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the five Pogues got out of the twinkie immediately being greeted by a few of their friends, Belle walked besides John B who was handed a drink passing it to JJ who already took a sip and was listening to John B talk about Sarah telling JJ and Belle the story on how she broke up with him.
"she's like, "that's it."'
"i know. i know. but dude, her father blew up right in front of her. just give her a minute, all right? in the meantime, shotgun right now. like old days-"
"hey, derelicts!" someone yelled out as a cup hit Belle feeling the drink spill on her.
"seriously?" Belle muttered wiping the beer off her face and clothes.
"whoa! hey, there she is. that's you. i'm out of here." JJ opened his beer while John B nudged him making JJ groan.
"J, you wanna-" Belle turned her head already seeing JJ walking off towards Pope, "never mind." she muttered opening the cooler grabbing a beer walking over to a few of her friends catching up with a few.
"Peeler!" Belle smiled calling out to her friend, the blonde turned around smiling widely at Belle pulling her into a hug.
"you came!" Peeler grinned.
"i never miss a bonfire." Belle says opening her beer.
"Belle! hey." a voice said making her look over seeing Katherine, a Kook she hasn't seen since the summer.
"Katherine. hey." Belle cleared her throat.
"haven't seen you in a while. last i heard from you, you punched Sean's nose." Katherine says with a grin on her face.
Belle nodded taking a sip of her beer, "yup."
"how are your parents? my dad just bought a boat from your dad, seems like they're doing pretty well but i wanted to ask you myself." Katherine smirked putting her hands into her pockets.
"okay, Katherine, that's enough. you don't have to start anything." Peeler cut in but Belle shook her head.
"no, no, it's fine, Peeler. Katherine, if you must know so badly i don't speak to them and you should really mind your own fucking business from now on and don't talk about my family because i don't give a shit if your daddy bought a boat so fuck off." Belle snapped taking a step forward, Katherine just looked at Belle and laughed walking away.
Kiara noticed what was going on walking over to her immediately taking her arm gently, "Bells? everything okay?"
Belle nodded finishing her beer throwing it away, "fine. let's get another drink."
Kie shook her head taking her hand pulling Belle aside who's eyes were red from hiding her tears, "Belle, talk to me. i don't like seeing you like this and i'm worried."
"i just have a lot going on, Kie. i don't wanna bother anyone about it. we have bigger things to worry about." Belle crossed her arms.
"well i'm worrying about you, talk to me. what's going on?" Kie always knew Belle put everyone first before her, she admired her best friend for that but she also worried about her whenever something was going on.
"it's stupid, i'm probably just overreacting anyways." Belle shook her head.
"Bells." Kie looked at her.
Belle sniffled sitting down on a rock looking at her hands, "same shit with my parents, you know them trying to come around after everything but i just can't find myself to forgive them and then there's something up with JJ who has been avoiding me since the night we went to get him after he tried to get John B out and when i went to talk to him just now he was already gone and i'm really fucking worried about us."
Kiara's heart hurt for her friend, she knew it was hard with her parents because Kie is also going through it with her parents as well but what worried her most was her and JJ. ever since Kiara met the two they've been attached to the hip, never leaving each others side at all. this wasn't like JJ or Belle at all.
Kie sat besides her friend taking her hand squeezing it tightly, "why are you hiding this from us?"
Belle rested her head on Kie's shoulder, "like i said, i didn't wanna bother you guys with my shit."
"you can't keep holding things in, Bells. you think i haven't noticed you staying up at night? i don't think i've ever seen you leave school to go home and sleep. i want you to talk to me, okay?" Kie assures her friend wanting her to know.
"okay. but i want you to talk to me about whatever's bothering you with your parents." Belle says looking at her seeing Kie with a smile on her face.
"always worrying about everyone. that's why we love you, Bells." Kie laughed pulling her into a hug.
"shut up, Kook! back off!" both Kiara and Belle turned their heads seeing Topper, Sarah, John B and one of their classmates arguing.
"do i wanna start some shit?" John B asked Topper stepping closer.
"come on, John B. kick his ass."
"they all know what happened last time." Topper yelled, Belle and Kie looked at each other walking over to John B, "i'll beat your ass."
"get out of here!" Sarah pushed John B away.
"hey, hey. she don't want you anymore, bro." Kelce stepped in pushing John B.
"shut the hell up!" John B pushed Kelce walking away.
"what you gonna do, John B, kill me like you killed Sheriff Peterkin? huh? do something!"
John B turned around punching Kelce which led to another Kook and Pogue fight between everyone, the brunette who was arguing with Sarah pushed her off as Belle ran over to the brunette pushing her away.
"who the fuck do you think you are thinking you could do that to her." Belle snapped at her.
"move, bitch! what's your problem?" Kie says checking on Sarah, "you all right?"
"whose side are you on?" the girl asked Belle.
"fuck off, go!" Belle pointed to another direction.
"you belong with us!" the brunette pushed Belle.
"get the hell away from my face." Belle snapped pushing the girl away from her taking a step until she was pulled away.
"come on we're out of here." John B wrapped his arm around Belle's waist pulling her away from the girl running off to the twinkie.
the four sat in the twinkie while JJ approached crushing his beer can and burping, "well, that was a little unexpected."
"was it?" Kie asked.
"hey, maybe she'll come around." JJ assured John B.
"it's like everything that happened to us didn't matter." John B says, Belle reached for his hand squeezing it tightly, "it's gonna be okay, JB. i promise."
John B looked at Belle giving her a small smile squeezing her hand back setting the beer can down.
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"i've had more black eyes in the last month than i've ever had." Pope says handing Belle a stick with a marshmallow.
"that was a building up for years. rumble in the jungle." JJ said going to pick up his hot pocket but quickly dropped it.
"hey, did you two really stick up for Sarah?" John B asked the two girls.
"of course we did. Belle almost got into a fight too." Kie said making Belle nod finishing up her s'more.
"she's not a real Kook." Belle says watching JJ drop his hot pocket again.
"yeah, tell that to Topper." Pope said.
"i will, next time i see him." Belle made another s'more.
"i just want one bite. that.. mmm." John B grabbed Kie's hand taking a bite of her hot pocket.
"what are you doing? no, stop!" Kie argued with John B watching the hot pocket fall on the ground.
"you're not having any of mine." JJ stood up moving away from his friends.
"i thought you were gonna share." John B went to grab the food from the ground.
"i spent the last of my money on that."
"Kie, there's more in my freezer at home go get some." Belle chuckled dropping her s'more from how hot it was, "shit."
"sixteen years in most federal prisons." John B said with a mouthful of food.
"i'm stealing your marshmallow." Kie tells him.
"i believe that's a.. not even a fair trade." Pope says.
"it's not at all. not even close."
"hey, hey, shush. somebody's here." John B hushed his friends, the four turned around immediately standing up.
"you don't think that Topper would.." Kie started to say.
"i wouldn't put it past him." JJ stood up.
"do you have your gun?" she asked him.
"oh, now she wants the gun.'' JJ stepped in front of Belle to make sure she was fine.
"oh, now you don't have the gun?"
"no."
"isn't that your 'secret' weapon?"
Pope, Belle and John B hushed the two to stop them from arguing getting closer to the noise calling out for who was there wondering if it was a few Kooks from the bonfire. JJ held a metal pipe holding it up just incase he needed to use it.
"how y'all doing?" Renfield walked over with his hands up.
"it's this piece of shit."
"lovely evening we're having. look, i, uh.. i don't hold a grudge with any of y'all, all right? but this can go hard, or this can go easy. you know what i'm here for. let me give you a little demonstration. you see that swing right there?" Renfield pointed to the swing besides Belle, i got the best bow hunters in the Army Rangers with me."
"yeah? mm-hmm." JJ glared at the man moving towards him.
"hidden." Renfield whistled as an arrow flew right through the rope of the swing.
Belle jumped back seeing the arrow fly right by her only centimeters alway from her, JJ immediately turned to her checking to see if she was okay, when he saw she was he let out a small sigh of relief.
"now, they're out there. they'll stick you just as soon as i say so." Renfield stood in front of Pope as JJ got ready to swing the metal pipe but another whistle was heard and another arrow was shot.
"uh, uh, uh. we clear? now, i'm not gonna give you a countdown or any bullshit like that. i'm just gonna whistle." the five stayed quiet looking at Pope who pulled the key out from his pocket.
"this key belongs to my family."
Renfield turned around looking at the Pogues and laughed, "i'm losing my patience with you, Pope." right as Renfield was about to whistle again Pope handed him the key.
"did the right thing, kid. knowing when you don't have a choice is an underappreciated talent. you be safe. easy there. y'all have a good night." Renfield left the château.
"i'm so sick of this shit." Pope tells his friends walking away.
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the rest of the night the Pogues stayed inside sitting in silence while Belle went home to get cleaned up. walking out to her back porch seeing JJ on the couch switching his lighter on and off. the door closed making JJ turn his head seeing Belle, he sat up putting his lighter away as Belle sat besides him playing with her rings.
"hey." she softly said.
"hey." JJ leaned his head back admiring the girl.
he could spend all day admiring her all day and not say a word. whenever Belle came home with a new book he'd just watch and listen to her falling in love all over again.
"i'm sorry about the other day. asking you what was going on and saying you can talk to me, i didn't mean to annoy you with that." Belle apologized as JJ shook his head.
"Bells. you don't have to apologize for anything, i should since i snapped at you." he looked at her, every time JJ looked at Belle he fell in love even more with her.
"and i'm really sorry for what i'm gonna say now," Belle sat up feeling her body heat up, "i- shit."
JJ couldn't stand the thought of Belle getting hurt or losing her. the image of the arrow flying past her kept replaying in his head and JJ blamed himself for not staying next to her.
"fuck, this is hard," he sighed running his fingers through his hair, a tear rolled down Belle's cheek already knowing what he was trying to say.
"this is really happening?" she asked gripping onto the ring on her thumb.
"you deserve someone better than me, Bells. someone who isn't gonna end up in jail or doing stupid shit all the time." JJ cleared his throat feeling the tears in his eyes form more and more, he hated this so much.
JJ already regretted doing this, but he believed that this could be the only way to keep Belle safe.
Belle shook her head reaching for his hand locking her fingers with his, "no."
"i love you more than anything. i'm doing this for you because i can't put you through more shit." he sniffled squeezing her hand tightly bringing it up to his lips.
"you're all i have left. i don't know what i'd do if something happened to you."
with that, JJ stood up as Belle watched him stand up, he kneeled down in front of her cupping her face placing his lips on her forehead. he rested his lips on there for a few seconds until he pulled away, he wiped away the tear that rolled down her cheek standing back up making his way towards the chateau running his hands through his hair roughly walking inside.
a sob escaped from Belle's lips laying down on the couch clutching onto one of the pillows, Zale walked out looking for his little sister seeing her on the couch with tears streaming down her cheeks. he looked over at the chateau seeing John B and JJ talking, John B pulled his best friend into a hug patting is back.
Zale made his way over to his sister making Belle sit up so he can sit, the second Zale sat down Belle rested her head on his lap sobbing onto him. he pulled her into him hugging her tightly rubbing her back.
"it's okay, Bells. it's gonna be okay." Zale whispered to Belle.
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this chapter was so hard to write because i just love JJ and Belle so much.
but i promise things aren't over between them.