Salem's Civil War (Book Five of The Silver Society)

Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Melissa was sitting in her usual spot on the waterfront waiting for Arnie. She was relieved when he finally arrived a half an hour later than scheduled.

"Are you okay?" She asked after giving him a kiss. "I was worried."

"I'm fine," Arnie replied, "now that I'm here with you."

"You're sweet."

"I'm honest. The Fosters are creepy, Missa. I don't trust them, and I don't like being in their house."

"What are they like?" She asked curiously.

"Mr. Foster's this perfect businessman who seems to be a 'good old dad' type. Mrs. Foster's had way too much plastic surgery, I think. She's pretty, sure, but she looks really young and she can't stop smiling."

"Maybe she's just a really happy person."

"No one is that happy."

"Do they have any kids?"

"They have three. They're all kind of freaky. The oldest girl is like a clone of her mother, the oldest boy just gives me weird vibes, and the youngest daughter doesn't speak. Ever. And at dinner, she pretty much went catatonic, and everyone basically ignored her."

"Okay, that's definitely weird."

"I can't figure out if she's autistic, being abused, or just a psychic who can't control her abilities. She seems the most real out of all of them, though."

"What do you mean?"

"There's something about the entire family that doesn't seem real. They're too perfect." He sighed. "Maybe I'm just looking for flaws because I expect them to be evil."

"You know what? Either way, you're with me right now, and they're not here. No worries, Arnie. Live in the moment."

"I love you," he replied.

"I love hearing you say that, and I love you, too."

He kissed her, a kiss so passionate it left them both breathless, and still they didn't stop. Everything had been so stressful and out of control lately, and suddenly, all Arnie wanted was to feel something other than pain. Melissa didn't mind being his chosen distraction. She'd turned to Arnie so many times when her life was falling apart, and now she could finally return the favor and comfort him.

Sometimes, being in the arms of someone you love is all that you need to make everything okay again, Melissa reminded herself.

"Feel better?" Melissa asked when they finally pulled away from each other.

"You're everything to me, Missa. Do you know that?" Arnie asked softly.

"I've known that for a while," Melissa replied. "Even if I have to share that spot with Aideen." She grinned.

"You're not jealous of Deenie, right? She's my best friend and she's like a sister to me, but we've never dated."

"Relax, Arnie. I know that. I've never been the jealous type anyway."

"Good, because you have nothing to be jealous of. Other girls stopped existing the day I met you."

"You're just buttering me up now," she said with a laugh.

"Is it working?" He asked with a smirk.

"Kind of." She kissed him again and they lost themselves in each other as they'd done so many times before.