RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

46

Edited:✔️

River looked up to the sky as the Cameron's plane flew over the four's heads. "There goes the gold." JJ muttered. "Shit." He said as he kicked a plastic chair making it break into small pieces.

"Fuck!" Pope screamed as he threw pieces of scrap at the wall making the glass windows smash.

"Pope!" Kie shouted in shock.

"God damn it!" He slammed the baseball bat onto the scraps. "Shit! Fuck! Shit!" With every bang, River jumped slightly. It reminded her of when her mom came home drunk and would smash the house up. JJ noticed this and pulled her into his side. He wanted her to feel safe and he could tell that Pope was scaring her.

"Pope!" Kie shouted once again as he smashed the place up. "Pope!" He threw a trash can across the room and finally took a seat after letting out all his anger. "Pope." Kie said gently as she made her way towards him.

"Are you okay baby girl?" JJ questioned, cupping her face. River nodded with a smile and he leant down to place a quick kiss on her forehead. "Yeah dude. I was wondering when this was gonna happen." JJ said walking over to Pope. "Here you go, Chief." He handed Pope his vape. "A little weed never hurt no one."

"JJ." Kie warmed, not wanting to corrupt Pope.

"Relax Kie." JJ shrugged it off.

"You know he doesn't smoke." Kie announces. River sat next to Pope and rested her head on his shoulder. Pope reached forward and took the vape.

"Well, maybe not until today." JJ said as he took a seat next to River. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. River smiled up to the boy and looked up at him.

"Pope. Yeah what is that gonna help?" Kie questioned as he brought the vape up to his lips.

"I lost my scholarship. Walked out in the middle of the interview. Every— it's gone. It's not gonna happen." Pope told everyone. He didn't know whether to be proud of himself for sticking by his friends or disappointed in himself for blowing his interview for scholarship.

"You did that for us?" Kie questioned, River could tell that she felt guilty about arguing with them both yesterday.

"No, not for us." Pope stood up so he was face to face with Kie. "For nothing."

"I'm here for you Pope." JJ said as he pulled River up and wrapped his arm around both Pope and the blonde. "Welcome to our world okay?"

"You're gonna love it." River added sarcastically. JJ flashed River his famous grin.

"JJ-"

"What Kie? He's right." JJ snapped. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"You don't have to do that." Kie said as Pope took a drag of the weed.

"What do you care?" Pope questioned with furrowed brows.

"JB?" River questioned as he saw the boy lurking behind the corner. He looked terrible.

"Dude! Dude you good?" JJ said as they all rushed towards the boy. "Is this yours?" JJ lifted John B's hand up, which was covered in blood.

"Who's blood is that?" Kie questioned, panic laced in her voice.

"Hey you okay man?" JJ questioned.

"JB?" River whispered as the sound of a police siren neared. The five of them quickly went and hid.

~

"John B what are we doing at the police station?" JJ questioned anxiously as Kie pulled up to the station.

"Somebody's gotta tell them what happened." John B announced as he looked between his friends and the station.

Pope began to violently cough as he took a drag of the blunt. He'd been smoking since they got in the car.

"Easy there chief." JJ said as he tapped Pope's shoulders. "Damn." JJ turned to face John B. "Alright. I'm just gonna be real with you right now. You might end up in the lions den, but you don't go there on purpose. It's fundamental. Just like my old man always told me, you should never ever trust cops, no matter what the circumstance is."

"Your old mans an abusive liar." Kie states bluntly.

"No he's right. Cops aren't trustworthy." River said as she grabbed JJ's hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"I agree with JJ and Cross." Pope said. "Fuck the police." River laughed at how angrily he said the statement.

"You goin' to the dark side now?" Kie questioned with a scoff.

"When's the last time the police ever helped us?" Pope snapped angrily.

"Peterkin looked out for me, alright? Tried to at least. They need to know." John B stated. He clenched his jaw with every word. He couldn't believe that Peterkin was dead. Killed by the son of the man who murdered his father.

Like father like son.

No one else said anything so John B took that as his queue to leave the car.

"You doing okay?" JJ questioned turning to face River.

"I think so." River nodded. "I mean he's my uncle but I don't know him. My grandpa-something bad must have happened for Ward to fully change his name right? I mean-my mom didn't even tell me I had an uncle. Something had to ha-"

"Kie! Start the car!" River was cut off by John B running to the back seat. "Start the car Kie!"

"What? John B?" Kie looked at him confused.

"What did you do?" JJ questioned.

"The cops! Go!" John B screamed.

"Kie fucking go!" River shouted as she watched the cops run up to the car. She was loosing her patience.

"I'm going! I'm sorry!" Kie shouted as she drove off. "What did you do?"

"Open it!" Pope said to John B as the officer cling onto the door. John B opened the door and the officer fell to the floor.

"What the fuck happened in there?" River questioned anxiously as she looked behind her at the cops who were still attempting to run after the car.

"A lot." John B whispered,

looking towards River.