Belle & Daegan

Thanksgiving

Belle was getting more and more jealous of Reed. She was glued to Daegan all the time, and they still had three days to go to spend on the farm. Belle really wanted to spend time with Daegan, since she only got to see him on weekends.

The second day being on the farm was uneventful; the girls painted nails, discussed teen magazines, and baked cookies. Daegan was still working on the fence while his father went to the market. Belle noticed Reed take a glance at him every now and then.

"So what's the story about Daegan?" she asked, looking out the window from her spot on Belle's bed.

"He's our neighbor. That's it," Belle lied. She didn't want Reed to know too much about Daegan.

"He's so cute! You sure he's not your bf?" Reed asked.

Belle sighed in exasperation. "Reed, leave him alone. Just let him work."

"Don't be so uptight, Belle," Reed growled. She looked out the window again.

Belle made eye contact with Qwin, who shook her head. Don't push it, she mouthed.

Belle rolled her eyes. Reed was being so difficult. She constantly brought up the subject of Daegan when there was a lull in the conversation. It wasn't just Belle who was annoyed by it; Harissa and Olive groaned every time Reed talked about how handsome Daegan is.

Belle continued reading her teen magazine, catching up to what the Hemsworths were up to now. Liam Hemsworth had taken a vegan diet in his protest against animal cruelty. Belle admired him so. She wished that she could meet him in person.

Olive was touching up her painting at Belle's desk, small paint cans scattered all around her. Harissa was working on the lyrics of a new song, but she wouldn't disclose anything. She said it was a surprise.

Qwin was working on something secretive in her notebook.

"What are you working on?" Belle kept asking.

Qwin always looked sheepish, but she said it was nothing.

Meanwhile, Daegan worked as hard as he could, desperately trying to finish the fence before his father came back.

He finished three sides of the property.

The old fence still had to be demolished.

They were thirteen. Belle had come to her grandparents' farm for Thanksgiving break, as her mother was taking another trip.

Belle spent the whole time between hanging out with Daegan, baking with her grandmother, and doing farm duties with her grandfather.

Sometimes Daegan would join her with baking.

Sometimes he would help with the chores.

His father steadily got angrier the more time he spent with Belle.

Daegan had said that his father called Belle "a dumb city girl."

Daegan loved calling her city girl, but after his father had called her that with a mean tone to his voice, he stopped calling her that.

Belle missed it when he stopped.

She didn't realize how much she liked him until she was sixteen.

When Daegan came to her house in the middle of the night to hide from his father.

When he showed her the meteor shower well past curfew.

When he played along with Reed when she flirted constantly with him.

Belle didn't want Reed to be with him.

She wanted to be the one being with him.