sunset || l.h.

chapter eleven

short and sweet but definitely not lacking in emotion! hope you enjoy x

"They don't have anything like this in Michigan," Liz chuckles, taking a bite of her burrito. "Detroit has good pizza, though."

"Mr. Ricky has had this food truck since I was a kid," Belle muses, wiping her chin with her napkin. "We used to come here a lot when I was younger. My dad loves the empa-"

Belle stops herself short, the reality of her words kicking in. She sighs, looking down at her feet. Suddenly the food in her hands isn't so appetizing.

"Honey," Liz reaches out gingerly, holding onto Belle's wrist.

Belle shakes her head, "No, it's fine. I'm fine."

"I've been trying to tell you that for close to a year now," Luke smirks as he lowers himself onto the bench, burrito clutched in his grasp. He leans to kiss her temple before taking a bite out of his food.

Liz retracts her grip and goes back to eating her burrito. Belle looks up at the blonde with curls bound in a hair tie on top of his head, stray wisps sprawled across his forehead and neck. She smiles and reaches up to push a lock out of his eyes, "I can't believe you're not going to cut it."

"You like it, I like it," he shrugs, pursing his lips before devouring his food. "Why cut it?"

Belle laughs, her father forgotten. They finish their food with small conversation, Liz telling them all about life back in Michigan.

Luke's arm rests easy around Belle's midsection, his thumb brushing over her ribcage. She finds herself leaning into him without her own awareness.

"You two should come visit," she muses, wrapping up the remains of her food in the tinfoil wrapper it was purchased in. "I think you'd like the cold."

"I've actually never seen snow," Belle pipes up, her voice small.

Liz raises a brow, "Well, you've definitely got to come now."

"Mom," Luke clears his throat, "Belle is starting college in the fall, I doubt she'll have time to come visit-"

"We are starting college in the fall," she points out, raising her brows as she glares up at him. Quickly, she redirects her attention to Liz, "And no matter where I go, I'll get a fall and winter break. I'm sure we'd both be able to travel."

A look passes between Luke and Liz, and Belle feels something come unsettled in her stomach.

She bites her lip as her belly starts to turn. Luke kisses the back of her head and stands to his feet, "C'mon, we've got a date."

"A date?"

He chuckles, pulling on her hands, "Yeah, I've got a surprise for you."

Liz smiles, looking between the teenagers. She pats her son on the hip and watches as he walks Belle to the car.

The smile drops as soon as they drive away.

~*~

Belle smacks him on the bicep, "For real, Lu, why won't you tell me?"

"A surprise is defined by the fact that the recipient does not know what is happening," Luke chuckles, reaching across the dash to press his palm into her thigh. "Ergo, I cannot tell you."

She groans, dropping down further in her seat. He laughs, "You're cute when you pout."

"I'm not cute," she hums, glaring up at him, "I'm intimidating."