EDEN never expected to be running from the cops, but hey, there was a first time for everything, right? 

Being the daughter of Isla and Tom Bexley, Eden was practically born protected.  With her father's respect and her mother's 'royalty' on the island, no one would ever dare do something so much as send her a wrong glance.  Hell, one wrong gesture and you had half of the Kooks against you.

Because of this, Eden rarely found herself in positions such as running from the cops.  No one would ever assume Eden Bexley, daughter of respectable, privileged and proper Isla Bexley would do wrong, and no one would ever try to blame her for such—if Shoupe so much as tried to question her for a crime, the girl's sure he'd end up loosing his job.

Yet, here Eden was—in the back of the SUV, cramped and tired as hell.  Oh, and yes, hiding from the police.

Kiara had driven them to the Cut—lucky for them, no one recognized her Toyota 4Runner the way they recognized the Twinkie—and after an hour or so of trying to find the perfect spot, they ended up in the woods, under a run-down, empty shack where no one would really look.  

The south side was a shitty place to live but Eden had to admit, it made great hiding spot with it's overgrown plants and run-down shacks.

The Bexley's legs are more cramped than she's ever felt and she's running on mere minutes of sleep—all five of them had tried to catch some sort of sleep, but it was hard to zone out when their friend was wanted for murder, let alone in the position they were in.  Kiara's car was not meant to sleep five people.

"Good news for residents of the Outer Banks." a man speaks from the radio within the car, the group blankly tuned in, though Eden is barely listening, giving her eyes are barely staying open.  She's lying in the back between JJ and John B., head against JJ's shoulder for support, legs pulled up to her chest to give the other two room. "Dominion Power says their underwater transmission line, which will restore power to 90% of the area, should be functional within 24 hours."

Sirens ring outside and JJ quickly pops up to make sure none are coming their way, Eden groaning as her head support is yanked away.  The police vehicles drive right past them, and the blonde returns to his sitting position, the Bexley lying her head down once more.

"And still, no arrest in the shooting death of Sheriff Susan Peterkin." the man continues droning on and on, "The state police have issued a statement regarding a local person of interest, a juvenile from—"

Kiara quickly switches off the radio before he can state John B.'s name. 

"Let's game this out," JJ speaks, breaking the silence the Pogues had fallen into since last night, "Maybe you guys can help, being the smart ones and all, but....." the blonde sighs, "....who are the cops going to believe? Ward Cameron or us?" 

Eden and John B. shared a look, the answer obvious.

"So the accuser is a big shot developer, kind of lord of the island, got the governor on speed dial kind of person, and the accused.....is John B., who is....pretty much a homeless, sixteen year old boy at the moment." 

John B. nodded, "Thanks."

"Shit." Pope mutters from the passenger seat.

"Okay, man." the Maybank boy starts right up again, "Yucatan, alright? I'm saying, that's the only option. What other option do you have?"

"JJ, enough with the Mexico bullshit, alright?" the Routledge tiredly snaps, "Sarah's gonna bail me out."

Kiara nodded, pointing out, "She did witness the whole thing."

"Thank you."

Pope wasn't so sure, turning back to face John B., "And she's gonna snitch on her brother?"

JJ sat up again, taking the joint of of his lips, Eden groaning once more at the sudden movement, "Not happening, bro. Okay?"

 "Could you please lay back down?" the Bexley sent him a side eye.

"We've gotta get you off the island." the blonde ignored his friend.

Pope suggested, "The ferry. It's the only way."

"Yeah, exit stage left while you still can, man. Okay? Before the entire island is on lock down."

Kiara sighed as cop sirens sounded again, "Guys, just get down."

As the police vehicles sped by, the Heyward continued to speak, "Sarah's not a Pogue, John B."

JJ agreed, "Yeah, you can't stay here, man."

Eden sighed and closed her eyes against JJ's shoulder again. This was going to be one long day.

Eden was still in the back seat of the car.

After another hour or so of hiding in the abandoned shack, Kiara started up the car and they drove out to the ferry to see if there was any chance that John B. could escape the island off of it without being caught.

Legs still cramped, but slightly more awake, the Bexley girl aimlessly stared out the window—she'd been moved from in between the two boys, to on the side of John B. so he wouldn't be seen by passersby—hoping that things cleared up sooner or later.  She wasn't sure how much longer she could sit in silence, ducking down every time a cop car passed.

But, her hopes were crushed as Pope jogged back over to the car—he'd gotten out to check out the ferry.

"Okay." she could hear Pope saying as he paced up towards the vehicle, "Okay. Alright, no."

Kiara pursed her lips, "Pope, can you act normal?"

"So, um....okay, so, bad news." the Heyward boy stated, coming over to the drivers side window to say, "The ferry's closed, and there's this." 

Pope handed the Carrera a sheet of paper as he got into the car. Eden watches through the rear view mirror as the curly haired girl's eyes widened and her mouth dropped.  The reaction has the Bexley growing nervous, as it does the Routledge.

"What is this?" John B. rushes, watching as the piece of paper gets handed back to JJ, "What is this?"

JJ looks at the paper before holding it up for the Routledge boy to see, "Well, John B., uh....this is a good framer of you."

Eden's eyes scan over the sheet of paper.  

Wanted; $25,000 Reward—John B. Routledge. 

Taking the sheet of paper, Eden tries to make the best out of the situation—it wasn't everyday you had a wanted poster for a crime you didn't commit, as well as had the whole island looking for your very face. 

"This is going to be hung on my wall as a Pogue Achievement if everything goes well." the Bexley slightly laughs.  While the situation was serious, it was honestly funny to see that her best friend was a wanted man. It was a piece of paper she never thought she'd get the chance to see. "I mean, it's not everyday you have a wanted poster for.....yeah, that's a lot of cash." 

Pope deadpanned, "Okay, so, the whole island's looking for John B. right now." 

Kiara nodded, "I agree with Eden—that is a lot of money."

"Which, being the money hungry society we are, someone is definitely turning you in, JB." the Bexley gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.  $25,000 was hard to turn down to the regular eye—someone was bound to turn him in if they spotted him, just for the cash.

John B. sighed, "Thank you for the reassurance, Eden."

JJ handed his best friend the wanted paper, "Congratulations, John B.  You're now famous."

Unlike both Eden and JJ, Kiara was staying rather serious, "Okay, guys, we gotta get to the HMS. We need small, no running lights—"

"It's at the Chateau, Kie." John B. stated.

"And I wonder if the cops got the entire place staked out." JJ remarked sarcastically, Eden making a face at the Chateau being swarmed with cops. "Let me think. Oh yeah, no, they definitely have that place locked down."

Eden groaned, "I left my bracelet kit in the Chateau. What am I supposed to do in this car for the next....who knows how long we're gonna be in here." The Chateau was almost like her own house—she had shit in there too. 

Kiara rolled her eyes, "Yeah, copy that."

"Let me think, let me think. Just give me a second—give me a second." Pope stammered over his words, clearly trying to think of how they could get the wanted boy in the back of the car away and out of the island.  Then, as if a light bulb clicked on inside his brain, he twisted to face the Maybank boy, "JJ."

"What?" JJ asked.

"Does your dad still have that boat?" the Heyward asked, mind going one hundred miles and hour. "The cigarette boat—The Phantom. The one he used to race?"

JJ, with a slightly fallen face at the mention of his dad, hesitantly replied, "Maybe."

"You could get right up the coast, no problem." 

As Pope twisted the keys into the ignition, Kiara began to say, "Okay, look.  The surfs running from like, three to four—"

"It's not gonna be easy, Pope." JJ interjected, not wanting the boy to get his hopes up—in reality, he just didn't want to ask his father where the keys were, let alone go back to his house. "Pope, I don't know where the keys are."

With hesitation, the Heyward snapped, "Well, find them!"

"Okay! I'm thinking."

Eden looked between the blonde boy and the Heyward, "Jeez, Pope. Loosen up a little bit."

Pope didn't take her advice and stayed tense, leaning forward and moving his hands as he commented, "Why is nobody moving forward? What's going on here?"

"I don't know, Pope. Maybe because there's a thing called traffic?" Eden replied smartly, slightly concerned about the shift in the Heyward's behavior. She knew it was a bad idea to give him weed.

"Can you relax?" Kiara asked Pope before turning back towards JJ, "JJ, how much weed did you give him?"

Before the Bexley could make another comment, she felt a sharp jab on her side.  Whipping over to face John B., she opens her mouth to ask why he'd elbowed her, but quickly shuts up when she glances at where his finger is pointing.

"Oh shit." Eden mutters—this wasn't good. On the wanted poster, the Toyota 4Runner is named as a possible spot for John B. to be hiding.  The very car they were sitting in, within traffic. "Kie, Pope—the car is on the wanted poster!"

Pope doesn't seem to hear the girl and slams his palm against the wheel, honking his horn obnoxiously, "Can we move it, please?"

"Guys, your cars on here!" John B. whispers through gritted teeth, trying to get the statement out in the open since no one seemed to car when Eden said it.

Kiara seems to preoccupied with the anxious, impatient, Heyward boy instead as she tries to stop him from honking the horn, "Pope, that's not gonna help anything—"

"Pope, now is not the time for road rage! Take a chill pill." the Bexley leans forward, sending the Heyward an angry look.  Honking the horn was only going to draw attention to them, which is the last thing they needed with their car on the wanted poster—with the wanted criminal with them. "This car is on the wanted sheet, we're already a target as it—"

"It's that guy! That guy right there!"

Eden's head whips faster than ever, and her eyes are met with some kid pointing directly at their car, his mother's eyes narrowing at John B.  And then, suddenly, it seems like everyone is staring at them, realizing that a wanted boy was currently mere feet away from them—that $25,000  was in their grasp.

"Shit." Kiara utters.

JJ is quick to say, "We got a snitch. Pope, turn the car on."

"We get $25,000 if we find him!"

"Hey!" the sudden sound of thumping makes Eden jump and her eyes widen at the sight of a man pounding on their window, a bright smile on his face as he looks at John B. through it, "He's right there! I found him!"

John B. is quick to pull his sweatshirt over his face and to roll over on his side, now facing JJ. Eden is also fast to lean forward so all the man can see is her and not the Routledge.  Panicked, she slaps her hand against Pope's seat—who for some reason hadn't started the car yet. "Yo, Pope, start the car! We gotta go before the cops get called."

"I found him first!"

"Hell you did, you little bastard!"

Kiara roars, "Pope, turn the frickin' car on!"

"I'm trying!" the Heyward gasps, twisting the key into the ignition with much force, "I'm trying!"

"Dude! Turn the car on!"

"Go, go, go, go, go!" JJ rushes.

Suddenly, the car jolts forward, slamming into the back bumper of the car ahead of them.  The five teens all lurch forward, but continue on to rush Pope to start driving.

"Pope! Jeez!"

"Dude, back up!" Kiara insists as the vehicle continues to move forward, driving against the front car's bumper.  "The other way!"

"It's okay! Pope, just go!" 

Finally, Pope swerves the steering wheel to the side, steering the car straight out of the traffic jam. Eden's body goes lurching to the side before she's tossed back to her original position.  The teens are all riled up, but so is the crowd,  Eden watching from the window as an officer—Deputy Plumb—chases after them, yelling for the car to stop.

Of course, the Pogues do the opposite, Pope slamming his foot on the gas so the car speeds away. JJ yells out an apology out the window to the car they'd just been slamming against, but is quickly thrown back into his seat with the Heyward's driving skills.

"What are you doing?" Kiara asks exasperated.

JJ looks back, "That'll bump out."

Eden isn't really sure who entrusted Pope to drive but she was really regretting letting the boy in the drivers seat with such a fuzzy mind, because her heart is racing as she watches them swerve every which way.

Eden screams, "Pope the limit says ten miles an hour not eighty!"

"Watch out, Pope! Whoa, whoa, whoa, Pope! Watch out!" Kiara screams in a panic, watching as a mailbox comes into view—as the Heyward boy drives straight towards it in      her mother's  vehicle.  

Pope takes her warning to watch out as a suggestion, and continues to drive straight forward, slamming straight into the mailbox.

John B. is hanging on to the door for dear life, and Eden is hanging on to him and to JJ with the same amount of force because she's honestly afraid someone's going to fly out of the window if she doesn't.

"Oh my God!" Pope gleams, unbothered by his reckless driving.

John B. on the other hand seems traumatized, "Pope!"

Kiara runs a hand through her hair, "What the fuck?"

Gleefully, and truly unbothered by his friend's terrified exclaims at his driving skills, Pope laughs. "I'm livin' my best life now!" 

"My mom's gonna kill me!"

JJ has a tight grip on Pope's headrest, his other arm locked with Edens. "I should be the last one to tell you this, but you are not okay to drive, dude! Stop!"

Eden looked at the blonde, "Who even let him drive in the first place? Hell, I told you guys it was a bad idea to give Pope weed—"

The tires screech against the road and the Bexley is once again lurching forward.  The Heyward boy turns to face John B., persona quickly switching from bright to serious, "John B., get out."

"He's right." Eden breathes, catching her breath. "We'll draw the cops and you run.  Unless you miraculously get your ass caught, they'll be on our trail for a while. It'll give you time to find a decent spot." She opens the door for her best friend.

JJ continues as the Routledge boy climbs over Eden and out the door, "I'll get the rig and I'll meet you in the rig tomorrow, okay? Three o'clock, okay?"

John B. nods, getting out of the car and shutting the door. "Yeah."

"Three o'clock tomorrow at the dump!"

Eden sticks her head out of the window, "Stay safe and don't get caught!"

 The girl then watches as her best friend runs off into the woods, praying that he would be okay.  That he wouldn't be found, because Eden knew that no one was going to hear him out anymore—not that they ever were.

mara's misc

and.....with that we're in the final episode!!! it's almost time to say bye to miss eden—well, to her season one era, that is.  since most of the episode centers around jb and sarah, i'm not sure how many more chapters act one will have, (i'm going to assume one or two???)

i started this act in january and finally am finishing it???? what? me actually finishing a book? no....

pope driving while high is the funniest thing like wow. he really just went with the flow and was living his best life—your best friends a wanted man, might as well just take all road signs and warnings as suggestions while you're at it.

what are your head cannons about eden/her relationship with the pogues (it can be a certain pogue or group wise??? i'm honestly curious to what random things you think she does when she's not trying to find gold.

personally, i think whenever the boys say anything relevant about being a man, she starts playing the man on her phone and john b in particular gets so sick of it.

also today i had the most wild rehearsal ever.  today was the first supercalifragilisticexpialidocious rehearsal and In the show you have to spell out the word with hand signs and holy fucking shit.  im someone who does hand signs and my ankles hurt sm bc we have to be on our knees on the hard tile and my mind hurts from spelling and berts (aka a main who sits next to me for this part) glasses flew off twice and i lost my shit.  the recording looks like trash bc we forgot a whole part of the song. 

as per usual, this is for a deal with @surf-style. go give her a follow and check out her obx fics!! she's the reason this book stays updated and doesn't collect dust :)

hope you enjoyed <3 see you back with chapter twenty six!!!