𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬² | 𝙏𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 ✓

𝐕

School ended meaning that Ren could relax now. Tobias laughed as he watched her physically relax as they left the building.

"First day wasn't that bad Ren." He said through laughter but she just rolled her eyes. "First day or not, I don't want to be here any longer than I have to." She says as they walk towards Tobias' mom's car.

Neither of them was old enough to drive so now they had to wait by Ms. Leaf's car.

"Sorry to keep you kids waiting," Meloria said as she unlocked the car. Tobias had texted her earlier in the day to let her know that his friend was coming over. "It's okay," He says as they all get situated in the car and Morelia starts driving.

"Mom, this is my friend Ren, Ren, this is my mom." He said laughing slightly since they already somewhat knew each other. "It's very nice to see you again Ren, I hope my class wasn't as boring as my other students made it feel." She said with a smile but Ren shook her head.

"It wasn't boring. I can tell how much you love literature by the way you teach it. It's always nice to be taught by a teacher that loved the subject they teach." She said making Meloria giggle. "That's very nice Ren, thank you."

Meloria did love to teach, it was her passion. She always thought literature was a beautiful art form that should be appreciated just as much as paintings.

She still remembers the first time she fell in love with words.

She leaned against him, book in hand, as he read to her the lines from her favorite book.

The only light was the single light post in the lonely parking lot and the full moon and stars above them.

"And she glowed with light like the brightest planet in the darkest sky." He read to her, his eyes stayed on her as he recited the line from memory. He kissed the top of her head as he closed the book.

"Hey, it's not over yet." She exclaimed as she turned around to face him. The light from the light post shone on her face perfectly as he smiled at her. He chuckled, "We've read that book a million times already, you probably know every single line word for word." She huffed but didn't argue, knowing that he was right.

She turned back around and laid her back against his chest. They looked up at the night sky, thankful that the light post was on an odd schedule, and turned off around midnight.

"She looks so beautiful tonight." She said, not losing view of the moon. Not that she ever could.

"She always looks beautiful." He said as he gave her hand a light squeeze, making her blush. Even without seeing her, he could tell she was containing a smile. "Your birthday's tomorrow, do you want anything?" He questioned but she just shrugged.

"Come on, it's your big eighteen. I can't not get you something." He said even though he had already boughten her the gift two months prior.

"You know I'm not one for celebrating birthdays, Vince." She said as she snuggled deeper. "Yeah, I know, but this is your eighteenth birthday. I wanna get you something special." She sighed before sitting upright and turning around to face him.

"We've been together for almost three years now. How about just surprising me with what you think I'll like?" She said with a smile he couldn't resist. The smile that made him fall for her in the first place. He simply nodded as she leaned in, giving him a light kiss on the lips.

Things got heated pretty quickly, mostly from the anxiety that had been building up for the past few months.

Vincent would be leaving for college after graduation next week. She would be staying in Arizona and studying at a college nearby.

"Do you really have to leave?" She said, panting, as she tried watching her breath. He looked at her with a soft smile, his hair already messy and his shirt halfway off. "I do but I'll try my best to come and visit. You could always come and visit too." He said as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

She simply nodded, not wanting to continue dwelling on the thought of him leaving.

That night they loved each other deeply, not wanting to leave anything untouched.

That night, their love went farther than either of them was ready for.

"Mom, we'll be upstairs in my room okay?" That love said as the three of them walked into the house. "Okay, I'm gonna make dinner so don't any of those snacks you have stashed away." She said before hearing his bedroom door shut.

She chuckled to herself as she walked over to a framed picture of Vincent that was on display in the living room.

"I miss you." She said silently, not wanting to cry. She picked up the picture and walked outside, taking a seat on a porch chair she had set up. The clouds gloomed over and it felt like it was going to rain again soon but she could care less.

"You know, I still remember the night you read Orbiting Jupiter to me? The night we made Tobias?" She laughed to herself, knowing that he would be laughed along if he were there. They always found it funny that their dear son was created on the back of a truck in a parking lot.

It was very teen pregnancy of them and that always made them laugh.

"Your son is doing pretty well since being here, I mean, today was the first day and he's already made a friend. She's pretty too." She said with a smile as she looked down at the picture again.

She wanted to cry, she wanted to burst into tears and sob the same way she did the day she got the call.

She just wanted to see him again. Hold him and tell him that she loved him.

There were moments when she wanted to join him wherever he was but then she looked at their son and remembered that she couldn't be selfish. She had another life to live for.

She never got to say goodbye, they didn't even have an open casket.

She remembered standing at the grave, hours after they had put the casket in and filled it with dirt. Just her and little Tobias. Both crying as they read Vincent's headstone a million times over in their heads.