Forever & Always

Chapter 33: Philophobia✔️

(n) - The fear of being in or falling in love

Pronounced: feel-oh-foe-bee-uh

•Winter's pov•

Flashback

I yawn as I walk through the hallway to get to my first-period class. It's the first day of the new school year. This would've been my junior year, but they offered to have me skip a grade and I accepted, so this is my last year of high school. The hallways were mainly empty since some students wanted to get to their classes early. I'm not in my classroom yet because I had to go to the cafe right across the street to buy some caffeine.

"Um, excuse me." I stop in my tracks when I hear someone behind me. I turn around. My eyes widen slightly when I see a tall boy with beautiful dark skin, wild curly hair, and big brown eyes. He has dimples on the sides of his cheeks, but they are faint. And his-

Wait a second.

What in the world of Satan are you doing Winter?

"Can you help me find room 118?"

He looks a little nervous as he speaks to me and that's when I notice that I've never seen him here before, so I know he's new. "Sure. That's the room I'm headed to now. Just follow me."

"Thank you." We begin to walk side by side in silence. Well, that is until he breaks it. "So, are you new here too?" He asks nervously.

"No." I respond shortly.

"Oh. Well, my name is Arlo Navajo."

"Navajo? Isn't that a Native American tribe?"

"Yes! It is one of the tribes I come from on my father's side. So, what is your name?"

"Winter."

"Winter who?"

"Just Winter." We reach the classroom before he can say anything. I immediately walk to the back of the classroom where I won't be disturbed by any of the other students. Arlo stands awkwardly at the front of the classroom unsure of where to sit. His eyes find the empty desk next to mine and he makes his way over. This continues for the rest of the day whenever we have a class together. And for another month after that. I ran a background check when I got home from school the first day.

His father works for Matteo Cortez of the Mexican Mafia, aka, Dani's father. Not to mention his mother is an assassin for "The Lady Devil's Ruse" which is run by Matteo's wife, aka, Dani's mother. I had asked Dani about him and she said that the two of them used to play together before she moved here to Greece.

During the course of that month, he began to show me what kind of a person he is. He's sweet, and generous, always helping out others without expecting something in return, and he has a passion for cooking. After I deemed him okay to be around, I introduced him to the group and they welcomed him with open arms. Arlo and I became pretty good friends during the month after that. However, I knew he wanted something more.

I know I was right because he spent the next three months trying to get me to go out with him. The constant question never left my mind. Why me? There are plenty of other girls in this school. And I'm not saying that because I'm insecure, but because of my past and what I do.

I carry a lot of baggage, even though I've accepted it all. My family and I are dangerous people. We've taken risks that could've gotten us killed and we still have two mafias that may be coming after us. I'm not the lovey-dovey type, I don't do romance. He knows this, I've told him as such. And yet, he still wants me.