After pope sprinted after JJ, Riley headed back to John Bs for the night to collect her thoughts on the evening. She fell asleep on the sofa before hearing the bang of the front door closing. She opened her eyes sleepily and lifted her head to see who it was, hoping John B had finally shown up.
"Just me" JJ said as he closed the door behind him and he began heading into John Bs room, avoiding eye contact with the girl completely.
"JJ wait!" Riley shouted after him, standing from the sofa and walking over to John Bs room after the boy.
"JJ!" She shouted through the door that had just been slammed in her face
"JJ!!" She shouted again banging on the door "god help me JJ I will kick this door in" she shouted through to him.
JJ opened the door, and stood with his arm on the door frame staring at the girl.
"what?" He said annoyed.
"What the fuck was all that about today?" She asked him, sighing as she calmed her voice.
"All what?" JJ asked her getting agitated.
"You know what J. I don't need you protecting me, I can handle myself" she told the boy.
"I know you can ry. But that doesn't mean I don't want to protect you, you're my girl... my best friend" JJ told the girl.
Riley took a minute taking in the boys words. All this time, all the things Riley was picking up, thinking he liked her as more than just friends, the way she did. But it turns out, he thought of her as a best friend. Nothing more.
"I'm going to bed" Riley said bluntly, walking into the spare room, shutting the door and locking it before JJ could follow her.
* * *
The next morning, John B still hadn't showed up, and Riley hadn't said a word to JJ. He kept trying to talk, but in the end he accepted defeat and they headed to Heywards to meet pope and kie in silence.
Kie and Riley chatted whilst JJ and pope discussed the fight from the night before.
"Don't let them get in your head brother there was 3 of them and two of us, that's some typical kook shit right there" Riley heard JJ said, she snapped her head around.
"And what were we? Spectators?" Riley asked sarcastically, mad that JJ had just forgotten about her and Kies contribution.
"Oh she speaks!" JJ said to the girl and Riley just rolled her eyes in response.
"What was your thought process using your head?" JJ asked pope.
"I don't know man I just kind of acted off instinct I was a cornered animal" pope said making Riley scoff.
"Hey pope there's someone here to see you!" Heywards called through the shop, and was followed in by officer Shoupe.
"What the fuck" Riley whispered to kie, who elbowed her telling her to be quiet.
"I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property, keep your hands on the counter where I can see em" shoupe said, mainly to pope
Riley watched pope turn round to JJ, looking for some form of advice, Riley looked at JJ too, panicking, hoping he knew what to do, but JJ just mouthed deny to pope, that would only make it worse.
Shoupe went to grab pope but Riley ran forward and pushed herself in front of pope.
"Young lady get out of my way"
Shoupe told the girl, shoving Riley slightly making her trip into JJ.
"Woah man be careful!" JJ shouted at the officer, steadying Riley, as heyward tried to argue with the officer.
"I'm sorry you're arresting him?" Riley said, standing back in the way between the officer and pope protectively.
"You're just gonna arrest my boy?" Heyward questioned.
The group all started speaking loudly and arguing with shoupe as riley panicked and tried to quickly think of how to get pope out of this. Then it hit her.
"It wasn't him it was me!" Riley shouted above everyone.
"Nice try young lady but the footage clearly shows a boy now get out of my way!" The officer shoved Riley again, more forceful this time, JJ catching her for a second time, and holding her arm firmly to stop her intervening again.
"Hey be careful!" Kie shouted as the officer roughly grabbed popes arms.
"How much did they pay you man!" JJ was shouting at the officer whilst still holding Riley, as tears streamed down her face, desperate to help pope.
Riley escaped JJs grip as her and kie tried arguing with the officer as he dragged pope towards the car.
Suddenly JJs voice spoke up
"It wasn't him!" Riley turned round to him in shock, knowing what he was about to do "it was me!"
"No officer it wasn't it wasn't JJ!" Riley tried pleading.
"Shut up Riley! Those two tried talking me out of it. But I was mad cus the two of them had just been beaten up. I was so sick of those assholes from figure 8 that I lost my shit. I can't let you take the blame for something I did!" JJ said to pope, pope looked at him shocked, not knowing what to do.
"JJ please" Riley pleaded, crying uncontrollably now,
"I have to own up to this ry" he said softly to the girl.
"JJ what are you doing?" Pope asked
"I'm telling the truth. For once in my God damn life I'm gonna tell the truth" all the pogues looked at each other not knowing what to say or do. Kie hugged Riley trying her best to comfort her.
"That the whole truth?" The officer turned to pope.
"The whole truth I swear to god!" JJ told the officer
"I'm not asking you dammit I'm asking pope!" The officer snapped at JJ
pope stood there for what felt like forever trying to work out the best option before he finally caved.
"Yeah that about covers it"
And just like that, JJ was shoved in the back of the police car, and Riley had no idea what to do next.
* * *
It had been two days since JJ got arrested and no one had heard from him or John B.
Riley had stayed at John Bs, self harming worse than ever before but not just in her normal ways. She was drinking all day everyday, and smoking weed more than ever before too. She was a mess.
Riley was asleep on the sofa, stoned and drunk when kie barged into John Bs house.
"Well isn't this a sight for sore eyes" she said sarcastically, scrunching her face up and the smell of the house and the sight of Riley.
"What are you doing here" Riley replied, sleepily, and hungover.
"I'm here to take you to my house. Midsummers remember?" Kie walked over and tried dragging Riley with her but it was no use.
"Come on Lee you promised!" Kie begged. Riley gave her a pleading look to let her stay there, but Kie gave Riley a stern look back.
"Ugh fine, but I don't have a dress, and I'm also not wearing heels" Riley looked at kie with a serious expression.
"You can borrow one of my dresses AND some of my heels" kie told the girl sternly clearly not taking no for an answer.
"Ugh" was all Riley said as she peeled herself off the sofa, and headed towards the door slobbishly.
* * *
Riley had sobered up as her and kie were in Kies bedroom getting ready for midsummers. Kie had done Riley's hair and make up for her, her hair down and curly, and her make up natural. Her dress was a royal blue, with a long slit up the leg. She was wearing a pair of nude heels that she could hardly walk in.
"I don't even look like me" Riley said as she looked at herself in the mirror.
"You do, just a more glam version" kie tried telling her but Riley just rolled her eyes.
"So what's going on with you and JJ?" Kie asked Riley.
"What do you mean?" Riley said trying to hide the blush appearing on her cheeks.
"I mean come on Riley it's obvious you like him!" Kie told the girl.
"I do not! Plus even if I did, he said I'm just his best friend to him, so you know, that's where I stand" she said trying to act as if she wasn't bothered.
"Hmm okay" kie said smirking.
"I do not like JJ Maybank! And he definitely doesn't like me!" Riley snapped, ending the conversation.