Always, Arlo [Published]

Chapter 25

You and I?

This chapter contains mature themes.

I recommend listening to 505 & I wanna be yours by arctic monkeys!

Arlo

We sat in a local pizza place that was still luckily open at twelve AM. Valentine sat in front of me eating her pizza slice that was half her head size. I had pepperoni and she had plain cheese. We sat off to the side of the pizzeria together, she sat crisscrossed on the bench seat.

"This is amazing." She says with a satisfied expression and I nod my head as I close my eyes from the delicious flavors. Maybe it was just the high but the pizza tasted abnormally good.  We stay in silence for a few minutes before she sets down her half eaten pizza to look at me.

She fidgets with her fingers on the table and I look at her through my dazed eyes. I raise an eyebrow slightly in confusion before I speak. "What's wrong?"

"Why do you seem so.. distraught?" She asks and I tense my body slightly. I usually cover up how i'm genuinely feeling very well I think, so the fact that she's seeing right through me makes me a bit worried. I now know how she feels. "Its nothing-"

"Arlo, I know you're not one for opening up but trust me i'm here to listen to whatever is bothering you." She reaches out her pretty hand, her nails are done with acrylic nails with gems on them. She places it over mine that rests on the table. Her touch soothes my body. She holds eye contact with me, her brown eyes soft and tender. What's with the shift in the room?..

She rubs my hand softly, her thumb doing circles against my palm. I inhale softly, letting myself undo the tension in my body uncomfortably. "It's my birthday month. Some might be thrilled to know that their special day is coming up but that day is nothing but shit for me." I tell her as I nibble on my lip piercing with anxiousness. Her eyes are peering at me, gesturing to go on.

So I do, "Its the month my father always choses to come back to my life.. It's hell for me and honestly I can't stand the thought of hearing from him." I talk and my chest seems to hurt. My eyebrows indent slightly as I speak and Valentine's eyes turn to one of worry when she hears my tone.

"He's the reason why my mom is the way she is. I often say she reminds me a lot about you but its because you both have went through tough times with men. Men who never deserved you in the first place." I say and I feel as if something is stuck in my throat. Enclosing the space and blocking the air. I loose focus when suddenly Valentine is sitting on my bench beside me. She wraps her arms around me and rests her head on my shoulder.

"Let's leave this place so you can tell me more. I want to hear everything you have to say." She whispers softly into my ear which sends goosebumps down my spine. Her voice is heavenly enough but her whispering into my ear is almost enough to have me at command at anything she has to say.