Arsen (Editing)

I'm Going To Do Something Very Stupid

Authors Note:

So last night I went to bed thinking "oh my gosh by the time I wake up in the morning, Arsen might have 10,000 reads." I got up super early and checked and sure enough it did. I'm not going to lie, I definitely cried. Other than one short story I wrote when I was about nine, Arsen is the only piece of writing I have ever done, that I have put this much time and effort into. It is also the first book I have ever written that I have every intention on finishing. I completely understand that my writing is nowhere near publishing worthy, but I am so grateful for every single one of you who put up with and read this book.

Thank you for helping me create something that I can be proud of.

-Melody

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The ride with the boys had been long and quiet. Even though we were taking Arsen's car, Ashton drove and I rode shotgun. There was no way I would have ridden next to Arsen for the whole trip, it was hard to even look at him right now without being infuriated. It's been nearly eight months since I've been this close to him and I'm still mad.

I can't figure out if that means something to me or not.

Eventually, we pulled up outside of a motel. Arsen and Ashton got out of the car and started to unload our stuff. I got out and slammed the door behind me. I had no idea where we were, I hadn't paid much attention to the road signs, but it was colder here.

The tiny dress Meredith had forced me into seemed like an even worse idea now. I hugged my arms to my body and waited in front of the car for the boys to be done collecting our things.

A warm leather jacket, which was twice my size, was placed over my shoulders. I didn't have to turn around to know who had given it to me and I didn't allow myself to sink into its warmth. I took the jacket off, turned around to face Arsen, and thrusted it back into his hands.

"No thanks." I muttered, hugging my arms to myself again.

"But you're cold?" He retorted.

"Well, I'm not that cold."

Arsen rolled his eyes and extended the jacket back to me. "Amelia, wear the damn jacket!"

"No." I shook my head.

Arsen slung the jacket over my shoulders anyway and stepped in front of me. He quickly zipped it up and pressed a finger to my lips before I could protest. "Amelia Tyler, first of all, you are cold. Second of all, we are at a shitty motel in the middle of God knows where. It would be best if you covered up a little, you don't know the types of people you run into in places like this. There are probably tons of men here who would love to get their hands on you, especially in that dress, and I can't afford to go to prison for killing them." He told me, his words coming out as a hiss at the end. "Believe it or not, I'm trying to keep you safe."

He released me and spun around on his heel before walking into the motel. I sighed and kept the jacket on, too tired to do anything more. Ashton came up beside me and nodded towards the motel, encouraging me to go first.

We made it inside, it was a bit cleaner than it looked outside, and I waited for Ashton to get us a room. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Arsen standing a few feet away from me. He looked exhausted and I almost felt bad for snapping at him over the jacket, almost.

"Let's go." Ashton said, waving the key at us and heading in the direction of our room.

Our room was very bare. Two full sized beds were made up in the center of the small room, a little desk sat in the corner, and a small box tv sat on top of a brown dresser. I went to one of the beds and plopped down on it, mentally exhausted from the day.