Unfathomable Truths

Chapter 10

Josh walked into the living room to find Arizona asleep on the couch. He looked at her peaceful face. She looked like a baby who was afraid of nightmares. For the first time, he was starting to understand her as she understood him. He saw the distress on her face like she was having a bad dream. He walked towards the couch and stood in front of her. She looked so small, curled up like a kitten. There were tears streaming down her face. He looked at her for some time, confused as to what he should do. Finally he decided to wake her up.

“Arizona?” – He shook her gently

She shifted in her sleep but didn’t wake up. He shook her again and this time she opened her eyes.

“Did I doze off?” – She asked groggily

“Yeah. You were having a nightmare, right?” – He asked and she stiffened

She rose up and sat on the couch and he sat beside her, his gaze never leaving her face.

“Yes.” – She replied

“You wanna talk about it?” – He asked

She nodded in denial.

“Ok. Go was your face.” – He said

She touched her face and felt the moisture from her tears.

“Oh.” – She said, then got up and went to the bathroom

Josh sat there on the couch thinking about what had just happened. She didn’t seem as lively in her sleep as she was while awake. What was haunting her so much that tears came out of her eyes and she didn’t even know? She walked in the room and he looked up at her, her eyes were still red. He thought of asking her again but then he decided it was better to leave it for now.

“Are you alright now?” – He asked

“Yes.” – She replied sitting beside him

“I want to spend the day together.” – She said, her head down looking at her hands clasped together

Josh looked at her, nervously looking down at her hands. He put his hands on hers and she looked up at him.

“Ok. What do you want to do?” – He asked

“Just forget everything and have fun for a change.” – She replied

He looked at her; she was already looking at him, pain clearly showing in her eyes. It seemed like he didn’t know the girl who was sitting beside him. She seemed so vulnerable now. He hadn’t seen her like that, he saw himself in her eyes. They were the eyes of someone who had lost someone very close and blamed it on themselves, just like him. She had hidden it from him all this time and he had never seen the pain in her eyes. But today he could see it all; he could see the pain in her eyes. He decided to save her just like she was saving him.

“Ok then. Fasten your seatbelt because you’re going to have the time of your life today.” – He said and she smiled

Arizona had unintentionally showed Josh her vulnerable side and now he was curious but he was hiding his curiosity well. She smiled and looked at him and could see the concern in his eyes. That was the first time she had seen Josh show any kind of emotion towards her. She felt a constricting feeling in her chest but couldn’t quite name it what it was.

‘Is this what they write in novels about? The flutter in my chest; what is it?’ – She thought

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Dahlia couldn’t take it anymore. It was Christmas and the weight of the secret was weighing her down like an anchor; and she was drowning. She entered the bar; there were very few people there. She sat and said to the bartender,

“Tequila, keep it coming.” – The bartender nodded in approval

He filled the shots and she drank. The burning sensation numbing her pain.

“Rough day?” – The person sitting beside her asked

“Rough life.” – She replied while taking another shot of tequila

“Ditto.” – He replied and he also took another shot of whisky

She raised her glass and said,

“Here’s to our shitty life.”

“Hear hear.” – He said and they both gulped it down

He put the glass down on the table and then asked,

“So what do you do?”

“Stalk.” – She replied smiling

“Hey! We have another thing in common.” – He said and raised his glass and so did she

And again they both gulped it all down their throats.

“Wanna go to my place?” – He asked

Maybe she was too drunk or maybe just for one night she wanted to forget all the pain.

“Yeah! Lets go.” – She replied standing up and paying the bill

He too got up and paid the bill as they got out of the bar to forget about their shitty life for a day.