𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊, 𝗃𝗈𝗁𝗇 𝖻 𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗅𝖾𝖽𝗀𝖾

35: 𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐

The sun continued to set, the evening coming to the Outer Banks. The Phantom sat in the water with JJ standing inside. After getting the boat from the garage after their big fight between Rafe and Barry, the Pogues had been able to get the Phantom to the docks where they were to meet John B and Y/n. After finding herself to shore and getting away from the small family that had found her on the water, Sarah had been able to meet her group of friends as they all anxiously waited for the couple's arrival.

Kie stood beside the Phantom on the docks, pacing back and forth, concern and worry lacing through her at the thought of John B getting caught and him and Y/n being taken to the station. The distant sirens could be heard, letting them hopefully think that they hadn't been found. While JJ had began to load up all the boxes him and Kie packed earlier for the couple, Sarah had told them of what happened while they were gone from the three.

"Dude, where are they?" Kie asks.

"Give them a second." Pope tells her, glancing around.

"They'll be here." Sarah adds, assuring herself and Kie.

The loud sound of a police siren catches all their attention, the four teenagers looking over, tensing up at the sight of a police car driving in their direction and stopping just a few feet ahead of them. Kie and Sarah exchange a worried glance as they all stared at the car. However, the group felt relief fill them when they saw John B and Y/n exit the vehicle, the brunette slinging the straps of his backpack over his shoulders before grabbing his girlfriend's hand, the two making their way towards them.

"No way. You've gotta be kidding me."

"No effing way."

"How the hell..."

"I'm sorry?"

"Shoupe let us take it for a spin." Y/n tells them.

"Okay. That's believable. I'll buy that for now." Kie states.

The couple, with smiles on their faces, venture their way to their friends, each and every one of them getting the chance to hug the couple. JJ held his sister longer than the others, glad she was alright. Even though the cops weren't looking for her and only found her as a the girl that was taken from John B, JJ wouldn't stop worrying about her.

"It wasn't easy, guys, but I got the Phantom for you, and she runs like she was made yesterday." JJ informs as he tosses the keys to John B. "You guys ready to go?"

"Yeah." John B replies, glancing to his girlfriend. "You ready, baby?"

Y/n nods, squeezing his head. "Yeah."

"Alright. You guys got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay? Once you guys get there, lay low, alright? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that?" JJ explains.

"Brownsville." John B repeats, nodding. "Got it."

"Alright. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this." JJ says.

The couple nod in response, John B hopping up onto boat before turning back around, holding out his hand and helping Y/n up while JJ plants himself in-between Kie and Pope. Once helping his girlfriend up, John B looks to their friends, seeing all four of them staring at both of them.

"I'm sorry for basically... throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing." John B apologizes.

"Hey, John B, yo... we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ states, all of them sharing a laugh. "At least we did it together, though. Pogue style."

"Pogue style." Y/n repeats in a whisper, giving her brother a sad smile.

"Get out of here! Please." Sarah demands.

It's clear to any person that comes across this that neither of the teenagers want the couple to leave, but they knew it was for the best so John B wouldn't be running from the cops for the rest of his life and Y/n was coming with him. Sarah and the three Pogues had their arms all wrapped around one another as they stood in line, all fear tears prick their eyes as the time for the couple to leave got closer.

"We'll see you both in two months, down in Mexico." Pope informs.

"Don't forget. Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?" JJ reminds.

John B nods. "Got it."

The couple step near the steering wheel, John B grabbing ahold of it while Y/n stood beside him as the others unwrap their arms from each other, placing their hands on the boat and pushing it further onto the water while Y/n turns on the engine. John B steers the wheel, turning them in the direction they were going to as he drives off while Y/n glances over her shoulder at the group with a frown.

Once they were further away and the group's figures got smaller and smaller, Y/n looks back forward, resting her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, feeling him gently place his head on top of hers as he continues to drive the boat. The occasional sound of voices coming from the radio was heard, a woman speaking about the storm that was to come.

Y/n couldn't help but think of her brother. Even though she just left him, she hoped he'd be alright even with Kie and Pope with him. Y/n couldn't help but think, what would dad think of me after this? But right now, Y/n didn't care. Y/n didn't care what her dad thought. She never did, and never will.

For all she cared, he could go fuck himself. After the way he treated her and JJ, she didn't care at this point, only hoping that JJ would be alright to himself even without her there, even though he's the one that always took care of her as he was a year older than her. John B grabs ahold of her hand, giving her a squeeze and a soft kiss on her forehead which snaps her out of her thoughts.

The Maybank girl glances up at him, seeing him glancing down at her. With a little smile, she leans up and presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth, making him smile as he continues driving along the waves, the wind picking up each second, blowing in their hair.