Wrote this cause I did a live chat on Instagram where I asked for your advice on what to write for the day and someone said THE KIDS JOY, so that's what I did. Thanks for the help. ❤️

Also there is something important in the author's note so please read! 😘

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The blackness was oppressive as Kennedy felt around the floor for her left shoe. When her hand brushed against it, she snatched it and tucked it under her arm. Barely breathing, she crept to her door and eased it open. It made no sound since she had purposefully made sure the hinges were oiled earlier that week.

She peered through the crack at the doorway on the opposite end of the short hall. Her parent's door was still firmly shut and there wasn't a sound beyond. Holding her breath, she slipped out and tiptoed out to the living room, bypassing the spots she knew squeaked. Her keys let out a tiny click as she picked them up from the bowl and she froze, her body tensed for any sound.

None came.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she pulled the front door open and snuck into the hallway. Across the way, Harrison was leaning against the wall, ankles crossed. He had his eyes closed like he was planning to fall asleep there.

"Ha, ha," Kennedy said, tugging on her shoes. "It's not my fault my parents are FBI agents and yours sleep like the dead."

Harrison smirked. "Guess I'm just lucky."

Kennedy punched his arm. Even though they were both fifteen, Harrison had decided to take the lead in the upward growth department and left Kennedy behind by a few inches.

"Come on. We can't be at this party too late or my parent's early morning will be the death of me."

"How do you know about this party?"

Kennedy shrugged. "I heard a couple of seniors talking about it. It's for some other private high school or something. No one should know us and so we should be in the clear."

Harrison pushed himself off the wall and tossed one arm around her.

"Away we go then."

They laughed as they headed down the hallway and called up the elevator.

As they climbed on and the doors slid shut, the door to Kennedy's apartment opened. Donovan stepped out, his arms crossed as Carter leaned against the door frame.

"You think we would have taught her well enough that she would be better at this," she said.

"She's still learning."

"I will give her credit for oiling the door hinges earlier in the week instead of today."

"Yes, but she left the evidence out and didn't work at masking the smell in any way."

Carter nodded. "True. Rookie move."

"Do we want to stop them now or follow and embarrass them?"

When Carter smiled at Donovan, he grinned back, knowing the answer.

******

The pounding of music was the first thing to greet the pair and the second was the smell of too many bodies close together. Without bothering to knock, they pushed open the door to the apartment and were washed with the pulsing beat and the onslaught of noise. Bodies packed the place, some standing and shouting at each other in a rough form of conversation while others pressed up against each other in a vague form of dancing.

Kennedy grabbed Harrison's arm and pulled his ear closer to her.

"Drinks or dancing first?" Kennedy said.

He turned his head and Kennedy offered her ear for a response.

"How likely is it that your parents would smell the alcohol on your breath despite doing everything to hide it?"

At this Kennedy rolled her eyes, knowing her parents most likely had super smell.

"Dancing it is!"

Harrison took her hand and shouldered his way through the barrier of talkers to the living room floor turned dance space. Even closer to the speakers, the thud of the bass slammed against Kennedy, forcing her heart to fall in line with the rhythm. She laughed as she swayed in time, her body seeming to understand what her mind couldn't analysis.

Not before long, a girl snagged Harrison away. He glanced back once as if asking Kennedy if she minded. She let nothing show on her face, nothing that would betray where her emotions lay. Instead, she found the closest guy and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Something flickered over Harrison's face but it was gone before Kennedy could wonder if it meant anything.

The guy pulled Kennedy closer, happy with her slim body, looks, and the suddenness of her attention. Though Kennedy wished she were gazing back at a different face, she pushed the feeling aside, knowing full well what she wanted and what he did, didn't align.

As the guy's hands moved up towards the back of her neck, his face coming closer, Kennedy hesitated, not sure whether this was a step she wanted. Before she could choose what she wanted, the decision was made for her.

The music was cut off.

The abrupt disappearance of the song seemed to leave behind a strange deafening feeling. When the reality that it wasn't coming back hit, everyone started looking around at each other. Questions were throughout with scowls of annoyance. From the mass, one person rose up, their height was given due to the aid of a chair.

"I need everyone's attention."

Kennedy's stomach dropped and her eyes snapped to where Harrison was. She knew that voice. Knew that voice in the way you knew the sound of approaching sirens.

"I'm agent Keller with the FBI. I am looking for a runaway."

Kennedy dropped to the floor and started crawling, knowing that anywhere was better than there at the moment. Through the tangle of legs, she spotted a gap and headed for it. Before she made it, Harrison's shoulder bumped into hers.

"How dead are we?" he asked.

"I'm six feet under with maggots climbing over my body, you're at least just getting the dirt thrown on your casket."

"I'll remember you."

"Thanks."

They nudged and pushed their way through the forest of pants, tights and every shoe variation there was.

"She's been on the run for some time now and we believe that she came here tonight," Donovan continued. "We need your help in locating her. She's highly dangerous. She about this tall," he held up his hand. "Black hair, blue eyes, tan complexion, goes by the name of Kennedy."

Above her, Kennedy felt the crowd beginning to stir, realizing that they weren't about to be busted for something they were doing. Instead, if they handed over the criminal they might be able to go free. She saw the shuffle in feet and knew they only had about five seconds before people decided to look down.

"She has an accomplice with her. He is this tall, light brown hair, hazel eyes, goes by the name Harrison."

The pair in question hurried onward the sight of their freedom almost in reach.

"I do not mean to alarm you but we are calling them Bonnie and Clyde down at the Bureau. They are not to be messed with. Please help us catch them."

Kennedy scrambled to her feet and darted for the hallway, Harrison right behind her. As they were ducking into their last exit to freedom, a woman stepped forward. Kennedy stuttered to a halt and Harrison banged into her. Kennedy would know that confident stride anyway.

"The best escape route that doesn't lead to a dead-end bathroom," Carter said. "At least you thought that far in advance."

Kennedy didn't know what she felt more strongly about: the fact that she was caught or the fact that she hadn't thought that far in advance and was ashamed.

"There they are!" someone yelled.

Hands roughly grabbed Kennedy and Harrison. They were forcibly shoved from one partier to the next towards where Donovan stood on the chair, his arms crossed. Just when Kennedy felt it couldn't get worse, her father pulled out two sets of handcuffs. She flushed to the top of her head.

"Good work," Donovan said.

As he took Kennedy's arm and spun her around, she caught the hint of a smirk in the corner of his mouth and scowled. The metal was cool on her wrists and she stared at the ground, hating how every eye was pinned on her.

"We're going now," Donovan said. "But the cops will be here in fifteen. I highly suggest fleeing before they get here."

Donovan led Kennedy out the door, while Carter directed Harrison. Both wore the guilty looks of juvenile delinquents. When the group was safely tucked into the elevator, Carter and Donovan burst out laughing. Kennedy rolled her eyes.

"How long did you know?" she asked.

Donovan leaned against the wall and looked across at his wife.

"Since Tuesday, wasn't it?" he asked her.

"I would say so. I think it was the question of, 'are you and dad going out Saturday night' tipped us off."

"As well as the oiled hinges. The way you practiced moving about the apartment without making a sound."

"Also you had one day where you went through the living room finding all the noisy spots and committing them to memory."

Kennedy spun from one parent to the other. "You saw all of that?!"

"You need to work on your subtly, Cadet."

Harrison raised his head, sullen. "So you knew from the start?"

"We did."

"Why didn't you stop us when we were leaving?" Kennedy asked.

"Cause now you will remember this moment when you make the mistake next time," Carter said.

The door dinged open and the two parents paraded their charges out. The night air was edged with a chill that said autumn was coming. They were led to the Mercedes and escorted into the back, still wearing the handcuffs.

"I won't make the same mistakes next time," Kennedy said.

Both Donovan and Carter laughed. "We hope not."

"You don't seem mad," Kennedy said.

The car cut into the traffic, as her parents peered at her in the review mirror.

"We're not mad," Donovan said.

"Disappointed," Carter said.

Kennedy sank back against the seat, somehow more affected by their disappointment than their anger.

"And really," Carter said. "That's mainly cause you left so many clues it was like we've taught you nothing at all."

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Oh my gosh! 😂

This was way too much fun to write! I loved seeing Carter and Donovan as parents! It's so great!

What did you think about it all?? 💬🗯💭

Okay, I have something I need to ask of you. I really don't want to ask you but it's important. 😕

Gosh 🙄 I seriously feel like one of the needy people gaaaaa! Okay! I'm just going to ask it. *breathes out*

I need a couple thousand Twitter followers. 🙈

Wow, 🤦🏽‍♀️ I hate myself right now.

I need to explain this. As you know I'm looking for an agent. What an agent is looking for is proof that an unknown author is a safe bet, that they have some sort of audience.

For a complicated reason I can't point to the number of followers I have on here. No, instead they look to Twitter. I have no idea why. 🤷‍♀️

Blah blah blah I'm boring myself right now. But I'm serious, this one thing could make a difference in my chances of getting published or not, so that's why I'm coming to you, the best readers in the world!

(No, that's not flattery, it's proven fact ❤️)

On average 4,000 people read these updates. If ever single one of you followed me on Twitter it would be enough.

(Even if it means you create an account for the sole purpose of following me)

So I'm not asking you cause I want to seem cool, I'm asking you cause Carter and Donovan need you.

So if you're up for helping making my dream of being published come true and bringing Carter to the rest of the world go follow me on Twitter.

There is a link in my bio or just look up
_Joymoment_

I love you for any and all the support you give me! I don't deserve you and we both know it! 😘

Vote, comment, follow but only if you feel inclined to do so.