ALMOST
River sat in the back of the van writing in her book, JJ kept looking over at her with a small smirk. He wanted to know what she was writing this time.
"What?" She mouthed with a childish grin. JJ just winked back at her, causing her to turn bright red.
I held JJ's hand.
She glanced down at JJ's hand and smiled. She was surprised that he didn't pull away when she held his hand.
JJ and I nearly kissed.
She'll admit, she wanted it. She needed him.
"Alright." John B said pulling to a stop, making River quickly shut her book and hide it in her bag. She didn't want the boys or Kie to see what she was writing.
"Hit it boys!"
"We're going." Pope opened the van door.
"Recon mission." JJ said, going to get out of the van.
"Yo, uh, so I think I'm gonna do this one by myself-tonight." John B said, preventing them all from getting out.
"Really?" JJ questioned raising his brows. He was surprised, the five of them did everything together.
"What?" John B questioned, noticing JJ's change in attitude.
"Nothing brother." JJ shook his head dismissively. He didn't want to get into it, if he wanted to do this one alone, then he would.
"Look, I just don't want to spook Sarah with the peanut gallery." John B shrugged.
"I just don't understand why we're involving her at all." Kiara said frustratedly.
"Kie were not involving her, okay?" John B threw his head back in annoyance. Kie pursed her lips and raised her brows. "It's just uh, like a business meeting."
River smacked JJ noticing that he was rolling a blunt and making gagging noises. Pope laughed but River grabbed the blunt and threw it outside. "You're disgusting." She said as JJ wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her into his lap.
"You love me." He whispered placing a light kiss on the top of her head as she laid down on his chest.
"I do." She whispered. She never got a chance to tell him that she really did love him too after he got arrested, and since then, the moment never seemed right. And after a while she just began to over think it. Maybe he didn't really mean he loved her, maybe he just meant it as a friend.
"That was really believable bro." JJ commented after John B had just promised that nothing was happening between him and Sarah Cameron.
"A hundred percent believable." Pope joined in sarcastically.
"A for effort." River nodded putting up two thumbs sarcastically.
"Anyways, I'm gonna take care of business." John B announced, giving the three a blank look.
"You're gonna take care of it, that business so well." JJ said as he began to trace patterns on River's inner thigh. River's breathe hitched.
"And well just sit here." Pope complained. "In this hot ass car, while it's lightening."
After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Pope decided to speak up. "Kiara, holding onto your grudges is like drinking poison and thinking Sarah will die." Pope said looking to Kie who looked fed up.
"Exactly." JJ nodded, before turning to River. "I don't understand why you hate her baby girl."
"I don't hate her. Hate is such a strong word. It's just that Kie doesn't like her, so neither do I. The same rule goes for you all." She paused. "If you guys don't like them, then I won't either." She smiled up to JJ.
"She's loyal." Kie mumbled thankfully.
~
"Someone help!" River faintly heard, she got up with no word or warning and ran towards the shouting.
She stopped herself noticing the body on the floor. "Fuck." She mumbled kneeling down beside John B. "JB." She grabbed his hand, her eyes filling to the brim with tears.
Fuck.
"Sarah what happened?" Pope said as he and the others ran towards them.
"I don't know what to do. He needs help. Topper shoved him." Sarah cried, cupping John B's face.
"Where is he?" River whispered angrily. That was her brother. John B was her family, and she'd kill Topper for this.
"Please please please help. I don't care who, just call someone." She continued to beg.
"Go!" JJ shouted shoving Pope.
"Pope Hurry." Kie screamed.
"J-J." River stuttered panicked.
"Hey baby girl. I'm here." JJ wrapped his arms around River who was now crying. "Come on, stand up." He whispered. Her breathing was getting faster and that's what started to worry him. "He's going to be okay." He cupped her face in his hands.
River shook her head and her eyes widened. "He's gonna die." She panicked.
"He's not I promise." JJ whispered, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "Just breathe. Take deep breaths." JJ whispered calmly.
River focused on his steady heart rate, she had no idea how he could be calm at a time like this.
~
River and JJ ended up going back to John B's, she couldn't stand to be around her mom right now and JJ hadn't been home since his dad picked him up from the police station.
River climbed into the bed, and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. She was so worried about John B, she hadn't heard back from Sarah yet, and she was worried that he wasn't okay.
"Hey baby girl." JJ attempted to smiled. He didn't want to to worry but he could practically see the anxiety radiating off of her.
"What if he doesn't make it?" River blurted out, on the verge of breaking down.
"He will-"
"But what if he doesn't-" River cut off the blonde boy.
"You look after everyone Ri, it's time you look after yourself for a change." JJ sat across from River.
"No, no, I don't need to look after myself, everyone needs me. They need me. John B needs me. You need me-" River ranted, sitting up so she could look the boy in the eyes. The over sized shirt slide down slightly, she didn't hesitate in pulling it back up.
JJ cupped her face in his large hands, making her breath hitch. "You're such a good person River." He whispered, leaning in slightly. "Let someone take care of you for a change."
River felt her heart racing once she saw his eyes flicker to her lips. She didn't stop him. She didn't want too. She didn't even move. She felt like she couldn't breathe, everything was going on slow motion.
JJ didn't know what came over him, he just wanted his lips on hers-
-he needed his lips on hers.
All he could this about was how beautiful she looked in her dress at Midsummer and their almost kiss at the fire. Just as he was about to connect their lips,
Rivers phone rang. She quickly pulled away from JJ and answered the phone. "Hello?" She questioned breathlessly.
"Fuck." JJ whispered running his hand through his hair. His heart was racing, had he fucked up? Did she not want to kiss him?
"He's okay?" River questioned a smile making its way onto her face.
That fucking smile. JJ loved her smile. It was beautiful. She was beautiful.
"Thank you for letting me know Sarah." River said as she placed the phone down. "He's okay, he's got a sprained wrist and a broken rib. But he's alive." River felt like she could cry. Her brother was okay.
"Told you he would be." JJ said,
AS HE PLASTERED ON A FAKE SMILE.