Upon Mountain Ranges And Tree Tops ~ Wavier

Chapter Two

Vincent Thorpe was a curious case, a man of many talents.

To bad fame ruined him.

You see, Vincent had been a kind, hopeful teenager. Much like his wife, Isabella, he enjoyed the thought of a happy future. 

To bad fame ruined him.

His career began simple. He would preform at festivals, feeding off the tips people would drop into his tip jar. He would preform simple tricks, predict futures and just generally had an easy job.

But then he got offered something important. Something bigger. He was offered his own show, which he gratefully accepted. At the time, Isabella was pregnant. He worked day and night, hoping his show would make enough money to pay off the family's bills.

Him and Isabella fought. He wasn't doing enough for her. He was too busy with work. And he told her, he told her that he was working for her. For them. For the baby. For their family.

And he continued to work, early mornings and late nights. 

He wasn't home when Isabella went into labor. 

He was guilty, but knew his job needed to be done. 

There were complications during labor. Isabella was gone. Xavier, as she decided to name the child before she passed, was all he had left.

But Xavier no longer seemed like a blessing, more of a burden than anything else. His show was making millions, and he refused to have is son be the death of that.

So began him hiring baby sitters, other people he payed to watch his son. His son grew up, Vincent barely noticing it. Him and Xavier had barely talked.

Vincent knew his son liked art. He knew because of the many paintings scattered across the home. He knew because of the extra room Xavier used as an art studio. What a dumb hobby, sketching things on sheets of paper. To do what with?

In Vincent's eyes, this was one big disappointment. He didn't believe Xavier's moving art would do much for him in the future. He refused to talk to his son until he picked a better future career.

"Dad, I want to do art!" 18 year old Xavier stated.

Vincent shook his head. "I refuse to let any child of mine grow up to be a train-wreck of emotions and stupidity!" 

"I make money doing this, and I enjoy it!" 

"You make money now, but in the future, who will pay your bills? You, working off of paintings you sold to some weirdo on the streets?!" 

"I'm not going to live alone, I'll have a wife, we'll pay bills together!" 

"What wife do you think will pay bills, go to work everyday! Exactly, there are no women like that out there! You will bring your entire family down because YOU can't do anything right!"

"My girlfriend is the most fucking independent person I know, and I will not bring anyone down. I will work for what I have, and me and my girlfriend will do everything correctly," Xavier hissed, pointing at his father with a mix of rage, pity, and disgust written clearly on his face, shimmering in his tear covered eyes. 

"Get out of my house." Vincent said calmly.

"What?"

"Get out." He repeated, eyebrow raised. "Go pack the necessary stuff in a suitcase, which doesn't include art stuff, and get out."

Xavier let a tear fall. "You're an asshole, you know? Mom would hate you."

Vincent's heart dropped, rage overtaking him. "I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE."

~~~

Wednesday and Xavier had the dream relationship. Tortured Artist and Torturer. Painter and Muse. An independent girl, who let her guard down for no one, let her guard down for him, and him alone.

A closed off, wonderful person who simply couldn't express themselves in the way others did. And Xavier helped her climb out of her shell. 

They loved each other deeply, more than any high school relationship should have. 

But all good things come to an end.

Wednesday was slowly climbing backwards in her shell, flinching when he got to close, stopping him when he showed her any types of affection. He wanted to shower her in love. She wanted to shut the goddamned shower off.

Xavier noticed the change in attitude almost immediately

"I'm sorry Xavier, I can't do this anymore." She announced one evening as she entered his shed.

He turned around, looking at her sadly. "I know."

"I'm leaving." She said. Looking at him dead in the eye, she said, "I'm switching schools."

"Is that why you're breaking up with me?" 

She shook her head, eyes closed. "No, you don't need to know my reasoning for that. All you need to know is that I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

"Wednesday, I do need to know that." He said softly. "Did I do something wrong."

"No." She said, shaking her head bluntly. "I'm sorry, Xavier." 

She turned towards the door to leave. 

"Wait, will I ever see you again?"

"Probably not." She sadly said, shaking her head.

"Can I get one last kiss before you go?"

She turned back around and ran towards him, throwing herself into his arms. "I'm sorry Xavier, believe me, if you knew my reasoning you would full-heartedly support me."

He softly nodded and pressed his lips onto hers, wallowing in the feeling of her mouth. He put everything into that kiss. His love, his hope, all his care. 

She took it all.

And left.

And he didn't see her again.

~~~

And that's why Xavier had no one, no family, no wife, not even a girlfriend. He knew his Ex's intentions were good by the way she said goodbye. But her never moved one, pent up anger towards everything slowly built up in his gut till the only people he could spend time with were the children of his neighborhood.

Christ, he had turned into a creepy 24 year old guy who played with children.

But he didn't trust women anymore, not after what the love of his life had done to him. Adults seemed like lying, untrustworthy backstabbers and Xavier saw the good in children.

The hope and happiness the shone in their eyes. The excitement and overwhelming joy. 

Just like how he had before.

~~~