THIRTY SEVEN — break up to make up

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

JOHNNY PULLED UP TO THE DRIVEWAY of bella's north hollywood home and turned off the engine. the couple sat in the car for a few minutes before bella took her seatbelt off. she intertwined her hand with her boyfriend who was a bit nervous to walk into the house.

"it's gonna be okay." bella smiled. "he hasn't had a chance to hear your side yet and once he does he'll love you."

"bella, he's gonna freak out again and he's not gonna approve of us." johnny sighed. "let's just save him the argument and let's head up to hollywood for the after party."

"johnny, my father was just like you when he was growing up." bella sighed. "my grandfather gave my mom so much shit about him until he really got to know him. that's why i'm so confident about this. we'll be fine."

"i'm taking your word for it." johnny sighed before walking out of the car. bella got out of the car and intertwined her hand with his as she led him to the door. as she opened the door, she found her mom sitting on the sofa, watching television.

"hi honey." lisa smiled. "how was – oh hi johnny! glad to see you again."

"nice to see you too, mrs monroe." johnny smiled as he greeted lisa.

"where's dad?" bella sighed as she tightly held onto johnny's hand. "i kinda need to speak to him."

"i'll go get him." lisa smiled as she stood up from the couch and walked to the staircase to go get bella's father. "matt! bella's home and she needs to speak to you!"

lisa sat down on the couch as bella and johnny sat down on the loveseat. matt came downstairs and bella felt her heart race. "it's good you're home! how did – lisa, what the hell is that boy doing here?" matt said as he walked into the living room.

"dad, this is my boyfriend, johnny lawrence." bella said. "he's laura's son and sid's stepson, you know, from encino. he's my boyfriend."

"i thought you two had broken up weeks ago." matt said. "and isabella, i thought i told you to stay away from him."

"mr. monroe, i love your daughter so much." johnny said as he stood up from the loveseat. "she's my whole world and i'd never let anything happen to her. i'd die before letting something happen to her."

"i know how you can be." matt said. "you're one of those cobra kai street punks. always causing trouble with that no mercy bull –"

"not anymore, sir." johnny sighed. "i quit, all my friends did. it's a long story, mr. monroe."

"i've got time." matt sighed. "what happened?"

"back in december, i lost the all valley tournament to this kid who had just moved to reseda. to be honest with you, my friends and i had gotten into several fights with him prior to the tournament, but he beat me, with an illegal kick. i still lost the defending champion title." johnny said as he held bella's hand. "after the tournament, i had gotten into an argument with my sensei over getting second place in the parking lot of the arena. he broke my trophy then placed me in a headlock until, the kid's sensei stepped in."

"when did all this happen?" matt said. "that's some story, you really expect me to believe –"

"i saw it happen." bella said as she tightened her grip on johnny's hand. "i was there that night. chrissy saw it too. chrissy and i were about to get in the car because we were gonna go get a bite to eat with the guys when it happened. it was horrible, but it happened. that's why he quit. him and his friends. the cobra kai dojo has not had a student since."

"you really love my daughter, don't you?" matt said.

"i'm crazy for her, mr. monroe." johnny smiled. "absolutely crazy for her. bella and my mom are all i've got."

"and about you two living together in new york." matt said as he sat down on the sofa. "what was that all about?"

"the plan was to move in together and while bella studies, i'll be working." johnny said as he tightened his grip on bella's hand. "i'm gonna take care of her, mr. monroe, i promise–"

"she can take care of herself." matt said, cutting him off. bella sighed as there was a bit of tension within her father and her boyfriend. "but i don't doubt that you'll be looking out for her."

"i will, mr monroe." johnny softly smiled. "i promise."

there was silence and tension in the room for a few moments, until matt walked up to johnny and shook his hand. bella softly smiled as she turned to look at her father and boyfriend.

"you seem like a smart kid and bella's a girl who knows what she wants, and since she's decided to be with you, i'll support her." matt softly smiled. "and about new york, she could use a familiar face around."

"thanks dad." bella smiled as she embraced her father.

"well, i know that you two were headed to a prom after party." matt said. "don't worry, i know you two will be alright."

"i'll have her home by 1:00." johnny smiled as he and bella walked out of the north hollywood home. "thank you, mr. monroe."

matt and lisa stood at the doorway as they watched their daughter and her boyfriend walk to the red car and drive off.

"you really think she'll be okay?" matt said to lisa.

"he's responsible, matt." lisa said as they walked back into the house. "they'll be fine."

⸻

"i haven't seen johnny or bella since the prom." chrissy said as she grabbed a red solo cup and poured a drink in it. "you think they got back together?"

"maybe." dutch said as he opened up another beer bottle. "if they did, they're probably back at his place, doing each other."

"they probably are." jimmy laughed. "that's all they do; argue and then fuck."

while the group stood at the bar, getting drinks, bella and johnny walked in, hand in hand. they made their way through the crowds, as forget me nots played on the speakers. as susan took a sip of her cup and turned to the side, she spotted the couple walk thought they crowds.

"look who just walked in." susan said to chrissy as she stood at the bar. chrissy turned to find the couple walking through the crowds and waved at them, signaling them to come towards the bar.

as the couple approached the bar, the group smiled and greeted them. "so i take it you two are back together?" tommy smiled.

"don't you see them holding hands, smartass?" dutch said as he playfully shoved tommy. "wait, what about your old man? didn't he lose it when he saw you both together?"

"it's all okay now." bella smiled as she grabbed a drink from the bar. "i took him up to north hollywood and him and my dad had a little chat."

"i'm so glad you two are back together." chrissy smiled as she poured more liquor in her cup. "now, the night is still young, so let's celebrate!"

⸻

it was now past midnight and the party was still going strong. as the night progressed, the group spent time amongst the crowds who were playing drinking games, ali arrived with some guy from ucla and announced that she and daniel had broken up, the girls danced together while the guys spent the night getting hammered, and finally bella and johnny had a couple of drinks and danced together.

while the group was back at the party, they decided to leave a bit early and head for some quiet time at their favorite spot; the beach. bella, still in her pink prom dress and johnny, who was only wearing the dress shirt, slacks, and bow tie, walked along the shoreline, hand in hand.

"i really missed this, y'know." johnny smiled as he rubbed his thumb along the back of bella's palm. "i really missed you."

"so did i." bella smiled. "i'm really nervous about heading to new york."

"don't be." johnny smiled. "we'll be there together. it's you and me against the world, remember?"

"i can't believe school's almost over." bella sighed. "just 3 more weeks and then it's graduation."

"we still have the summer." johnny said as he wrapped his arm around bella. "and it's gonna be one hell of a summer."

"i'm sure it will be." bella laughed. "just promise me one thing."

"yeah?" johnny said.

"promise me that if we ever have a fight like this again, we'll work it out and not shit on each other." bella sighed as she intertwined her hands with his. "i know it's gonna be hard with both our tempers, but can we at least try?"

"i lost you once, i'm not losing you again." johnny said as he stood in front of bella, taking her hands and placing a soft kiss on her palms. "you're the best thing i've got."

"you really know how to sweet talk a girl, don't you, lawrence?" bella smirked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"mhm, i try babe." johnny smirked as he picked her up and spun the brunette around. "i love you."

"and i love you." bella smiled as the blonde spun her around until finally putting her down. he passionately kissed her as the couple groaned into the kiss with their tongues intertwined.

"i also missed your kisses." johnny smirked as he pressed his forehead against bella's. "i forgot how sweet you tasted."

"sweet like cherry coke?" bella smirked as she pecked his lips again.

"sweeter than cherry coke."