NINETEEN — the show must go on

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

          WEEKS LATER TURNED TO DAYS until the all-valley tournament and there was a certain tension that was felt all through the valley. bella and johnny rarely saw each other or went on dates, due to his training hours. they would talk on the phone all night long and they saw each other in school, but they missed actually spending time with each other.

"how's the training going? i'm worried you're gonna burn out and not have enough energy." bella sighed as she turned to the side as she spoke on the phone with her boyfriend.

"i actually don't feel it." johnny said as he laid in bed. "i'm used to it, i guess."

"i miss you. i really miss you." bella said as she stared up at the ceiling and held the phone close to her. "i know this'll be over soon."

"i miss being with you too, baby." johnny smiled as he ran a hand through his hair. "i miss seeing your smile and holding you close to me."

"i wish you here, holding me right now." bella smirked. she knew exactly how to tease him, which she had fun doing.

"oh yeah?" johnny smirked as he sat up and leaned back against his headboard. "i normally don't train the day before the tournament, let's go on a date then."

"aren't you supposed to be resting the day before?" bella said as she played with the cord of the telephone. "kreese is gonna be pissed if he finds out you're out with a girl the day before the tournament. it's gonna break your focus."

"nah, it'll be fine." johnny said. "besides, the guys have gotten high before the tournament and they're fine."

"oh, so you're gonna get me high?" bella giggled as she sat up and walked to her vanity. "i've gotten wasted before, but i'm not getting fried with you."

"chill out, we're not getting laced up." johnny laughed. "i was thinking the beach or that little diner i took you to last time. something simple."

"alright, that sounds better." bella smiled. "are you still nervous about the tournament?"

"a little bit." johnny sighed. "i have a good feeling, but you never know."

"you'll do great. i'll be right there." bella smiled as she played around with her pearl necklace that was on her vanity. "well, i better go to sleep and you better go to sleep too. it's a school night."

"alright. i'll see you in the morning." johnny smiled. "sleep well princess. i love you."

"i love you too darling."

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the night before the tournament had finally arrived. ali and chrissy were in the living room, watching mtv, as bella came downstairs, fresh out of the shower and got a cherry coke out of the fridge. "so where are you two going tonight?" bella said as she took a sip of the cherry coke.

"golf n' stuff." chrissy said as bella handed her a can of pepsi. "we're gonna miss you though."

"so where are you two kids going?" ali smiled as she got up from the couch.

"i don't know yet." bella smiled as she finished up her cherry coke. "he won't tell me."

"you two are getting pretty serious, huh?" chrissy smirked as she took a sip from her pepsi bottle.

"what exactly do you mean by serious?" bella smirked as she went into her mom's powder room and began to blow-dry her hair.

"he's protective, you literally go everywhere together, he's comfortable around you and vice-versa. you two come together easier than we ever did." ali smiled.

"i guess you can say we're slowly getting serious." bella smiled as she brushed her hair again. "i'm kind of worried about him, about the tournament. he's been pushing himself so much that he might burnout."

"johnny lawrence? burnt out?" chrissy said. "that's impossible."

"you obviously haven't seen the bags under his eyes." bella sighed as she walked out of the powder room and back to the living room. "i'm just concerned."

"he'll be fine. i promise." ali smiled. "now, go get ready. you don't wanna be late."

⸻

as the sun was setting, bella and johnny walked along the shoreline hand-in-hand. they had been out all afternoon and they were not going back home anytime soon. they wanted to spend as much time together as possible before the tournament. they had gone out to eat, they went cruising, until they finally came to the beach.

"chrissy's picking me up tomorrow." bella sighed as she laid down on the sand and placed her head on johnny's stomach. "i assume you'll be going with the guys."

"i cant wait to see you there." johnny smiled as he played with bella's soft brown hair. "it means a lot."

"are you feeling okay?" bella sighed. "like ready to fight?"

"yeah." johnny said. "i'm okay. just a little tired but, i'll sleep it off tonight."

"you haven't been sleeping lately, have you?" bella said as she sat up.

"to tell you the truth, not really." johnny sighed. "this tournament's got me a bit nervous that i just can't sleep at night. that and the everyday arguments with sid."

"you need your rest, therefore tonight, you're staying with me." bella smiled as she laid back down on the sand, this time on her stomach.

"babe, are you sure?" johnny said as he smiled. "your parents won't mind?"

"my parents aren't home." bella smirked as she pecked his lips. "c'mon, let's go. let's get you well-rested."

johnny hopped on his bike and helped bella get on. as he got ready to leave, bella placed her arms around his torso tightly as the couple headed to bella's house. as they rode through the streets, bella couldn't help but to admire the city and all the neon lights. once they finally arrived to bella's north hollywood home, bella got off the bike as johnny picked bella up, bridal style and headed into the house. bella giggled as she was finally put down.

upon opening the door, she passionately kissed the blonde as his back was up against the door. her hands got tangled in her hair as his lips roamed her neck. she let out a soft groan as she placed her lips back on his and pulled away.

"not tonight." bella said in between heavy breaths. "you need to rest."

"i'll be fine, princess." johnny said as he pecked bella's lips again. bella kissed him once again as their tongues intertwined, earning a soft groan from him.

"you need all the rest you can get." bella smiled as she pressed her forehead against his. "we'll have plenty of time to do this after this is over."

bella walked to the kitchen to get herself a cherry coke to cool herself off after that brief moment of heat. bella got some grapes out and handed johnny one of her dad's beers.

"you're gonna get in so much trouble." johnny smirked as he opened the can.

"oh please, it's not like he counts them anyway." bella laughed as she finished washing the grapes and headed up to her bedroom. bella grabbed her tv remote and turned on her tv, changing the channel to mtv. the couple laid down on bella's bed and watched television for a while.

"it's getting late. i think we better get some sleep." johnny said as he yawned.

"here." bella said as she got some sweatpants that belonged to her dad and tossed them on her bed. "you can use these for tonight."

"are you sure?" johnny said as he grabbed the sweatpants.

"just go change before i change my mind." bella laughed as she grabbed her pajamas from her closet. "bathroom's over there."

bella stripped her clothes and slipped on a short light blue nightgown. she went downstairs to the living room and made sure the doors were locked and the lights were off. as bella walked into her bedroom, she found her boyfriend walking out of her bathroom, shirtless with only the sweatpants.

"i could get used to this view." johnny smirked as he laid back on bella's bed.

"so can i." bella smiled as she laid back down. "be careful tomorrow."

"i'll be fine baby." johnny said as he held bella close to him. "it's gonna be fine."

"take it easy, kick some ass, but take it easy." bella smiled as she slowly drifted to sleep. "i believe in you. you're the best."