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MEAL
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"Should I be nervous? Cause I'm freaking I'm nervous." JJ said as he anxiously ran his hand through his blonde hair, which was previously falling in front of his eyes. "This is a big thing, meeting your dad."
Atlanta giggled and grabbed his hands, she linked them together and smiled at him. She found it adorable how nervous he was getting. But the nerves showed that he cared, and that made her happy.
"You've already met him." Atlanta reminded. "There's no need to freak out."
"This is really official though, like meeting your dad." He continued to panicked, Atlanta's smile fell from her face for a split second.
She panicked that she was rushing him. She didn't want to force him into something that he didn't want to do. The idea of her accidentally pushing him away terrified her.
"I'm sorry, you don't hav-"
"I want too, princess. I'm just nervous. Nobody's ever brought me home to meet their dad before." JJ let out a deep breath.
Atlanta stood on her tip toes and pressed their lips together. It was short and sweet. But his lips tasted like vanilla chapstick, which made her heart flutter for some reason.
"Don't be nervous baby, come on." She said guiding him towards the dinning room. He'd never been in her house before and to him, it was huge.
Shoupe looked up at JJ and Atlanta as they walked in, holding hands. His children were growing up too quick and he wasn't sure that he liked it at all. He knew that they were both old enough to date, he just wasn't prepared at all.
"Daddy, this is JJ." Atlanta smiled as the pair took a seat. Atlanta had kept a hold of JJ's hand, he was too anxious to even speak.
Shoupe merely nodded in response. He didn't know what to say. The only times he'd even seen JJ was when he was arresting him or asking him questions about why he had been arrested. It wasn't exactly a good reputation.
"Well, this looks delicious, pumpkin." Shoupe said as he looked towards the chicken salad that Atlanta had prepared for them.
"Thank you daddy." Atlanta smiled widely.
The meal was filled with a few minutes of awkward silence, Atlanta kept nudging JJ with her knee whenever his leg would begin to jig, since it was making the table shake and her father kept glancing in his direction.
"I know who you are!" Campbell said breaking the silence, and placing his hands down on the table.
Everyone turned to face him with furrowed brows, all except JJ, who's eyes widened in panic, wondering if he had done something to piss off the Campbell Dawn.
"You're Luke Maybank's kid." Campbell was beyond proud of himself for figuring it out, he knew JJ looked familiar when they were at the cinema, he just couldn't place it.
JJ clenched his jaw and nodded. "I am." He muttered, he hated being associated with his dad after everything he's put him through.
"How is your father?" Shoupe questioned curiously.
"He's good sir." JJ lied and Atlanta could see straight through it.
She grabbed his hand, she didn't care that her family or Campbell could see. JJ needed her comfort right now, so she was offering it to him.
"So, hows life down in the cut?" Shoupe questioned looking to both Campbell and JJ.
"No power, no warmth, no running water. It's perfect." JJ responded sarcastically.
Campbell had to stifle a laugh at the boys quick response. "OOOH! OOOH! Me too! Expect instead of a house it's a-" Campbell paused for effect. "Crack caravan."
Atlanta couldn't help but burst out laughing, she had to let go of JJ's hand to cover her mouth. JJ but back a smirk at the girl, placing his hand on her thigh and giving it a light squeeze. Shoupe's eyes widened and went to say something but Barnaby cut him off.
"JJ you have a job right?" Barnaby questioned, trying to make the dinner go more smoothly.
"Yes, I'm a professional busboy." Atlanta chuckled at JJ and shook her head.
"What jobs do you guys have?" Campbell questioned curiously, realising he'd never actually seen the siblings go to work.
"Umm." Atlanta chuckled. "I don't have a job. Never have."
She lowered her head almost guilty. Being a Kook had its perks. She got to lay about all day and top up her tan whilst also rolling in money.
"I had a job, but once I got Greggory, I quit." Barney laughed referring to his car.
"Oh it must be nice to be a Kook." JJ muttered.
"Okay. We're all done here." Shoupe said pushing his plate aside.
He wasn't happy how the dinner had turned out. Both of his children had fallen for useless Pogues, something that he couldn't wrap his head around, especially since they knew how things ended with their mother.
"JJ? Come on, I'll show you my room." Atlanta glared at her father but offered her hand out for JJ.
She walked him into her room and JJ couldn't help but burst out laughing. "One day I'm gonna be his son in law."
"Are you now?" Atlanta questioned with a huge smile.
She wouldn't deny it, the way he said it confidently made her heart flutter and her stomach flip. She hadn't thought about it before, mainly because she was only 16, but the idea of marrying JJ seemed to be something that made her happy.
"I will." He smiled and cupped her face. "And I can't wait." He said placing a light kiss on her lips. JJ walked towards her bed and just laid down. "How is your bed this comfortable?" JJ groaned.
Atlanta laughed at the boy and jumped onto the bed next to him. Patch curled up on her pillow, which made JJ jump. "That's Patch. I rescued him." JJ smiled up to the cat as it purred. Of course she was an animal lover.
JJ looked at the wall that had a few different watering cans and baskets with flowers in. He allowed his brows to furrow before asking, "Can I ask you something?"
"Always." Atlanta smiled and laid on her stomach to face the boy.
He began to trace patterns on her skin, hoping that what he was going to ask wouldn't make her uncomfortable or anxious with him.
"What's with all the flowers?" He mumbled, looking at the flower clips on her vanity table.
"They're for my mom." Atlanta admitted with a small heartbroken smile. "When she died, no one showed up to her funeral and she had no flowers." Atlanta explained. "So Barnaby pick a flower and placed it in my hair and said I would always be her flower. Ever since then, I've always worn a flower in my hair." She smiled and touched the light pink flower. "And you probably think that's really stup-" JJ cut the girl off.
"That's beautiful." JJ smiled at the brunette.
"I miss her." Atlanta said and let a stray tear roll down her cheek.
JJ placed a kiss on her cheek where the tear fell, tasting the saltiness on his lips. He didn't care though, especially once he saw the small smile form on the girls face after.
"She misses you." He whispered and opened up his arms for the girl. She didn't hesitate in crawling into his chest.
It was where she felt comfortable and safe. She gripped onto his shirt tightly, she was terrified of loosing him too. She didn't think that she could take another loss in her life.
"I'm not going anywhere, princess." JJ whispered into her hair and placed a light kiss on her forehead. He knew exactly what she was thinking. "I promise."
"I lov-" Atlanta took a deep breath, she felt so anxious but she wanted tell him. "I lo-"
"I love you too Atlanta Carson Shoupe." JJ said looking down at the girl.
Atlanta's lips parted slightly in shock and her eyes widened. Her heart began racing and a huge smile formed on her face.
She leant up and pressed her lips to hers. JJ grabbed her waist and pulled her onto him so now she was straddling his waist.
The brunette pulled away and pulled off her red dress. JJ looked up at the girl in awe. "You're so fucking beautiful." He muttered gripping her waist tightly.
Atlanta smiled and moved her hair to one side, JJ leant up and attached his lips to her neck. Atlanta attempted to undo the button's on JJ's top. He smirked and pulled away to pull off his top.
JJ reconnected their lips and flipped them over so that Atlanta was laid on the bed and he was hovering over her. Atlanta let out a small laugh. JJ smiled at the girl. "So fucking beautiful." He whispered kissing down her neck and toned stomach.