The Snake in the Garden Of Eden [Yandere Arlo]

Chapter 12

TW: Manipulation, Paranoia

"Elaine, I love you."

Her whole body froze up right, mind unable to register those words in time.

"I think you're cute, so kind, and so beautiful. Especially your eyes, they're so captivating." He smiled one so sweet, it brought a hot blush to Elaine's face. It was a weird way of praising her but it wasn't enough to recover from the initial shock she was in when Arlo smiled with blush on his face at the sound of his friend being brutally injured. She was more stunned while blushing than being moved to tears at the sudden confession. And she would have definitely preferred the latter.

Her breath hitched and voice cracked when she attempted to speak, "Th-thank you, but..." She didn't know where to start. "But what about J-John? It's n-not a good time for a confession... Why did you even confess to me all of a sudden...?"

Suddenly, the blond frowned. He tilted his head slightly to the side, eyebrows furrowing with question. "Why do you care about him? Didn't he irritate you because of his low level?" Arlo asked, his mood fading into an emotionless stare. Hit with a question back at her, Elaine struggled for an response at first. She wasn't aware that Arlo knew about that! Hell, she thought she knew Arlo like the back of her hand! But it appears that he knows a lot more than he let on.

That, in itself, should have been a red flag along with the way he was acting, but Elaine's naivety tried to find excuses for Arlo instead. There should be a more logical way of explaining all this. It's all she thinks.

"N-no! That's because he's your f-friend, right?" She slightly gasped out, a slight shrill in her bones. "R-right??"

Arlo merely smiled at the sound of that, it was a smile that she couldn't make out. It was laced with various emotions; Relief? Happiness? Satisfaction? Even with the confession, he was scaring Elaine, he really was. She knew that she wouldn't be able to overpower Arlo in any way... So if he made any sudden moves, she was completely at his disposal. Luckily, she has previous experience with physical fights, but she doesn't know if she can lay hands on Arlo... Especially the same guy that showered her with endless affection.

You see, Arlo was like her knight in shining armour. An idol to her, it used to be that, just one praise could get her heart racing in her chest.

"I see, Elaine. You're so sweet, still caring for me at a time like this...! Open the door." He stated with a smile, "You love me too, right? Open the door then." He added when he saw her hesitating.

"But Arlo... You're scaring me..." Elaine muttered, she was fidgety with her hands. "I do like you, but you're acting really—really weird! This isn't like you at all!" She was getting aggravated, getting louder because it gave her a confident boost. Arlo needed to shut her down, quick. Before her voice got too loud.

He walked closer, starling her slightly, and without giving her a second to react; he embraced her into a tight hug with his strong arms wrapped around her small, petite body. The hug made her shoulders curl in and physically jolt. Her heart was slamming against her ribcage. "I love you. Just open the door, I want you to see what I made for you. The lengths I would go for you!" Arlo pressed his face into the crook of her neck, making her extremely uncomfortable, but at the same time—this was Arlo. The same Arlo that she had fallen so deeply in love with, the same guy that flirted to her, praised her, and... "Loved" her.

Elaine opened her mouth to respond at first, but no answers came out until after a few seconds, she finally found her voice. "Okay... I—I'll open it." This made Arlo release her, with his hands on her shoulder and eyes staring deeply into hers. "I'll open it. All you did for me, i-it won't go to waste."