RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

THIRTY ONE

CRAIN

"I'm sorry, you're staying where?" Kie questioned as she handed everyone a drink. They were currently at The Wreck.

"Tannyhill." John B shrugged.

"So you're living with Sarah Cameron?" Kie questioned angrily.

"Okay, look, the only reason I'm living there is because her dad bailed me out, alright? And it's way better than foster care, which, by the way, is where I was about to go if Ward didn't-" John B began to explain himself and his current situation.

"Hey, so do you have a membership to the clubs now?" Pope questioned, leaning back on his chair, his hands behind his head.

River glanced up at JJ. Things had been awkward since their almost kiss last night. He ended up sleeping in John B's bed, instead of with her. And they had barely said two words to each other this morning. It had been weird, him not having his arms around her or finding some way to be next to her and River didn't like it one bit.

Although surround by the four of them since early this morning, she had never felt more alone.

"I don't know, Pope." John B shrugged, taking a seat. He placed a hand on River's shoulder, he gave it a light squeeze and smiled at her. Something was wrong, he just didn't know what.

"What about those little golf carts they drive around in? You get one of them?" JJ said taking a drink of his coke as he slowly made his way around the table. He was making his way to River, he couldn't help but get jealous at the way John B places his hand on her shoulder.

"Does it come with a sweater-vest, or do you have to buy one on your own?" Pope questioned curiously.

"Buy one on your own." River mumbled, answering Pope's question. JJ wanted to badly to pull River to one side and explain everything or,

you know,

push her up against a wall and roughly kiss her.

"Look, you promised. You said you weren't with her." John B just shrugged in response to Kie.

"Bro, just own it. She got you." JJ shrugged. River looked up to him and she swore her heart skipped a beat.

"Look, if you wanna hang out with her, that's fine. But I'm letting you know now that I'm not doing anything with Sarah." Kie said looking down at John B.

"Do you guys see her here? No right okay. A little focus would be fantastic." John B said sarcastically. "We've got the map, right?"

"Well it's all out of whack 'cause the guy was ganja'd when he drew it." JJ said leaning down, next to River. River tensed slightly.

"It's cause the coast has changed." Kie mumbled to JJ. JJ nodded understandingly, although in reality, he has no idea what she was going on about.

"So we just have to look for landmarks that haven't changed?" Pope questioned looking at the map.

River felt like she couldn't move or speak. He was so close to her, but not close enough.

"What about the old forts?" John B questioned, noticing River and JJ's odd behaviour.

"Battery Jasper." Kie said pointing to the map.

~

"We're in battery, right here. So if this is parcel nine, then it's somewhere northeast of here." Pope explained as he focused on the map.

River sat on the bonnet of the van, looking up to JJ. The wind was pushing his hair back and he was focused on the horizon. River smiled at him. She wanted so badly to be in his arms.

"Somewhere there." Kie pointed.

"Right." Pope nodded, confirming Kie's statement.

"Over there? Guys, that's not Tannyhill, that's a subdivision." JJ pointed out, he glanced at River who was already looking up at him, he sent her a quick wink, making her turn bright red. That was the most contact they'd had.

"Tannyhill Plantation was the entire island. It got sold into smaller pieces over time." John B explained to the four.

"So we're just looking for an old stone wall." Pope said as he went back to looking on the map.

JJ motioned to River to come and stand next to him, she didn't waste any time in jumping up and running over to the boy. She stood on the same rock as him. His arms wrapped around her waist and he rested his head in the crook of her neck. He missed her being in his arms. He placed a light kiss on her neck making her breath hitch.

"J-"

"Found it." Pope announced, cutting off River.

"I'm starting to really hate this guy." JJ mumbled as River jumped down and back into the van.

~

"Okay, so the road should split up here. Alright you're gonna take a left." Pope instructed John B, making him take a sharp left turn.

"That looks like a stone wall to me." JJ pointed out. He was still frustrated with Pope about earlier.

"You're so smart baby." River said sarcastically as she ruffled up his hair and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"This is it." Pope mumbled.

"Not the Crain house." John B mumbled.

River got up to go and look out the window and sat the house, but JJ wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. "I like you in these." JJ said as he tugged on one of the belt loops of her shorts. They had been driving him a crazy since this morning. She looked so hot.

"Do you now?" She quizzed, raising her brows.

"I fucking do." JJ whispered.

"Are you kidding me?" Kie questioned as the five of them got out of the van.

"Worst case scenario-" JJ's eyes flickered over River's body.

Fuck.

He grabbed her and pulled her closer to him. River's heart skipped a beat and she linked her fingers with JJ's.

"Why'd it have to be here?" Pope questioned as they stared at the house. "Of all places?"

"She might be dead." River whispered hopefully as JJ leant down and rested his head in the crook of her neck. River tilted her head to the side, ever so slightly.

"I heard that Mrs. Crain buried her husbands head on the property." JJ announced, trying to control himself. He wanted to push River up against that wall and kiss her.

HE NEED HER.