RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

TWENTY

DRONE

"Pope, we're not stealing the drone. We're borrowing it." John B attempted to reassure Pope, while he drove.

"'Humans are the only animal that can't tell fantasy from reality.'" Pope quoted.

"Did you come up with that all by yourself?" River asked sarcastically with a grin. She glanced at JJ who was currently rolling a blunt. She almost scoffed at the boy. She knew that he knew that she didn't like him smoking weed, but he did it anyways. She'll admit, from time to time she had a drag or two, on a really bad day she'd have a blunt. But it didn't mean that she liked the idea of it.

"No, Albert Bernstein came up with that it applies to this whole treasure-hunting thing." Pope explained as he glanced at River.

River playfully stuck her tongue out at Pope.

"Oh." John B merely nodded.

"So, which is it? Fantasy or reality?" Pope questioned, looking around at everyone in the van.

River moved to the opposite side of the van from JJ and the others so that she could write in her book.

"Why are you so weird, Pope?" JJ questioned, he looked up at River and pouted, causing her to giggle.

"It's fantasy, but possible reality." Kie mumbled, glancing at John B.

"Reality." John B concluded. He knew what he believed, that was always something River admired.

"Reality." She answered, if John B believed, then so did she. She knew that he needed his friends to beleive in him.

"Virtual reality." JJ going to light his blunt, but Pope quickly pulled it from in between his lips and threw it to the opposite end of the van.

"Keep the signal clear." Pope muttered. JJ sent Pope a sharp glare and shut his lighter.

River closed her book and made her way back in between Pope and JJ. She rested her head on JJ's shoulder and grabbed his hand. She began to fiddle with the friendship bracelets on his wrist, they all had one. River remembered when Kie and herself made them for the boys three years ago, when she first met the Pogues, and how they haven't taken them off since.

"You know what your problem is?" JJ questioned Pope as they pulled to a stop.

"You?" Pope questioned frustratedly, raising his brows. River chuckled lightly at his statement.

"No. It's that you need to relax, man. You're always so tense!" JJ said rolling his eyes.

"I'm not too tense." Pope disagreed.

"Alright ladies, stop it." River said, butting in the conversation.

~

"How's it going with Kiara?" JJ questioned as they watched the girl talk with the security guard. River fliddled with her red friendship bracelet, a small smile forming on her face.

"It's, uh, not awkward, weird or anything." John B shrugged as they hide behind a old dock.

JJ laughed before saying, "Yeah. Honestly, I did not think you were gonna actually listen to me." JJ smugly stated.

"What's going on?" River whispered.

"What?" John B furrowed his brows angrily.

"JB kissed Kie." JJ informed the girl. River couldn't help but let out a loud gasp. JJ quickly covered her mouth, so that Bobby, the sercurity guard wouldn't hear her and blow Kie's cover. "I was 100 percent sure she was into you, bro. Pope would agree."