talk to Haven then, slowly creeping up to the bow as Arden and JJ murmured to each other at the wheel.

"Haven?" When Haven said nothing, she just sighed, hovering for an instant before braving the spot beside her friend. "Have, I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologising to me?" she scoffed, and finally met her eyes. "Kie, that wasn't fair and you know it."

"John B needs us."

Haven huffed and shook her head. "The fact you're still saying that shows Pope's words went through one ear and out the other."

"He's our friend."

"And so is Pope," she snapped. "I don't know about you, but my life nor his revolves around John B. Friendship doesn't mean sacrificing our futures. And unless you're going to apologise to Pope and mean it, I don't want to hear it."

And so she turned away, the anger in her eyes only fading as Kie took the hint and returned to her spot at the back of the boat.

Why did it always have to be something with this group?