_
the drive back to the church wasn't as what the Pogues expected, when John B pulled up to where he had last past, the tide had increased insanely leaving them all worried.
"ah, crap! the tide! oh this doesn't look good." Pope says.
"how deep is that?" Kie asked.
"i dunno. the road's gone." John B stopped the twinkie making everyone lean forward.
"tide rose a little faster than i thought it would." JJ leaned back.
"just a little bit." John B added.
"uh, John B, how high are the spark plugs?" JJ asked.
"they're good. we're fine." John B quickly says.
"how high are they?" Both JJ and Pope said at the same time.
"oh, um.. uh, just above the taillight." John B leaned his out the window making everyone look at each other.
"okay, so that's, what, three feet?" Pope asked.
"that's three feet. yeah." JJ said.
"that water can't be three feet deep." Kiara looked at the tide.
"then what's the problem?" John B asked.
"not a problem. no, we're good. we're good. she'll make it." JJ sat in his seat holding on tightly.
"ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seat belts. hold on to something. we're going into hyperdrive." John B said.
"here we go again." Belle gripped onto the seats.
"i'm gonna say a quick prayer." JJ says.
John B pressed on the gas but the twinkie didn't move at all until it finally did. speeding through the water as fast as it could the twinkie slid into the water causing a rough stop and everyone to groan.
"no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." John B repeated.
"i think we miscalculated." Pope stated, Belle snorted while Sarah held up her thumb and pointer finger signaling 'a little.'
"i knew i should have driven." JJ says as the six climbed out of the twinkie standing in the water.
"okay, maybe we can walk from here." Pope suggested.
"what? and leave the twinkie? the.. the tide's coming in." a stressed John B says.
"so then what are we supposed to do?" Sarah asked.
"not stay here." JJ stated.
Belle ran her fingers through her hair sighing getting an idea, "Figure Eight isn't that far from here, i can get my dads truck."
"how exactly do you plan on going without getting caught?" Pope looked at the girl who just shrugged knowing it was the only way to get the twinkie out.
"Bells, are you sure?" John B asked the girl.
"it's fine. i'll go get his truck." she says.
"we need something to pull her out with. there's the winch at the chateau. that's, like, two miles." JJ mentioned.
"yeah, that's a good idea." Sarah said.
"okay, if you're gonna do it, let's go, okay?" John B says, "tide's coming in. twinkie's going underwater."
"okay." Belle nodded.
"good luck." Kie whispered to her friend, she nodded heading towards Figure Eight with JJ.
"double time, Bells. we gotta move." JJ says following her.
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Belle and JJ arrived at the house immediately seeing the truck, Belle slowed down looking at the house remembering the last time she was there. JJ nudged her arm breaking Belle out of her thoughts pointing to the truck.
"he's not in there. we're good. are you sure you wanna do this, a little Dad Theft Auto?" JJ asked her.
Belle shook her head walking towards the gate, "no but whatever."
she had no idea what was going to happen or what she was going to see the second she stepped into her parents home. all she could think about is returning to her family even if she was furious with them. she loved them at the end of the day.
"all right, here we go. go, go, go, go, go." JJ opened the gate for her as she ran in.
Belle inhaled walking up the steps looking at the front door opening it as quietly as she could, she slowly walked in not seeing her parents around only to hear music coming from the kitchen. she quietly walked over peaking her head into the kitchen seeing her parents dancing along to the music and spotted Zale sitting on the counter watching them.
her eyes widened not expecting to see her brother with her parents, the three laughed and smiled together. her eyes immediately watered for what felt like the thousandth time, she leaned against the wall watching them feeling the tears roll down her cheeks. Belle hid behind the wall again looking at the table besides her seeing the keys to Noah's truck, she grabbed them leaving the house as quietly as she could walking through the gate making JJ stand up.
"you got them- you okay?" he asked noticing her tears.
Belle nodded wiping her cheeks unlocking the truck, "i'm fine. let's go." she jumped into the truck followed by JJ starting it driving to the chateau. the entire drive to the chateau JJ kept his eyes on Belle who drove silently, pulling up to the chateau parking.
"this'll only take a sec. i think it's in the surf shack. yeah. it's in the surf shack. i'll be right back. got it. be right out." JJ informed Belle who nodded watching him run out jumping over the bushes and fall on his face.
Belle sat up sticking her head out the window as JJ turned around, "i'm okay!"
a smile appeared on her face making her laugh and lean back, she missed him in the very little days they've been broken up and couldn't stop wondering what he wanted to talk about back when he asked her if they could talk. Belle shook out the thought wondering what was taking him so long as she honked the horn.
"J?" she called out honking again.
waiting a bit more Belle saw JJ coming out of the shack with Luke, her eyes widened getting out of the car, "what the hell is Luke doing here? J, no, we gotta go."
"no, i know. just get in the truck." JJ tells his father putting the stuff in the back of the truck.
"J, the twinkies drowning right now, what's going on? why is he here?" Belle asked not wanting JJ to be around his father.
"listen to me. listen to me, okay?" JJ grabbed her arms looking at her, "i need to get into the marina at the Island Club. there's a boat there he can take. your dad has the stickler on the truck. twenty minutes, that's all i need." he tells her walking to the other side of the truck.
"the twinkie will be under water in twenty minutes, i don't think we'll have time J." she turns around facing him.
"i know, Bells." he looked at her again.
"we can come back for him-"
"the cops are after him!" he slammed his hands on the hood of the truck, "if i do this now, maybe i will never have to do it again and i can't do this without you."
Belle stayed silent nodding her head, "okay, let's get this over with." she softly says getting in the truck seeing Luke looking at her.
"don't look at me and just stay quiet the entire time." she rolled her eyes jumping in the truck driving off.
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"hey, pull up to Home Foods here. i'm gonna need provisions." Luke says, Belle's grip tightened on the wheel looking at JJ who just nodded as she turned to the small store.
"crackers and baked beans and tuna, all right? and some salt and pepper." Luke tells his son.
"yeah."
"five days' worth."
"i know."
Belle sat silently as Luke started tapping the seats obnoxiously until Belle spoke, "you're a shit father, you know."
"yeah, preach it to me. set me straight." Luke answered.
"do you have any idea how amazing your son is? he's the most amazing person i've ever met and has such a great heart." she says looking at the mirror to see Luke.
"he's a thief is what he is." Luke said.
"and what are you?" she scoffed, "you're just a piece of shit who never did shit but get messed up and hustle people."
"you know you sound just like you mama-"
"shut the hell up." Belle immediately snapped at Luke, she didn't want to hear him say anything about her mother.
"you're a lot like her, slumming with the bad boys. sounded the same way back when i knew her before she left. thought she was better than everybody else especially when she started selling with your old man. what would she think if she and your daddy found out you got their truck? i sure know that brother of yours isn't gonna be-"
Belle clenched her jaw throwing her elbow back hitting Luke straight in the face, "keep my family out of your fucking mouth." she turned glaring at him.
JJ made his way back to the car handing his father a pack of beer, Belle turned around taking in a deep breath as JJ got back into the truck looking at his father and then Belle.
"everything okay?" he asked her.
"yeah, let's get this over with." she says starting the truck again.
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Belle parked at the marina already getting ready for Luke to leave the truck. JJ got out of the truck grabbing the items for his father as Luke leaned over to Belle.
"hey, why don't you tell your mom hi?" he said, Belle looked at him pointing to the door making him chuckle.
"shut up. leave her alone." JJ pulled his fathers shirt.
"i'll be here waiting." Belle looks at JJ who nodded as Luke got out of the truck.
JJ and Luke started making their way as Belle sat up, "Luke." the two turned around as Belle stuck out her middle finger at him with a grin.
Luke started to walk back to the truck when JJ pushed him away, "go, go!"
JJ reached the boat with Luke immediately setting everything down, "did you have to do that? did you have to go after her like that?" JJ asked.
"i told her the truth. she didn't like it." Luke said.
"everything, hmm. everything i have, you fricking ruin. she's all i have left, i don't need you messing things up more." JJ tells his father making sure the boat was ready to go.
"i don't try to. just happens naturally."
Belle got out of the truck watching JJ from afar waiting for him. Belle can't explain the love she has for JJ Maybank, no matter what they go through she'll always love him even if it means not being in a relationship anymore. she'd do anything for him. seeing JJ get on the docks Belle made her way walking closer to him as he threw some stuff away sniffling as he made his way to her.
Belle stepped over to him wiping the tear off his cheek, JJ leaned his head into her hand as she pulled him into his arms, his arms immediately wrapped around her waist hiding his face into her neck. shutting her eyes Belle held him close rubbing his back, hearing him sniffle more broke Belle's heart as she pulled him closer.
"it's okay, i got you. always have and always will." she whispered to him as he nodded.
JJ pulled away wiping his eyes looking down at her, she gently smiled at him holding out her hand which he took interlocking their fingers together. with the same hand he was holding JJ threw his arm around her shoulder walking back to the truck in silence as the two went to return to their friends and save the twinkie.