✯ North Star ✯

16 - More Ahead

We sit lined up on stage like we're part of some school assembly — except instead of getting yelled at for dress code violations, we're being recognized for finding El Dorado. Yeah.

That El Dorado.

Still doesn't feel real.

"An expedition of one man John Routledge and a group of teenagers who are with us today. Locals who grew up here and who succeeded where centuries of conquistadors explorers and admirals failed. Today we come together to celebrate these teens friends from both sides of the island who came together to solve this 500-year-old mystery. Let's hear it for them!" the man at the podium says, and the crowd actually cheers.

For us.

For the Pogues and...well, whatever I am now. A Pogue by fire, I guess, and something in that thought settles warm and strange in my chest.

I glance down the row—

Sarah's blinking fast like she's trying not to cry.

Pope is standing tall like he's trying to pretend he wasn't surprised we actually pulled it off.

JJ's tapping his foot like he wants to bolt because he hates the attention, but secretly loves it.

Kie is smiling away because she knew all along we could.

Cleo looks like she's already planning where she'll hide snacks from the after party.

And John B... he squeezes my hand.

I squeeze back, letting the small, steady pressure of it anchor me through everything else swirling in my chest.

My thoughts keep drifting — to the cave, to the gold, to the people we lost. To Dad. To Big John. It's crazy how grief and pride can live in the same chest and not rip you apart.

"Okay I need a reset. I need a reset right now. This is a lot. It's time to celebrate," JJ says, running his hands through his hair.

"I'll take one hit. One," Pope mutters.

"Bad man now," Cleo laughs, shoving him.

"I'm in," I say — because why not? After everything, we deserve a second to breathe.

Later, John B and I stand at a small cocktail table, away from the noise. The lights made everything glow gold.

Funny. I used to think gold was magical. Now I know it's just metal. People are what makes things matter, and the thought settles quiet and true in my chest.

"Big John would've thought this was all bullshit," I say, laughing because it's true.

"Yeah he kind of hated this side of the island," John B laughs.

But I can see it — the way his jaw tightens when he looks at the empty space beside us. The space where his dad should be standing, and something aches in my own chest at the sight of that small, familiar grief still living just under his smile.

"But I know you're thinking about him," I say softly.

He nods.
"I don't know. After everything that's happened it's just... it's just different. It just feels so normal. You know? Kie's saving turtles, Pope's going away to school, JJ bought the charter boat. And we have a killer surf shop."

"Yeah that's all good, right?" I ask, nudging him with my shoulder.

"Yeah," he says, smiling — but it's the kind that comes from something tender, something still healing, and I feel the weight of that smile land soft and understanding in my own chest.

Before I can say anything else, an older man walks up to us.
"Excuse me. I... I don't mean to interrupt."

Pope joins like he sensed danger — which, honestly, is valid for our group.
"Uh can we help you?" Pope asks.

The man smiles politely.
"Yes. I wanted to tell you all it's remarkable what you all did. Royal Merchant El Dorado Denmark Tanny. Impressive résumé impressive. I was wondering if you would all be so kind as to look at an item of mine."

Cleo crossed her arms.
"Oh yeah? What type of item is that?"

"It's a manuscript. I would investigate it myself but I'm too long in the tooth. I need partners and you all were first on my list."

He pulls out a worn, ancient looking document, and something in me already leans toward it despite everything we've just survived.

"May I?" Pope asks.

"I was hoping you would," he nods.

Pope takes it like it's a newborn baby.
"1718. Jeez this is old. Exhibition notes dates."

"This is a captain's log. This shows the exact position of the ship," John B says, leaning in, and I catch the old spark rekindling behind his eyes.

"The exact location where the ship sailed and where it stopped," the man confirms.

JJ narrows his eyes.
"Who is the captain?"

The man smiles like he's been waiting for that question.
"Edward Teach. Blackbeard."

"Hot damn," John B says.

We all look at each other — the spark already catching, passing quick and electric between all of us.

I feel it too. The old itch. The one that whispers: what if there's more?

"So we're really doing this?" Sarah asks.

"Oh yeah. We're doing this," I say, smiling, something bright and reckless and completely familiar settling into my chest.

Later, I sat with John B, the world is quiet again.

Just the two of us. The wind blowing, the ocean murmuring outside, the noise of the party fading into something distant and unimportant behind us.

"Hey, Star?" He asks softly.

"Yeah?" I turn toward him.

"Can you sing that song?"

I smile because of course he asks for that one. The one he always asks when he's trying to say something without saying it. I nod, feeling something warm and familiar settle over me.

I sing, soft and slow.
"City of stars
Are you shining just for me?
City of stars
There's so much that I can't see..."

Every line feels heavier than it used to.

Maybe because we've lived whole lifetimes in a year, and the weight of everything we've survived seems to settle into each note.

By the last line, he joins in.
"You never shined so brightly..."

We're looking at each other, and for the first time in a long time, I feel something unclench inside me. Like maybe we can finally stop running, like maybe this — the two of us, quiet, together, alive — is allowed to just be enough.

"I love you, JB," I whisper.

"I love you, my beautiful Star," he says, and then he leans in and kisses me — gentle, grateful, like he can't believe we made it out alive.

And honestly?
Sometimes I can't either.