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love was something Belle never thought she'd experience, but when her relationship with JJ began and grew, she knew she wouldn't want to experience it with anyone else other than him. she sat in her parents kitchen looking out the window watching JJ and her father talking about surfboards and boats, JJ had many idea's for new surfboards to build and design, he also just loved boats and since Noah had finally opened up the boat shop by the marina, he offered JJ a job there.
Liz walked into the kitchen seeing the smile on her daughters face, she walked over sitting besides her when Belle noticed someone sit besides her and looked over, she smiled at her mom playing with the sleeves of her sweater.
"they're getting along." Liz says keeping her eye on the two outside who were laughing.
"yeah, i mean dad's always liked JJ, so.." Belle said looking at her mom.
"you okay? you look exhausted." Liz asked standing up starting to make some coffee.
"yeah, we just got in late last night." Belle rested her hands behind her neck watching her mother.
"Zale mentioned that, he said you went to check on him when you got home." Liz waited for the coffee to brew leaning against the counter.
"that little shit, i thought he was asleep, i swear i heard him snore." Liz laughed at her daughter holding out her hands which Belle took.
"how's school going?" she asked.
Belle just shrugged looking at her mothers wedding ring, "people are still giving us shit. until we prove that John B's innocent it won't stop but we're working on it."
"anything we can do to help?" Liz asked as Belle picked at the diamond ring.
Belle shook her head, "not yet. we're still figuring out what to do."
"you just let us know," her mother said as they both heard laughter coming from outside seeing JJ and Noah laughing and gave each other high fives, "how are you two doing?"
Belle smiled feeling her cheeks heat up, "amazing actually. i never thought we'd be together."
Liz laughed as Belle furrowed her eyebrows at her mother, "what?"
"i did. ever since he met you he's been at your side through all of it, that boy looks at you like you're his entire world."
"he is my entire world as cheesy as it sounds." Belle said resting her chin on her hands.
"i'm pretty sure you're his too." Liz said kissing her daughters head walking out back.
watching her parents through the window JJ smiled greeting Liz as he went off inside, Belle turned around in her seat as JJ walked over to her with a huge smile on his face, she laughed standing up as he threw his arms around her shoulders kissing her forehead.
"i forgot how awesome your dad was." he said, she wrapped her arms around his waist nodding her head.
"he always liked you, you know that." she said lightly rubbing his back, "can i show you around now?"
"yeah, come on. i wanna see this Kook house." JJ removed his arms from her shoulders.
JJ had only seen the downstairs which was only the living room, the kitchen, and a few offices and the downstairs bathrooms. they both made their way upstairs where Noah had a whole room dedicated to astrology, a telescope by the window, the ceiling was covered in stars that when you turn off the lights they shine and show many constellations, he also had a few books about astrology laying around. the next room was Zale's favorite which was just a movie room, big comfortable couch, a projector to put on movies, little kitchen area to make popcorn and get a bunch other snacks.
"we're coming here for movie night next time." JJ looked at the room in awe, Belle laughed and nodded agreeing with him.
the next room was the library, the very first room she had seen when her father showed her around, she walked in smiling seeing all the books, JJ's jaw dropped looking around, "this reminds me of Beauty and the Beast, you know in that huge ass library the beast guy has. wait- you were named after her weren't you?" he asked turning to his girlfriend who was sitting on a chair.
"yeah, dad loves that movie," she nodded, "don't know how i actually became her though, you know with the love for books."
"i win at the best girlfriend. she's an actual disney princess." JJ cheered, Belle laughed as he made his way over to her kneeling down i front of her.
"how come you don't wanna live here?" he asked.
Belle leaned over pecking his lips, "it's not home. i mean it kinda is but not really. that house right next to the Château is, where i met my best friends, where i fell in love with this super cool and talented surfer."
JJ playfully furrowed his eyebrows tilting his head back, "sounds like this cool and talented surfer has my girlfriend thinking about him a lot."
"oh yeah, for sure. he's also super cute and has really nice blonde hair and nice blue eyes." Belle nodded trying to hold in her smile which made JJ smile and nod.
"who is this guy? think i gotta talk to him." he kept going with the joke leaning in.
"don't have to. he's right here in front of me." she smiled leaning in as well.
"that's right, baby." he chuckled kissing her.
Belle chuckled against his lips resting her hand on the side of his neck kissing him back, she melted each time they kissed and never got tired of his lips or kissing him for that matter. JJ never got tired of kissing her either, just having her at his side was all he needed, she was his number one and he'd always protect her from no matter what.
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"Belle! come here!" the voice of 13 year old JJ heard through the small house.
Belle looked up from her homework to see JJ dancing around in the living room. a smile formed on her face watching him dance around to one of his favorite songs.
"why?" Belle asked setting her pen down.
"i wanna dance with you." he held his hand out shimmying his way over to her.
"you do remember we have this project due tomorrow right?" JJ approached her taking her hands pulling her up from her seat and spun her around.
"just one dance break?" he asked giving her a wide smile once she faced him.
Belle laughed and nodded as they danced around her living room, laughter filled the room as the music blasted in the small house.
Belle snapped out of her daydream looking at her brother who was sitting in front of her doing some homework, she set her pen down standing up grabbing two bottles of water from the fridge and set them on the table. taking her seat again she saw a text from JJ saying he was on his way over, Zale looked at his sister seeing her on her phone as he reached over taking it.
"why?" Belle groaned sliding down her seat.
"finish up, come on. you have three questions left." he pointed to her homework, Belle wasn't even sure if her work was right or not, all she could think about was John B and Sarah and if they were okay.
"i can't focus on homework right now, besides Peters doesn't even check it." she sat up reaching for her water.
"B, you promised you'd focus on school too while we try figuring out to clear John B's name." Zale shut his textbook giving his full attention to his little sister.
"i know, i'm just worried about him and Sarah, i keep trying t0 text but no answer." she says twisting her bottle cap open and closed.
Zale saw how exhausted she looked, from the looks of it, it looked like she stayed up all night trying to come up with ways to get John B and Sarah home safely. he grabbed her homework and text book that sat in front of her and finished up the last three questions for her, a grin slowly showed up on Belle's face as Zale flipped her off making her laugh.
"i'm not doing your homework again, this is the first and last time and i know Peters' class is a bitch because i had him for two years." he said shutting the textbook and notebook.
"i'm home!" JJ's voice yelled through the house.
"and i'm leaving." Zale stood up packing his things and stood up.
"you love me." JJ walked over pointing at the eldest Lively sibling.
"sadly. be careful with whatever you two do today, and call or text if you're gonna be home late. i'm going to dad's shop to go bother him and mom." Zale placed a kiss on top of his sisters head as she nodded.
"i will, love you." Belle watched her brother walk out of the house.
"love you!" he yelled out, Belle stood up grabbing her things and took them to her room.
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"this is the north drain. it should've gotten washed into the gully. so, if it got flushed out from this drain, it would've been pushed out to, like-" JJ started explaining as the Pogues reached the drain where they believe the weapon was in.
"somewhere in this trash." Pope added looking at the trash.
"correct." JJ nodded looking at Belle who rubbed her face already stressed out.
Kiara sighed in disgust taking a look at the water, "oh my God. people who use plastic should be shot."
"okay, personally, i love plastic. use it every day. love the stuff." JJ told Kiara as Bella rested her hands on her hips.
"okay well hopefully, you recycle it and don't just let it flush into the ocean." Kiara replied to JJ as he sighed and looked at Belle.
"i'll get you a recycling bin." she pat his cheek moving down taking a closer look into the water.
"i thought you'd say something like that, so.. trash bags." Pope gave a grin waving trash bags around.
"did you just proactively protect the environment?" Kie asked.
Pope looked at Kiara, "maybe." Kiara smiled back at him leaving a silence between the four friends.
Belle looked at them then at JJ then again at Pope and Kiara, "i feel like i'm interrupting just a little." she slightly closed her pointer finger and thumb together.
"you want us to leave you two alone, or what's going on?" JJ asked them as Pope threw the trash bags at them.
"come on, P! why me?" Belle laughed grabbing the bags.
"just pick up the trash." Pope told the two.
Belle and JJ looked at each other and started picking stuff up, Kiara and Pope helped out as the four Pogues looked everywhere for the weapon but didn't find it anywhere meaning it wasn't in the pile of trash. Belle wiped her forehead with her arm resting her hands on her hips sighing.
"well, that was fun." JJ tossed the bag of trash onto the other side of him.
"if it's not in the trash, then it's gotta be somewhere in the storm drain." Pope said motioning to the drain in front of him.
"it's in.. it's in the drain." JJ added.
"damn it." Pope cursed.
"fan-fucking-tastic." Bella clapped slowly.
"of course it is." Kiara nodded.
"good thing i brought the crow." JJ reached into his bag grabbing the crow bar.
"so, are we gonna do, like, rock, paper, scissors?" Kiara suggested a few ideas.
"no." JJ immediately said.
"or alphabetically?"
"nah. on three, Pope. one, two, three." JJ ignored Kie's suggestions.
"that's nice." Belle nodded looking at Kiara.
"or, like, the oldest goes?"
"in the sewer, there's this worm that you get when you're down there. it gets into your blood, and then it has to come out your pecker." JJ explained as the two girls looked at him, "so, uh.. that would be a hard pass for me."
"yeah, that's gonna be a no for me." Pope added.
Belle scoffed making her way towards the drain, "scaredy-cats, fine i'll go in and find it."
"no, i get it. i get it. Belle's right, you guys are scared." Kiara chuckled at the two boys as Belle kneeled down looking into the drain, she started making a chicken noise teasing the two boys.
"i'm not scared- Belle, stop it!" JJ turned to his girlfriend as she laughed.
"it's kind of cute." she stood up turning to him throwing her arm around his shoulder.
"it'd the pecker thing." Pope added.
"i'm not scared." JJ repeated.
"you should've just led with that. you don't have to be scared. i'll do it." Belle laughed keeping her arm around JJ, he looked at her trying to hide his grin, she pecked his cheek taking her arm off his shoulder.
"be careful, please." he told her.
"i'll be so careful." she told him kneeling down again.
"Bells, want me to go with?" Kie asked her, Belle shook her head, "i got it. i'll yell if anything deal?"
"deal. be careful in there." Belle nodded at her friends words.
"B, please be careful in there." Pope said to her, she smiled at nodded at Pope crawling into the sewer.
"just holler if you need anything. we'll, uh.. we'll holler back." JJ added while Belle crawled inside, "very helpful thank you, J."
what did she get herself into?