TWENTY FOUR — memories

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

LAUGHTER WAS THE ONLY THING HEARD in the small restaurant. instead of going to the party up in the hills, bella, johnny, chrissy, and the guys decided to go eat together. they headed to this pizza place in north hollywood, where they all sat packed into a round booth.

"i remember that night!" chrissy laughed as she took a slice of pizza and placed it on her plate. "you were all so wasted and i think tommy puked about twice in a pool."

"it wasn't twice!" tommy said. "it was only once."

"nope, it was twice because even i saw that." bella laughed as she took a sip of her cherry coke. "out of all of you, who's the lightweight?"

"tommy." the boys said in unison as they began to laugh. chrissy tried not to choke on her soda as the table erupted into laughter.

"okay, now who's the one who can hold their liquor the longest?" bella laughed as she took a sip of her cherry coke.

"probably bobby." dutch said as he took a bite out of his pizza slice as the other boys agreed with him. "he'll drink a whole bottle and he'll be fine."

"okay, this is a good one." chrissy laughed as she took a sip of her soda. "who's in the middle? not lightweight, but does get fucked up after couple of drinks.

"johnny." the boys said in unison as bella tried not to laugh. johnny rolled his eyes and shook his head in denial.

"that's not true." johnny said as he bit his pizza slice. "you guys know that's not true."

"oh shut up. i know you're trying to seem badass for your girlfriend over here, but let's face it." jimmy laughed. "don't you remember that one time where ali took you home. you almost puked on her and that was only after one round of shots."

"so the rumors are true." bella smirked as she looked at her boyfriend who was taking a sip of his glass.

"the order from light to strong goes a little like this." dutch explained. "it's tommy, jimmy, johnny, myself, and bobby."

"i have an even better question." johnny said as he wrapped an arm around bella. "out of you two, not ali because she never drinks, who's the lightweight?"

"okay." chrissy said as she took a sip of her soda before talking. "so, as you know, ali's our designated driver. to answer your question, bella's the lightweight."

bella felt her cheeks heat up as she laughed along with the table. "okay i admit it, i get drunk easily." bella laughed as she got a slice of pizza.

"i knew it." johnny smirked as he tightened his grip around her shoulder. "you do look like youre lightweight."

"um, look who's talking." bella laughed as she took a bite from her pizza. "i have an even better question, what kind of drunks are you? like who's the happy drunk, sad drunk, etc."

"oh this should be good." chrissy laughed as she wiped her hands with a napkin.

"okay, so tommy's a blackout drunk, jimmy's the happy drunk, i'm normally the sober drunk, and dutch is a reckless drunk." bobby explained. "but johnny over here, is a combination of all, plus he's a horny drunk."

bella and chrissy tried to hold their laugher in as the guys laughed, but they couldn't help it and began to laugh. "ali did mention that you would be all handsy when you were drunk." chrissy laughed.

"so you're one of those that needs alcohol to get laid?" bella laughed as she stared at her boyfriend who kept his arm around her.

"i don't know. buy me a drink and you'll find out princess." johnny said as he winked at the brunette. she smirked and placed her lips on his as the guys whistled and laughed. they continued to kiss as he slowly tugged on her bottom lip, earning a soft groan from bella.

"woah, okay. if you two are gonna go at it, kindly head to the restroom." chrissy said as the guys laughed and the couple pulled away. "we're eating here."

⸻

"i had fun tonight." bella smiled as johnny parked in front of her north hollywood home. "i know it wasn't the two of us alone, but it was fun."

"at least, we got to be together." johnny smiled as he leaned in and kissed bella passionately. the couple pulled away and smiled at each other.

"i better get going before my parents get home from san francisco." bella sighed. "call me?"

"of course. good night baby." johnny said as he pecked bella's lips before she got out of the car. "i love you."

"night honey! i love you." bella smiled as she got out of the car and walked into her house. johnny drove off and headed into the highway. it was about 9:30, but the streets were packed, being that it was friday night. he sighed as he headed home to encino. after spending his nights with bella, he hated coming home because going home meant arguing with his stepfather.

he arrived home and sat in the car for a few minutes as he prepared himself for whatever sid had to say now. he got out of the car, locked it, and walked inside the house. he placed his keys in his pocket as he walked around the house, looking for his mom. he found her in the kitchen, washing dishes.

"hey honey." laura smiled as she saw her son come into the kitchen. "how was your date?"

"wasn't really a date, we went to eat with the guys and one of bella's friends." johnny smiled as he stood in the kitchen.

"so when do i meet bella?" laura said as she finished up the dishes. "she seems like a nice girl since you go on and on about her, when am i meeting her?"

"i'll bring her here soon." johnny smiled. "you'll love her mom. i think she's the one."

"the one?" laura smiled. "you really like this girl, don't you?"

"yeah. after ali, i didn't really think i'd find anyone but then bella came along and she's just perfect." johnny smiled as he thought about his girlfriend, but was snapped out of his thoughts when sid came in.

"who's perfect?" sid said as he came into the house. johnny tensed up as he saw sid walk into the kitchen and greet his mom.

"johnny was just telling me about his girlfriend." laura softly smiled.

"another bitch?" sid laughed. "what happened?
ali dumped your sorry ass, so you got another one to rebound?"

"sid–"

"don't you ever call her a bitch." johnny said as he tensed up and clenched his fists in anger. "she's not a rebound. she's my girlfriend and i love her."

"you don't know a damn thing about love, boy. you're a little punk and a loser." sid said as he stood face-to-face with johnny. "just like your daddy."

johnny sighed and went up to his room to relax. he walked in and closed the door behind him. he got some sweats out of the closet and changed into them, then proceeded to slip his shirt off. he went into the bathroom to splash water on his face as he looked in the mirror and sighed.

just like your daddy ..
you're gonna end up just like him.

those words kept circling around in his mind. johnny never got to meet his dad. his mom had gotten pregnant with him at a young age when his father left. sid often describes him as a loser or a bum. he dried his face with a towel and went to sleep.

as he slept, he tossed and turned, with memories invading his head. one of them being the constant arguing with sid and the night of the tournament. he could've been dead, but lucky for him, he's not. after that, that moment kept replaying in his head. he sat up and got out of bed. it was now 1:38 am, but he just couldn't sleep. he grabbed his keys and snuck out the back door.

⸻

"johnny?" bella said as she rubbed her eyes as she opened the door, luckily, her parents had stayed the night in san francisco. "it's almost 2 am baby, what's wrong?"

"can we just go to the beach?" johnny said as he ran a han through his hair. "i couldn't sleep."

bella nodded as she got her keys and closed the door behind her. she got into the red car as johnny drove out of her neighborhood and headed to the beach. bella adjusted her nightgown, that was a long t-shirt, as johnny drove to the beach.

"what's wrong?" bella sighed as she reached over to caress his cheek and play with his blonde hair. "you look stressed and upset."

"i just have a lot on my mind." johnny sighed as he stopped at a red light. "sid's giving me shit again and i can't stop thinking about the night of the tournament."

"let me guess." bella said as she sighed. "the words loser and bum must be flashing in your head right now."

"yeah." johnny said as the red light turned green. he stepped on the gas and gripped the steering wheel as bella continued to play with his hair. the couple arrived at the beach, but remained in the car for a few minutes.

"you're not a loser." bella said. "i'm sorry you have to deal with all this baggage. your stepfather, the tournament, your childhood. it's gonna get better. i promise."

"i'm just glad i have you by my side." johnny said as he intertwined his hand with bella's. "you're the only good thing that's left in my life. you and my mom."

"and we both love you very much." bella softly smiled. "it's gonna get better. it will. just you wait and see."