Tempted (#Wattys2015)

Tempted:21:

*Justin*

Thursday
10:44 PM

"What are you doing with her?" Dad asked me, bringing down the basket from upstairs.

"Picnic in the park, where the cherry blossoms are, I know they aren't in bloom now, but the trees are pretty even without flowers.

"Yeah, they are. What did you make?"

"My famous peanut butter and jelly, with fruit, I got some sparkling cider, and canolis from the bakery."

"Those things are to die for."

"I know," I nodded, walking with him into the kitchen and started pulling everything from the plastic bag I had, setiting it in the basket. "Thanks by the way."

"No problem. It's just beem sitting up there. Someone has to use it."

"Where are you going Justy?" Jazzy asked, looking up at me with her hands on top of the island in the kitchen.

"I'm taking Bella out to the park."

"You're going to the park?"

"Not with the swings," I told her with a laugh, setting everything down and squatted down to her level. "But I'll tell you what. When I come back today, I can take you over to the one with swings for a while. How does that sound?"

"Good." She smiled up at me, giggling as I pecked her nose and stood myself back up.

"That's ok, right?" I asked Dad, looking at him watching the both of us.

"The park down the street?"

"Yeah, just for a little while. I'll bring her home afterwards."

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Ok, then I'll be back. Thanks again."

"Have fun."

"I'll do my best."

I left the house, setting the basket in the backseat of my car, the started it, driving the few minutes to Bella's house and knocked on the door.

"Hi." She smiled at me, finishing the embrace I had already started and held onto the base of my neck, her soft lips moving against mine for just a few seconds before she pulled away.

"Hello to you too."

"So what are we doing?"

"How does a picnic sound?"

"You put together a picnic?"

"Yeah," I nodded, taking her hand as she stepped out of the house and shut the door behind her. "Is that ok?"

"It's more than ok. It sounds wonderful."

"I thought we'd go to the park. I know the cherry blossoms aren't in bloom anymore, but when they are it's cold...and it's still beautiful."

"Yeah it is."

"But not as beautiful as you." I lifted her up off the ground, laughing with her while I leaned back, gently spinning her down to the ground in her dress and pecked her lips again.

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Oh, and I told Jazzy I'd take her to the park later...as a big brother I have to fulfill that commitment."

We got in the car, continuing the conversation after with the radio on.

"Aw, can I come?"

"Sure, I didn't think you'd want to go."

"Of course I would! I am still working on winning her over."

'Bella, are you kidding? You've been over a couple of times, and that one day when we were playing Monopoly she fell in love with you. You don't have anything to win over."

"She's so cute. I'd love to come with you guys."

"Ok, then after we're done we'll stop and pick her up, I'll have to get her carseat though."

"I wouldn't mind going out with her a few days this summer. We'd give your dad a break. We could take her out for ice cream, and to the park, even the zoo! Oh my goodness that would be so much fun!"

"You're cute."

"Hey, if you can't be cute, I'm not cute."

"You're a girl, it's different."

"No it's not. You're so cute! That's a compliment!"

"Little kids are cute."

"Well you're cute too. Get over it."

"Whatever." I said with a laugh, reaching over to for her hand and took it in mine. "How was your first morning of sleeping in?"

"Great. Peaceful."

"Good."

"My dad is leaving tomorrow, but Josh is home now during the week because college is over..."

"Tell him you're going to Jackie's. You can spend the night at my place. I work for Manny Friday, so I won't have to leave early in the moring."

"Ok...maybe we could go to the club?"

"Yeah, if you want to we can. Especially if you wear something like last time."

"You liked that, huh?"

"Very much."

"Maybe I'll switch it up this time."

"Not too much, we don't need a repeat of last time. Mine."

"Yeah, we definitely don't need a repeat. I'll see what I have."

I pulled up beside the park, parking my car and got change out of my pocket, kissing Bella's cheek before we hopped out of the car, feeding the meter with the coins before I got the basket from the backseat, then the blanket, shutting the door with my hip afterwards.

"I can carry the blanket." She chimed, gently taking it from my hands and took my free one.

"Where should we go? Under a tree?"

"Sounds good to me."

Our arms swung as we walked, my eyes scanning out for the perfect spot, and I led her over to the biggest amount of shade I saw, setting down the basket to help her spread out the blanket, laughing as she plopped herself down and crossed one leg over the other.

"I hope you love peanut butt and jelly, because I can't be that fancy with a picnic, but I did stop and pick up your favorite dessert."

"You got canolis."

"Little mini finger canolis," I told her, sitting down beside her and pulled out the bottle of sparkling cider. "And I did manage to get a fancy non-alcoholic beverage."

"Oh my goodness, I used to drink that all the time when I was little. My parents would have a glass of wine at dinner, and they'd give me that - I thought I was so cool."

"I got it at Christmas time. For the same reason." Laughing, I popped off the cap, grabbing a glass from the basket and poured it inside, handing it over to her, then poured myself one.

"Yummy."

"Good." I took a sip of my own before handing her a sandwich, getting out the grapes and threw one up in th air, catching it in my mouth.

"Oh! Toss one to me!" She said, and I did, laughing as it bounced off her nose. "You did that on purpose!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!"

"Nuh uh! See!" I tossed another one at her, and this time it just bounced off her face.

"You jerk!" But she was laughing, picking up the one I had just thrown and threw it back at me.

"I am not!"

I sat my glass off to the side, scooting closer as I bit into my sandwich, watching her for a moment as she leaned into me.


When we were done eating, we were both laying on our backs looking up at the sky, her hand rested on my chest with her head.

"Haven't you ever wanted to get out of here? To do something else?" She asked, tilting up her head to look at me.

"Of course I do...I just can't leave really."

"If you could go anywhere, where would it be?"

"Probably Italy or Japan. Basically anywhere in Europe - and then Japan."

"Really? Wow. I want to see Venice. Venice, Paris, and London."

"Maybe one day we'll be able to do that. We'll go to Venice, Italy, Paris, and Japan. We can start a bucket list."

"Really?" She looked up at me, her gorgeous smile lighting up her face.

"Yeah, that would be cool. I could get time off...it depends on what I'm doing next year...you have school."

"School won't be for forever though. You are going to visit me, right?"

"Every weekend if I can."

"Good. And we have face time. I'm going to miss you."

"I know, I'll miss you too, but I know everything is going to work out. It has before."

"I know." Lifting up her head again, she kissed me, laughing as I hugged her waist in my arms. "But about our bucket list, we can't have it he like Up where they say they're going to go to Paradise falls together and they never get to."

"I'll start saving now. I promise."

"Seal it with a kiss. Do it Bieber."

"Done." I pulled her back down, masking her lips with mine, then let her curl up into me, fixing her dress and ran my hands along her back.

"I still want to meet your mom."

"I know."

"It's been sixth months Justin. You've practically met my whole family, and more at my party on Sunday."

"Bella, it's complicated."

"Why?"

"It just is."

"Ok." She sighed, resting her head back on my chest.

"You will though. I promise...I just want to get myself together first. I can't lie to my mom."

"About what?"

"Work. She knew I was getting into trouble."

"But that could be...months until you get out of there."

"If I get out of there."

"Don't you want to? Don't you have any desire to leave and do something else?"

"Of course I do, but how Bella? How do I leave that with the things I've done? It feels impossible."

"But it's not." She shook her head, squeezing my hand. "I know you can get out of there...couldn't your dad help? Mine could, something."

"No Bella. You can't tell anyone."

"I know - but I just - I've told you before you're so much better than the things you do. That isn't who you are. You should be going to school, figuring out what you want to do with your life."

"What makes you think that isn't what I want to do?"

"You just said you wanted to get out."

"I don't know how to get out," I shrugged, putting my hand back behind my head. "No one ever has. Not that I know of."

"Well then you'll be the first."

"Maybe."

"If you don't, how are you going to go see your mom? How do you plan on keeping it from your dad for years while Jazzy is growing up?"

"Bella, can we talk about something else?" I looked down at her again, quickly looking back up.

"Yeah, sorry."

"It's ok. It's nice to know you care so much, I just don't like thinking about it."

"I'm just scared something is going to happen to you."

"I know, but I will be ok. I have Hunter and Mike. They always have my back, and I have theirs."

"Isn't Mike lower than you? Like job wise?"

"Yeah, he's only been there for about a year or two - and it depends in if Manny likes you or not."

"Oh."

We were both quiet then, laying beside each other - but I was thinking, and I knew she was too.

I wanted to get out so bad, especially with everything happening recently. Now I was allowed to see my siblings again, my dad was finally talking to me, trusting me with things- like taking Jazzy out today.

I wanted to be better for her, so much better...but then what if I tell him I am done? That I can't do it anymore? Does he go after my family? Bella? My friends?

I couldn't lose them because of me, because I made a stupid decision so I could survive on my own.

But then what if Manny understood, if he let me go knowing I wouldn't tell. I could go to school, I could work all the time at Grants. That paid good, and I had a ton of money put away in savings. I always did that when I had cash laying around that I didn't know what to do with- the money I didn't use on drugs.

But it had been a while since I had done that. I just didn't really feel the need anymore.

I would do anything to take that job back, to figure out my life with Bella, to keep everyone safe.

Maybe there was a way.

________________

*Bella*