the exception [pin hawthorne] 𝐢𝐢

chapter seventeen

The run to Pin's house somehow felt shorter and longer than usual at the same time, the cold and sharp wind Olivia was inhaling burning her lungs. From the bottom of the hill, she could see Pin calmly painting one of the poles supporting the roof of their porch.

"Pin," she spoke clearly when she settled behind him. Pin whipped around in surprise, not expecting Olivia's presence.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her with furrowed eyebrows.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? You're gonna miss the ferry!"

"I'm not going," Pin said, turning back to continue painting the pole. Olivia looked around in desperation. Suddenly, a piece of paper poking out of Pin's pocket caught her attention. Upon closer inspection, Olivia could tell it was a postcard. Her heart fell as her suspicions were confirmed. Silently, Olivia came closer to Pin, taking a spare paintbrush and helping him paint the pole. "What are you doing?"

"Painting the pole. This is a very pretty colour," Olivia commented as she kept painting.

"You're gonna miss the ferry," Pin stated dumbfounded.

"I'm not going if you aren't. Despite what you may be inclined to believe, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you like she did, you're stuck with me," Olivia said as she kept painting.

"If you don't go, Bright Fields will lose. Zoe will lose Raven and there won't be any money to rebuild," Pin said, desperately trying to convince Olivia now.

"You matter more than all of that," Olivia said simply. "The only way I'm taking that ferry is if you're on it with me." She hated putting Pin in a situation like this, but she knew there was no other way of getting him on that boat. Heavy silence settled between them, and for a moment Olivia could almost believe that they were in no haste at all. "And when does this ferry of yours leave?" Pin finally asked, a smile slowly spreading on his face. Olivia took out her phone, only to find that the ferry had left two minutes ago.

"Two minutes ago," she sighed deeply. She was about to put her phone back into her pocket before she received a text from Zoe, hope blossoming in her chest once more. "Come on, I have an idea," she said, grabbing Pin's wrist. When they reached Olivia's house, her heart was beating heavily from running so much. She told Pin to wait outside as she slipped in through the door.

"Olivia? What are you still doing here?" her aunt asked as she looked up from where she was seated at the kitchen table.

"I need to borrow your car," Olivia said sheepishly.

"Why?" her aunt said, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"I may have missed the ferry, but it's fine, Zoe's grandfather can get us off the island, I just need a way to get to the competition from there," Olivia explained, hoping her aunt would give in and let her use her car. She knew her aunt loved her car, so she understood why she was hesitant to lend it to a seventeen year old who'd just gotten her license.

"Fine, but promise me you'll be very careful," her aunt said, digging through her bag and handing Olivia her car keys.

"Thank you aunt Carla!" Olivia exclaimed, kissing her aunt on her cheek and giving her a quick hug. Running back out the door, Olivia gave the keys a quick jangle in front of Pin to show him what she'd been going in for. Rounding up towards the side of the house, Olivia unlocked the doors of the car, slipping into the driver's seat as Pin settled in beside her in the passenger's side.

"I didn't know you could drive," Pin commented as Olivia turned the keys in the ignition.

"I got my permit last year. I haven't actually driven alone yet," explained Olivia, the engine of the car roaring to life. Checking her mirrors, she pulled out of the parking lot, engaging onto the road. The dirt roads of the island moor were far from the smooth asphalt roads Olivia was used to, but thankfully, her aunt owned a vehicle made for rougher terrain. The drive to the pier was mostly silent, with Olivia focusing on not crashing the car.