⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰

AFTER their conversation at the bar last night, stevie and alex met up to take their dogs, lola and jagger for a walk. they sat on a bench, drinking some coffee. although they had their history, stevie was just glad she had someone to talk to during this time.

"i can't believe you don't remember that one time we skipped and ended up at the beach house." alex laughed as stevie sipped on her coffee.

"we skipped like tons of times and went everywhere." stevie chuckled. "it was always last period."

"it was the last class, no one gave a shit." alex laughed as he looked at stevie, who was smiling. "so, tell me more about the dojo."

"it's a long ass story." stevie chuckled.

"it's early." alex said. "we've got time."

"okay, so dad found a little place in this reseda strip mall and with a check from sid, he bought it." stevie said. "the place was a hot mess, but we fixed it up a bit. he started out with this kid, his name's miguel; they're neighbors, him, his mom, and his grandmother are the sweetest people ever, i swear."

"i heard about the all valley." alex said, sipping on his coffee. "that's pretty badass, considering he started out with one student."

"yeah, the only thing about it is that his kids fought against my baby brother; that and his old sensei is back." stevie sighed.

"oh." alex said. "this got interesting."

"yeah." stevie sighed. "i mean, it's been fun. i've been doing karate since i was a kid and i've always liked training with my dad. it was our father-daughter thing."

"i know this is gonna sound weird but, i enjoy hearing you talk about you doing karate and you training with your dad, all that stuff." alex smiled.

"everyone tells me i'm just like him." stevie softly chuckled.

"you've got your mom's eyes though." alex smiled as he then looked over to his dog, who was laying down. "so your parents? how're they doing with the whole 'friends' thing?"

"i mean, they're speaking to each other again. they have their arguments, but they get over it much faster than they used to." stevie said. "how're your parents?"

"still working." alex chuckled. "they're home every now and then but they're always out."

"say hi to them for me." stevie smiled.

"sure will." alex said. "they always ask about you, y'know?"

stevie softly smiled as she messed with her empty coffee cup. "we should do this more often." she smiled. "i enjoyed this, a lot."

"we should." alex smiled. "i still enjoy being around you."

⸻

"sorry i'm late!" bella said as she approached the table where the ladies were sitting. "i was out running some personal errands with mom."

"you're just in time to order." lillian said as she passed bella a menu. "how's lisa doing?"

"she's doing good, keeping busy as always." bella said as she scanned the menu. "keeping busy with all these errands."

"i thought grandma had a doctors appointment today." stevie said, as bella took a sip of her cherry coke.

"that's why. that was one of her errands." bella said as she grabbed a dinner roll from the bread basket.

jenna looked over to bella, who subtly rubbed her neck as well as her lower back. "honey, you good?" she said.

"oh, yeah." bella chuckled. "i probably just pulled a muscle while i was working out."

"you're working out again?" chrissy said. "it's been a while since i've gone and i've been wanting to go, but i can never find the time."

"i went early today, before taking mom to the doctor." bella said.

"next time you go, call me!" chrissy said. "anyway, how's the line going?"

"i say we're doing good on time." jenna said, as she took a sip of her drink.

"it's looking really good." bella smiled. "i love it even more than my first one. this is gonna be the good one, i can feel it."

"of course it is, ma." stevie smiled as she grabbed another dinner roll. "we see how hard you work."

"oh! one more thing, we have a last minute fitting tomorrow." lillian said. "i know it's saturday, but it's much better if we get it out of the way."

"okay, sounds good." bella said. "i can't believe it's a few weeks away."

"time flies, huh?" jenna said. "it's crazy."

"anyone else feeling those butterflies?" bella chuckled as she grabbed another piece of bread.

"you'll be fine." lillian said, placing her head on bella's shoulder. "we'll all be there."

"besides, how long has it been since you've walked?" jenna said.

"a long ass time." bella laughed. "it's gonna feel so weird walking again."

"oh, stop it. you know you're gonna look so badass." chrissy said.

"you're gonna make me blush, thompson." bella said, as she took a sip of her cherry coke.

⸻

the next morning, bella softly yawned as she looked down at johnny, who was peacefully sleeping on her stomach. she softly chuckled as she heard his soft snores. bella had a busy day ahead of her, but nothing beat mornings like these.

"good morning, darling." bella said while she softly ran her fingers through johnny's hair as he softly groaned.

"it's early. just 5 more minutes, babe." johnny said, sleepily as he ran his hands down bella's waist. "besides it's saturday."

"i have a fitting today." bella laughed as she softly rubbed his shoulders. "are you gonna let me go?"

"not if you keep doin' that." johnny said as he pressed his lips against bella's, while bella smiled against his lips. "you drive me crazy, y'know that?"

"mhm, i know." bella smirked as the pair continued to make out. as they pulled away, johnny rested his forehead against bella's as she ran her hands down his back before sitting up and getting out of bed.

"i missed this." johnny said as he sat up and admired bella.

"what? me walking around in your band tees?" bella smirked as she stood at the doorway.

"exactly." johnny said as he got out of bed and grabbed bella's waist, pulling her closer to him and kissing her once more.

bella smiled as she broke away from his embrace, only to be pulled back by johnny. "where are you going?" he said.

"i have a fitting today. i'm gonna take a quick shower before i leave." bella said. "unless you wanna join me?"

"fuck yeah." johnny smiled as bella led him into the bathroom.

the couple kissed each other passionately as they undressed each other before stepping into the shower. the warm water, along with johnny's lips on her skin, gave bella a euphoric feeling. she wrapped her legs around his waist while softly raking her nails down his back.

"y'know i missed this too?" bella softly groaned.

"oh yeah?" johnny smirked. "missed me, baby?"

"hell yeah." bella said, biting her lip.

while the couple enjoyed a steamy shower session, stevie walked into the apartment while listening to music. she put down her bag and grabbed her phone, switching the music from ratt to duran duran. while jamming out to the reflex, she rummaged her father's fridge for eggs and began to make breakfast. she turned the volume up as she cracked a couple of eggs in a pan.

bella dried her hair as she wrapped her robe around her body. she looked over to johnny, who walked over to bella and wrapped his arms around her waist. she turned to face him and placed her lips on his once more.

"something smells good." bella smiled as she pecked his lips once more.

"it's probably that lotion you're wearing." johnny laughed. "the sheets smell like flowers now."

"i'm talking about food." bella said as she peeked out the bathroom and heard stevie's voice as she sang along to her music. "it's stevie."

"fuck." johnny sighed. "you didn't tell her about–"

"did you?" bella said.

stevie turned to grab some plates and noticed her father's bedroom door was open. she walked over to the bedroom, only to find it empty. she brushed it off and grabbed her phone to change the song, taking her airpod off as she saw the bathroom door open from the corner of her eye.

as the blonde looked up from her phone, she was stunned to see her mom and dad, walk out of the bathroom. "oh shit!" she said. "ma?"

"stevie–"

"what the hell are you doing here?" stevie said. "wait - don't answer that, i don't wanna know."

"stephanie! just calm down." bella said.

"are you and dad–"

bella and johnny turned to look at each other, before turning back to their daughter, who stood there shocked. "oh shit." stevie said.

"look, your mom and i–"

"nope. before you say anything, go get dressed." stevie sighed.

after getting dressed, stevie served her parents some breakfast and then grabbed a plate for herself. the dining room was quiet until stevie decided to break the silence.

"so, what's going on between you two?" stevie said. "you two are doin' it. now what?"

"alright, i didn't think this would happen, but it did." bella said, running her hands through her hair. "one thing led to another and here we are now. we've been seeing each other for a while and it's been good."

"what happened to the whole 'being friends' thing?" stevie chuckled.

"we're still there, but now we're just friends who are hooking up." johnny said.

stevie nodded as she sipped on her orange juice. "i knew it." she said, smirking. "you two are so easy to read."

"so, are you gonna be okay?" bella said.

"yeah, i mean, it's nice seeing you two happy." stevie smiled. "it's gonna take some getting used to because i haven't seen you two together in years, but if you guys are happy, i'm happy."

"yeah, we're happy." bella smiled as she intertwined her hand with johnny's.

"but you better be good to each other, okay?" stevie said, turning to her father. "she's not some sleazy chick you picked up at the bar, she's my mother–"

"i know." johnny said. "i care about her, alright? i'm crazy about her."

bella softly smiled and bit her lip as she held on to johnny's hand. stevie placed her glass of orange juice down and smiled. "this is nice though." she smiled.

"you really think so, hon?" bella smiled at her daughter.

"yeah, it's kinda like old times." stevie smiled. "just the three of us."

⸻

"so how'd your little date with alex go?" ashley smirked as she took a bite from her slice of cake. "you didn't tell me, so tell us everything."

"it wasn't a date, it was just a cup of coffee." stevie said, swirling her straw in her lemonade.

"i thought you were having breakfast with uncle johnny and aunt bella." aiden said. "i didn't know you were talking to alex again."

"we kinda found each other at the bar." stevie said.

"old habits die hard, huh?" aiden smirked as he sipped on his soda.

"don't start. i could say the same thing about you and sofie." stevie laughed.

"you're still after sofie?" ashley said. "aiden, you're such a simp, i swear."

"we're only talking. stop planning a wedding." aiden said.

"so you'll let me plan your wedding?" ashley smiled.

aiden playfully rolled his eyes as ashley and stevie laughed. "yes, ashley. whatever you want." he said.

⸻

"i haven't seen iron eagle in ages." bella laughed as she placed her beer down on the coffee table. "i guess old habits die hard."

"it's badass." johnny said as he wrapped his arm around bella's waist.

"i remember when you dragged me to go see that one. i wanted to study, you, of course, had other plans." bella said. "like always."

"hey, i only wanted to take you out on a date." johnny laughed.

"yeah, whatever." bella laughed as she took a swig of her beer.

as she watched the movie, bella found herself yawning as she watched the movie. although her day was short, she was exhausted after driving around la all day. after a while, she fell into a deep sleep.

johnny looked to bella and found her fast asleep. he turned to look at the time as he placed the empty bottle down, grabbing bella and carrying her into the bedroom. once he placed her on the bed, he pulled the covers over her body before climbing into bed.

bella turned around and placed her head on his shoulder, wrapping an arm around his torso. johnny placed a small kiss on her temple as she softly smiled. "night, beautiful." he said, caressing her cheek.

"good night." bella softly muttered.

⸻

chrissy parked her car, next to the black dodge challenger and walked out. after having lunch with bella, she suspected that something was happening between her best friends. before heading to work, she decided to stop by johnny's apartment and knocked on his door.

"hey chris, what's up?" johnny said as he opened the door.

"i was in the neighborhood and i wanted to know if you wanted to have breakfast." chrissy said. "y'know before i go into work."

"um, i'm kinda busy right now, chris." johnny said as he kept the door, semi open.

"oh shit! i'm sorry." chrissy said. "by the way, you're fly's down, honey."

as johnny looked down, she pushed the door wide open, only to find bella, standing in front of the stove, making breakfast and wearing one of johnny's band tees.

"morning chris." bella smiled.

"'i pulled a muscle', my ass." chrissy chuckled as she walked into the apartment. "so it is true."

"yep, it's true." bella said as she grabbed a plate. "you want some breakfast, chris?"

"i'd love to hear this over breakfast, so yes." chrissy said, putting her purse down. "it's been a while since i've seen you wear one of his band tees, old habits die hard, huh?"

"it's definitely been a while." bella said, putting on a pot of coffee.

"she looks hot." johnny smiled as bella teasingly rolled her eyes.

"quit it." bella said as she tossed him a dish towel.