Audacious//JJ Maybank (Outerbanks)

Chapter 79

{Piri}

The first light of dawn filtered through the broken windows of the shop, casting a soft, grey glow over the crumbling walls. I shifted, blinking against the brightness, feeling the stiff ache in my back from sleeping on the cold, hard floor. The others were still asleep, scattered across the dusty room, their quiet breathing the only sound breaking the stillness.

Beside me, JJ lay on his side, one arm draped protectively over my stomach. His face was peaceful, almost boyish, the tension and fear of the night before washed away in the calm of sleep. I couldn't help but smile softly at him, but my thoughts were still heavy with everything that had happened. The bell, the run, the relentless chase. And that gnawing question that haunted me: What if?

I carefully slipped out from under JJ's arm, trying not to wake him. The air was cool against my skin, but the movement felt good—my body was stiff and sore, but it needed to move. I stood, stretching slightly, and that's when I noticed Cleo sitting by the window, her silhouette framed against the pale light.

She was awake, watching the horizon, her sharp eyes catching every flicker of movement in the distance. Her face was calm and thoughtful, but there was always an edge to her, something guarded. She glanced over when she saw me moving and nodded.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked, her voice low, but there was no judgment in it. Just an understanding.

I shook my head, walking over to sit beside her. "Not really. Too much in my head."

Cleo's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Yeah, I figured. Last night was... a lot."

I sighed, leaning my head back against the wall. "Yeah. More than a lot."

For a moment, we sat in silence, both of us staring out at the slowly brightening sky. The calm of the morning felt like a strange contrast to the chaos of the night before. The air smelled fresh, and there was a peaceful quiet in the streets. It was hard to believe we were still being hunted.

I glanced at the others, still asleep, then back to Cleo, who was standing by the window, her eyes scanning the empty streets outside. The quiet of the morning settled around us, but my mind was anything but calm. I needed to say something before it drove me insane.

"I have to talk to someone," I said, my voice breaking the silence.

Cleo turned to me, raising an eyebrow. "What's up?"

I took a breath, glancing at the others again to make sure they were still out of it. I wasn't ready for anyone else to hear this—especially not John B. "It's about the bell. I didn't tell anyone yesterday, but... I heard it while everything went down."

Cleo's expression shifted from curious to serious in an instant. She walked over, sitting across from me, her full attention now on me. "You heard it before? When?"

"We were trying to keep a low profile, hiding out, and I heard it. That bell, Cleo. The same one from our childhood. It rang clear as day, twice. Just like it used to."

Cleo didn't say anything at first, just watched me, her gaze sharp and thoughtful. "And you're sure it was the same one?"

"I'm sure," I said, my voice stronger than I expected. "Same sound. Same rhythm. It wasn't just in my head."

She leaned back a little, crossing her arms, her expression hard to read. "And you didn't tell John B? Or anyone?"

I shook my head, feeling the weight of that decision. "I didn't want to add to it. I didn't want to believe it either. But now, I can't stop thinking about it. What if... What if it means something?"