𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 ━ 𝐣𝐣 𝐨𝐛𝐱

part thirty four

riley sat in the waiting room of the community college where the scholarship interviews were taking place. she spent her time waiting by playing with the hem of her dress and anxiously biting the inside of her cheek.

she knew she wasn't in the right head space to be doing this right now, honestly she couldn't think of a worse time. she had barely slept after jj had left which resulted in some serious under eye bags and a foggy mind.

she couldn't stop replaying the fight in her head, and feeling guilty for acting coldly towards him. now she was sure she had pushed him away enough that he probably didn't want anything to do with her anymore, even if they were just friends to him. so riley waited and waited with only her thoughts to occupy her in the silent room.

her head snapped up after hearing someone burst open the door of the interviewing room. to riley's surprise pope came running out, a painfully distressed look on his face as he sped past her and out of the building.

"riley carrera?" a women spoke, appearing from the same room pope had just bursted out of. "we're ready for you."

riley looked first at the women and then the door that pope had just left through. god my mom is going to kill me, she thought.

"s-sorry," riley sputtered out before picking herself up out of the chair and following the path pope had just taken off in. once she made it outside she saw him from a distance away still running. "pope!" she screamed. "pope!"

panting, the boy turned around at the sound of his name being called. his face twisted as he squinted his eyes to see riley sprinting towards him.

"what- what are you doing?" he asked. "your interview!"

"your interview!" she said. "why'd you run out like that?"

"i- my dad said- well he's going to-" pope stuttered over his words.

"spit it out!"

"ward has the gold. he's loading it onto a plane today," he breathed out.

"holy shit," riley mumbled. "holy shit!"

"i have to go i'm-" pope began.

"i'm coming with you."

"what?" pope looked at her like she had two heads.

"i want to help," she stated. "fuck the interview. let's go get y'all some gold!" a wide grin spread across popes face as he simply nodded before riley and him began to sprint to the chateau.

"guys!" pope called out once he spotted his three friends on the dock. riley was running quick on his heels as he made his way in front of the group. once pope approached them he panted heavily, placing his hands on his knees. "oh god, i ran all the way here."

"what the hell," kiara said. "aren't y'all supposed to be at your interview?"

"yeah, how was it?" jj managed to mumble while his eyes intently focused on riley.

"don't ask," pope panted. "jb, look, i'm sorry dude. about everything."

"it's fine," john b shrugged from where he laid on the floor.

"i have information that is tactically relevant," pope went on. "so- before i had my interview, my dad said he was going down to the private airstrip to cut palms for cameron's big plane."

"what are you saying pope?" jj said, and yet his eye's still hadn't left the girl who hadn't dared to look at him.

"-it was too heavy, it needed a longer landing strip to take off. so, i'm sitting their in my interview, thinking to myself, hm- why would cameron need a longer airstrip to take off? what could be so heavy to weigh it down?"

"gold," jj muttered.

"exactly!" pope nodded vigorously. riley let out a small huff at his excitement as a small smile played on her lips. she patted a hand on his shoulder as she looked at the rest of the group, briefly passing her eyes over jj for the first time. she couldn't help to feel anxious as she anticipated what he was going to say to her, or if he would say anything at all.

"guys, we can't give up now," kiara said as she jumped down from her seat on the railing.

"what's the big plan, dude?" jj questioned, eagerly waiting for a response that hopefully involved the use of his gun.

"we're gonna steal that shit back." john b smiled at the group, and they all took off on the dock, running towards the van.

riley let everyone go in front of her before she started running; however, kiara slowed down so she could be next to her twin. "mom's gonna kill you for skipping that interview. you know that, right?" kiara whispered to her sister.

"i didn't give a shit about that scholarship anyway," riley replied. as they approached the car and the boys all piled into it, riley looked at her sister anxiously. "your okay with me coming?"

"just get in dumbass," kie said as she motioned for her sister to get into the van before her.

authors note:
i know i usually include gifs of jj or riley but pope just looks too damn fine in that suit for me not to put a gif of him in this chapter.

also sorry for this filler chapter, just wanted to post something but don't worry more jj x riley drama to come