RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

TWENTY TWO

REGINALD

River was staring at the monitor for the drone as John B tapped on the camera. He and Kie were swimming around in the marsh. Pope was trying to figure out how to get the drone to work.

"What's this right here?" JJ questioned pointing to a random button.

"Don't touch that." Pope snapped smacking away his hand. "I'm trying to work out this thing."

"God bless geeks, Pope. Truly man." JJ said, he glanced back at River who was once again writing in her book. He smiled, he wondered what had gone right today, especially considering it was so early. "What would we do without you to control the drones?"

"Technically it's not a drone. It's an ROV." Pope corrected the boy. JJ faintly heard River chuckle.

"Shut up. Shut up." JJ said quickly. "It's too early for that right now." River slowly stood up and made her way to JJ. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him from behind. JJ smiled. She gently rested her head on his back. JJ placed his hands over hers.

"Hey, once we get footage of the wreck, we'll bring it to a lawyer in town and file a formal claim." John B said as he and Kie resurfaced.

"It's such bullshit. Why do we have to do that?" JJ questioned, moving slightly and pulling River in front of him. "Hey beautiful." He whispered.

"Hey." She smiled excitedly. Twice now. Twice he had called her beautiful. It made her wonder if he actually meant it or if it was just trying to flirt.

"Well, there is the maritime salvage law. You can't just go to the ocean floor and scoop a bunch of stuff up." Pope explained, joining the couple.

"I know. I know. It's just that lawyers aren't cheap, bro." JJ reminded the four.

"Well, as soon as they see the footage, they'll work for a comp." John B said confidently. River jumped onto the ledge, JJ's hands rested on her thighs, tracing random patterns.

"How do you know all of that?" Kie questioned curiously.

"Cause my dad said it. Like a million times." John B shrugged. River wished she could have that kind of confidence about things.

"Yeah that's fair." Kie said as she swam towards the ladder.

"This tether is like really long. In the wrong weather, this thing could get pushed around." Pope informed them.

"Then we'll go at dead calm." John B said as thunder rumbled.

"At slack tide?" Kie questioned.

"So now we just gotta wait around for the right weather?" Pope said looking up at the sky. "And today is not that day."

"Yeah no shit." River laughed.

~

River waited on the boat while JJ and Pope loaded up. Heyward had them delivering groceries to the Kooks.

Pope was driving, since it was his dads boat. He definitely didn't want JJ to fuck up some how and crash it, no matter how many times he'd drove the HMS POGUE.

"Doesn't even look like the storm hit there." Pope said as he looked at one of the houses on Figure 8. It looked perfect.

JJ was randomly twirling a knife in his hand. River sat next to him disapprovingly. Numerous times she had told him to put it down before he drops it and cuts off his fingers. JJ always made some stupid sarcastic comment back.

"That's because they got generators, bro. Get used to it." JJ said as he looked at the immaculate house.

He couldn't believe that River's grandpa lived in a house like this and he let her live in the shit place that she lives. He couldn't believe he let her live with Georgia. He couldn't believe that River hadn't moved in.

"And then they say the juice will be out all summer at the cut." JJ said frustratedly.

"It's nice to be a Kook." Pope mumbled.

"Lucky bastards." JJ said as he began to chew on the ends of his sunglasses.

"That's gross. They'll be so many germs on that." River said as she wrapped her hand around his wrist and pulled his hand and the glasses away.

~

River knocked on the door of her grandpa's house. She hadn't seen him since last year. But as promised, every summer she'd come and see him.

"Miss Cross." The butler, Martin said as he opened the door for her. River smiled at the middle aged man wearing a suit.

She couldn't imagine living in a house like this. The walls were all white but it made the black details on the spiral stair case and the doors stand out. There was a huge chandelier dangling down that illuminated the whole hallway.

"He's in his study." Martin announced as he closed the door. River nodded her head and slowly made her way to the study.

Thankfully, she knew her way around the house. When she came here last summer, she had no idea where to go and had to asked the help to find her way around.

She knocked on the door of the study, she faintly heard her grandpa groan. "Come in." He shouted.

River attempted to smoothen out her blue plaid top and shorts. She pulled the top around her to hide that face that underneath she only had on a black bikini.

"Hello Grandfather." River said as she walked into the house. River loved her grandpa's study. It was covered in shelves upon shelves of books. Apparently, Reginald has read every single one.

"River." He beamed happily, standing up and pulling her into his arms. "My, my-sweetie what are you wearing?" He questioned as he looked at her outfit in disgust.

When she last stayed here, she remembered having to wear a dress every day. That never sat right with her, but she didn't know what he was liked so she did as she was told.

"Only thing I could find." She lied. "I kept my promise. I came to see you." She smiled up to him.

"Yes you did child." He paused. "How's your mother?" Reginald questioned, wondering about his daughter that he kicked out.

"She's still the same. She still blames me. But what can I do." River shrugged. "Atleast she's kind of holding up a job. She hasn't being fired in a month." River stayed proudly.

"Good. River, If you ever need money, or a place to stay, I'm here for you. My offer still stands from last summer." Reginald reminded the blonde.

Last summer, he offered to let her move in. To become full Kook. She refused. She was terrified that the Pogues would hate her if she became a Kook, even though Kie was a Kook. At least Kie had a foothold in both worlds. Kie had The Wreck, that Kooks and Pogues both adored.

"I know." She smiled at him.

"River, I'm sure you've heard of midsummer." River nodded, every summer the Kooks through a party. River was never invited, obviously. "I want you to come." He stated,

RIVER'S MOUTH FELL AGAPE.