RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

TWELVE

MS LANA

"DCS. I know you're in there." JJ shouted as he repeatedly banged on John B's door.

"He's not in his room, he will has passed out on the couch." River said, walking back to the front of the house, just in time to see JJ bang on the window. "Gotcha slick." JJ laughed at the boy as River joined him. "You should have seen your face, it was like..." JJ trailed off and put on a panicked expression.

River let out a girly giggle. A huge smile forming on her face as she looked between her two best friends. They made her happy, they made her smile.

"Come on Johnny, time to wake up and smell the roses." River said as she and JJ waited outside for him to get dressed.

JJ was currently attempting to convince John B that Kie had a thing for him whilst he was driving them towards Ms Lana's house.

"I'm just saying, I don't understand why you don't at least try with Kiara. She clearly likes you." River glanced up to John B, who was driving, and JJ, who rode shot gun. "She's like, 'oh, John B'"

"That's what she does?" John B questioned rolling his eyes. River shook her head at the boys and continued to write in her note book.

"She's sketching about you diving, then she kissed you bro." JJ pointed out.

"She kissed me on the cheek." John B reminded the boy. "It's not like we were makin' out."

"Low-hanging fruit, bro. Don't pretend you don't notice." JJ turned to face the blonde in the back. "Ri, you see it too don't you." He smiled at the girl. She looked so beautiful.

"I-" River shook her head. "I'm not getting into this." A light blush made it's way onto the girls face as JJ flashed her a toothy grin.

"Anyways, I see it in your eyes. You're like 'I kinda like that,'" JJ imitated John B, River laughed at the imitation. "And you start blushing and shit."

"I blush?" John B asked rhetorically.

"Oh John B, you're the biggest blusher." River commented, not even bothering to look up from her book.

"Yeah." JJ agreed.

"Really?"

"Yeah." JJ nodded as he reached forward for the compass that sat on the dash board.

"Hey don't-" John B quickly tried to snatch the compass back out of JJ's grasp.

"I was just looking at it." JJ said hitting him away and holding up the compass. "I gotta admit, your father's compass in Scooter's boat, that's freaky."

River shut her book and placed it in her bag, with a smile. She slowly made her way up to the front and wrapped her arms around JJ's shoulders, she placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"Yeah. That's why we're going to talk to Ms. Lana, figure this whole thing out." John B said.

"And I'm sure she would just love to talk to us." JJ said smiling. "It's not like her husband just drowned or anything." JJ turned his head slightly, brushing his nose against River's. "Hey angel." He whispered, making their warm breaths mingle. He had a teasing smirk on his face as watched a blush form on her cheeks.

"Hey." She whispered back.

River jumped out of the van once they pulled up at Ms. Lana's house. JJ quickly grabbed River's hand and gave it a light squeeze before saying, "Know what this house looks like?" He paused. "Whoever lives here smokes too much weed."