I'm Supposed To Hate You

Lyra

 "No," I tell him. I want to know who he is. I want to know if he actually knows me. If he actually loves me.

"Fine," he relents. He pulls of his mask, and the face of someone I used to know stares back at me.

"Arlo?" I ask in surprise. He has brown eyes, curly brown hair, and dark skin.

"Yeah," he says, avoiding my eyes.

"You can't even look me in the eye," I say sadly. I look away from him, and stand up, away from the roof. He stands, and hooks his fingers under my chin, pulling my face close to his.

"I can look you in the eye," he says. He strokes my hair, finding a strand and twirling it in between his fingers.

"But I abandoned you," I respond.

"Yeah, but you were bullied."

"That's not an excuse."

"Let's not dwell on the past. I'm here, now. With you," he says smiling at me.

"But I'm supposed to hate you," I try.

"But I love you," he tells me. I look into his eyes, and I feel loved. I wrap my arms around him, and I feel safe. I feel home with him. Arlo is my home.

"I love you too," I respond. "You are my home, Arlo Slater."

"You are my everything, Lyra Lord," he replies.