RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

THIRTY NINE

MONKEY

O N E Y E A R S A G O

John B jumped onto the couch next to River, his arm slung around the back of her seat. He had a childish grin on his face. The blonde looked at him with a raised brow, wondering what he wanted.

"What?" River giggled and the boy smirked at her in response, a plan forming in his head.

He usually came up with stupid ideas like this. And usually, River was the fool who went along with them. Truthfully, there wasn't anything River wouldn't do for JJ.

"You're pretty amazing, you know that right?" John B said, turning his full body to face her.

"Uh JB-"

Her heart began racing, it felt like he was going to confess his undying love for her, and she wasn't sure how to tell him that she thought of a brother and not a boyfriend, if that was the case.

"Don't worry R.C, I'm not gonna confess my love for you." John B reassured the girl as he saw the panicked expression on her face. "But you are pretty amazing."

River let a light blush creep up onto her face. Her blue eyes always seemed to sprakle whenever she was complimented. It made John B happy to see her happy, she deserved to be happy.

"Thank you, but why?" She didn't always believe the compliments she got. Part of the trauma living with her mom brought her.

"Because you're able to distract anyone." He paused. "Today, you distracted both Kie and JJ when Pope and I snuck off." He chuckled.

Pope and he had the idea to play some stupid prank on them and without River, it wouldn't have worked. It wasn't like it was hard to distract JJ, all she had to do was flirt with him for a little bit, but Kie was harder.

"Yeah that's cause I adapt my personality to fit everyone else's." River smiled.

It was kind of sad really, she often got caught up in acting and forgot who she really was. Sometimes she questioned things, she wondered if she even would like half of the things she'd like if she wasn't pretending to please others.

"I know you do, R.C, but we could also use it to our advantage." John B was always a planner. "If we ever need you to be a distraction I'm gonna say-" John B looked around for some sort inspiration and his eyes landed on the monkey teddy that River got him when he was younger, "Flying monkeys."

River let out a small chuckle but nodded.

~

John B turned to face the officer, but instead was met with a gun being pointed in his face. This guy was definitely not an officer.

"Why don't I go just ahead and see them hands in the air right now?" Barry shouted angrily.

Everyone was in a state of shock, no one knew what to do or whether they should listen to the man. "All y'all's hands up in the air now." He shouted, River jumped slightly but obeyed the man, putting her hands up in surrender. "You out of the car. Let's go."

River's heart was pounding. She didn't know what she was going to do.

John B slowly got out of the car. "Out if the car. Let's go. Hurry!" Barry then pointed to the van. "Let them out. What are you waitin on? What you waiting on? Let them out!" He shouted again.

John B slowly opened the door, his eyes flickered between Sarah and River. JJ seemed just as nervous as he was about the girls. Neither of them knew what to do.