RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

TWENTY THREE

KOOKS

River was cleaning up Pope. She couldn't believe what the Kook's did to him. "Why would they do this?" River questioned, dabbing the cloth on his cut lip.

"Cause their Kooks." Pope shrugged, he couldn't think of any other reason. They were just picking a fight. "They didn't want me on their side of the island." He mumbled frustratedly. River scoffed.

"Hey Pope?" River looked down at the floor. "Can I tell you something?"

"Always Cross, always." River smiled at the boy and placed the cloth down. She took a seat across from him and sighed. Everything was pulling her down as if she had a huge weight on her shoulders.

"You know I went to see my grandpa right?" Pope nodded, she had asked him to take her once she found out that both Pope and JJ were going to Figure 8. "He asked me to move in with him again."

"Wow." Pope nodded. "Wait again?" Pope furrowed his brows in confusion and winced at the pain. "What are you going to do?"

River shrugged. "I don't know. He asked me last summer and I said no. But he asked again today." She mumbled.

Pope has no clue what Georgia was like, in fact he'd never met any of River's family or been to her house. She refused to let him or Kie go. John B had only been round once and as for JJ, he crashed when he needed too.

"What do you think I should do?" River questioned him.

"I think you should do it." Pope said, it was probably the smart move. River chewed her bottom lip anxiously. "What are you worried about?"

"Loosing everyone." She whispered honestly.

"You wouldn't loose us Cross, we're your family." He said pulling her into his arms.

"Pope!" JJ said as he sprinted down the dock, with a huge smile on his face.

"Don't tell JJ." River said quickly, Pope nodded. He understood why she didn't want the boy to find out.

"Dude, you age not going to believe what just happened to me, man. Whoo! That was the best 100 bucks I've ever made. When I say count me in on all these grocery deliveries, Pope, I mean it." JJ said excitedly, Pope turned and faces away from JJ, so that he wouldn't see.

Both River and Pope knew how much of a hot head JJ was and they didn't want him to blow.

"Hey baby girl." JJ said placing a kiss on her cheek, dangerously close to her lips.

"Hey." River smiled back anxiously as JJ sat down. He wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled up at her.

"What's up with you?" JJ asked Pope, who ignored him. "Bro, you good?" JJ tried to lean forward but River pulled him back. He furrowed his brows and stood up. That's when he saw Popes face.

Anger.

That's all he felt. "Yo, what happened to your face dude?" JJ lifted the cap of Pope's head slightly, Pope was quick to pull it back on. "Jesus!" JJ shouted, realising it was worse than he thought. "What happened?" He questioned, clenching his jaw.

"Rafe and Topper jumped me." Pope answered honestly, there was no point in lying. River stood up and wrapped her arms around Pope. She could tell that he was still upset about it all. Why wouldn't he be? "They said no Pogues on their side of the island."

JJ clenched his fists. "What are you gonna do?" He questioned.

~

"2020 Malibu, 24-MXC. The worlds finest wakesetter. Number one in quality, luxury and performance." Pope said as they stared at Toppers boat.

"This is war Pope." JJ said as he held River's hand. "They hit us, we hit them." JJ pulled on his balaclava as Pope pulled off his shirt, he placed his hat on River's head and smiled at her reassuringly.

"I think this is a bad idea." She paused. "But they fucking deserve it." All she could think about was Pope's scholarship. If anyone found out about what he was going to do, he would loose his scholarship instantly.

"That's my girl." JJ smiled, wrapping his arm around her. "Do it." JJ places on his sunglasses and Pope jumped into the water.

JJ grabbed the ladder and placed it on the side so that Pope could climb back up. He then turned to River. "Nobody touched you did they, cause I swear to God Ri, I'll kill them all."

River smiled at the over protective boy. She placed on hand on his bicep and said, "Nobody hurt me J, I promise."

Pope climes back up the ladder, a huge smile on his face. "Wow, you did it." JJ stated, pulling off his balaclava and sunglasses. "I am so proud of you right now. Holy crap." JJ smiled happily.

"JJ? Cross?" Pope looked between the two.

"Yeah?" They both said, River rested her head on JJ's shoulder.

"We can't tell anybody." Pope said breathlessly.

"Oh, no yeah, totally dude." JJ nodded.

"Okay." River agreed, she understood that even Kie and John B couldn't know.

"No, JJ, I'm serious dude. Not Kie. Not John B, nobody." Pope said seriously.

"Yup, my lips are sealed." JJ threw his hands up in defence. "Give me that. Give me that." JJ said, taking the plug from Popes hand and throwing it into the water. "Okay! Let's get out of here." JJ said as Pope started the engine for the boat. River watched through the window as Topper's boat sank.

~

"Hey. Save some waves for us!" JJ shouted as the three of them ran towards the ocean, where John B and Kie were.

"Hey where you been?" Kie shouted back.

River loved surfing. It was one of her favourite past times. She was the one who taught JJ and John B how to surf when they were younger. Although, when Kie came they told her it was the other way around and that they taught we River.

River was quick to put them back in their place and tell her that, that was in fact false.

~

"You really think it's out there?" Pope questioned as they all laid on the hammocks. River was laid on JJ's chest, drawing random patterns. "Like no bullshit?"

"My father thought it was." John B nodded.

"But, do you?" Pope questioned.

"After heading his voice on that tape, I think I do." John B answered truthfully.

"Only one way to find out." Pope uttered.

"Look, were gonna find it you know?" Kie said, looking up at the stars. "Even JJ believes."

"JJ believes?" River questioned sleepily. She was going to lift her head to look at the boy, but decided that she was to comfortable, so she didn't.

"Oh my God, JJ, do you really believe?" John B questioned, almost sarcastically.

"Totally. Wait. Are we talking about four mil?" JJ questioned.

"Four hundred mil." They all corrected him.

"Jinx." River muttered.

"I'm gonna dream about shipwrecks." JJ said, pulling River even closer to him. "Or River naked." He teased.

"Shut up." River said lightly smacking his chest.

"Goodnight bird!" JJ shouted.

"Goodnight bird shit." John B said back. River let out a small giggle,

SHE WAS EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE NEW ADVENTURES HAD IN STORE FOR THEM.