My Purpose || John B

031

MY PURPOSE - JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE - THE BELL TOWER

"So welcome to the Pogue life" John B told Eleanor "Is it everything you ever dreamed of?"

She nodded with a smile "Oh yeah and more. It's like I'm back at home again"

John B smiled at the sarcasm "Hey, I wanna show you something"

"Okay" Eleanor didn't question anything and instead sat back in her seat and just enjoyed each other's company. John B drove down a few roads before they arrived at an abandoned church that was sat in the middle of nowhere.

"Oh, my God. I didn't even know this place existed"

John B got out of the van and went around to the other side to open Eleanor's door "Do you trust me?" He then took her hand as she stepped out.

"Is this my official initiation?" She joked as John B laughed while shaking his head before leading her to the doorway where he turned to her and asked "You ready for this?"

Eleanor exhaled "Mrs. Crain better not jump out of anywhere or I swear to God"

"I can promise you that she won't"

John B opened the door and they both stepped inside the abandoned building. His arms were outstretched as he gestured around the room "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah it's beautiful JB"

"My, uh...my dad used to come here when he was a kid" John B started "He said it was a relic from the old island. Before all the...the condos and the developments. Oh, and that's the bell tower. Back in the day, they used to ring the bells when the boats would come in"

"Up there?" She pointed to the ladder that he showed her. He nodded "Can I see it?"

"Yeah...yeah. Come on" He started up the ladder with Eleanor behind him "All right. Watch your head" John B placed his hand between her head and the board above it as she climbed onto the new floor.

"It's pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah"

"Check this out" John B was leant against the wooden beam where he pointed to the markings engraved in the wood.

Eleanor smiled when she realised it was his name "Aww, is that you?"

"Yeah, I was ten. Me and my dad did it"

Eleanor's heart ached for the boy "That's really sweet"

"Yeah. Um...Oh, check this out" He grabbed her hand and lead her over to the window that was covered by a set of wooden blinds "Now are you ready for this?"

John B undid the latch and pushed open the blinds to reveal the sun setting. Everything about it was just beautiful "Why do I get the feeling I'm not the first girl you've brought here"

John B frowned "You think I bring all my random hookups to my secret spot?"

She put her hands up in surrender as she laughed "How should I know what you do with your random hookups?"

John B chuckled as he locked eyes with Eleanor "You're the only one El" She looked at him for a second before smiling. John B smiled back and took a step closer to place one hand on her cheek and the other on her waist as his eyes wandered down to her lips.

Her heart started to beat rapidly at his touch and
he soon pulled away "Sorry if that was too much or if I came across too strong I-" He started to apologise.

"No, no, don't apologise. It's just that...when I get to this point, ya know with boys, I end up bailing. It's just like...I can't move, I can't think and then I get overwhelmed and I make a run for it"

"Hey, it's okay. We can just sit down and talk if you want?" John B offered and that made Eleanor smile as they both took a seat on the floor opposite each other "I have a question for you"

"Shoot"

"So, um..." He cleared his throat "What was JJ talking about earlier when he said about your dad beating up some guy called Kenny Linder?"

Eleanor knew this was going to come up at some point "Well it's true but not in the way it might seem. My grandfather and his dad was killed in a stock car race after Kenny Linder accidentally sent him into a wall at 120mph and the car burst into flames. And then about a week after the accident, Linder was on the track and started to insult Uncle Jakob and then he punched my dad who in return hit him repeatedly with a wrench in a fit of uncontrollable rage"

Eleanor took a moment before continuing "Linder suffered severe injuries to the left side of his face, and because of that he was unable to race or drive. He later found work as a janitor at a high school and my dad was then banned from the racetracks for life and served two years in prison"

John B didn't know what to say at first "I promise JJ didn't mean what he said, he just doesn't know when to shut up sometimes"

Eleanor nodded with a small smile "Oh don't worry I know"

John B chuckled slightly "So are you gettin' ready to bail now?" He tried to change the subject "You just gonna take off and leave me here in the bell tower?"

Eleanor chuckled and shrugged "You never know. Preemptive strike"

"I like the strategy. Hit hard, hit first" John B then got up to light a candle.

"Gotta keep you on your toes and all that" As the two got closer, Eleanor didn't hesitate to lean in and kiss him. Their first kiss. She ended up straddling him as he started to lean back while never taking his lips off of her.

"Are you sure?" John B asked before it could go any further but Eleanor knew she was ready. She was ready to give it all to John B. Every wall she had built up was starting to come down as she smiled at him "I mean we are in a church but yeah I'm sure John B"

She leaned back down and kissed him while he started to pull down the strap of her tank top making her smile into the kiss. She then pulled away to lean over and blow out the candles before they continued.