You're Always You

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Lydia Petrov

Lydia rubbed her elbows as she gazed inside of David's home. She peered from side to side and nodded her head softly, casting him a slight smile. "...Nice home," She told him, stepping inside of the place. Lydia just got used to his mother's home, so getting used to this place would be... odd. "How long have you lived here?"

"Uh... A while, I guess." David seemed to say, setting down one of her boxes against the floor.

Awkwardly, Lydia nodded her head. She peered down at her feet and let out a breath. "...Sorry I'm invading your home," Lydia mumbled to him. "...But thank you."

"Don't worry about it, honey." David said. He stepped over to her and began to rub her back softly. "I've slept in Afghanistan more than I've slept here. This is more of a halfway house than a home." Shrugging his shoulders slightly, he nodded towards the home. "But it gets the job done."

Lydia nodded her head obediently and lowered her hands down. She let out a breath before glancing towards him. "Where did you want me to put my things?" She questioned. "I can sleep on the couch, though. It's not a problem. I do that a lot with Richie anyway."

"Yeah? Well then... that's exactly why you're getting the bed." David said, almost stubbornly. Lydia frowned somewhat as he continued to speak. "Make yourself at home."

...

"But this is your home." Lydia argued softly. "I'm already invading it. Just... put me wherever is best."

"I told you, it's barely my home. We're both strangers here. The bed is best." David argued back.

Lydia decided to not argue anymore but bobbed her head somewhat in agreement. The woman stepped forward and began to peer around the home a little bit more before speaking. "Are you staying here, or... am I alone?"

"That's up to you, sweetheart. I'd rather not leave you alone, but..." he raised his hands, as if to say the matter was out of them.

Lydia shook her head somewhat, turning to face him. "I'd rather not be alone, either." She agreed softly, pressing her lips together. Lydia bit her lip softly in thought before speaking. "...Besides, you're familiar. You... obviously don't know me as well as Monica, but we went to high school together. You're not... a complete stranger, you know? That's... nice."

The man gave a soft snort, ducking his head somewhat. "Yeah."

Slowly, Lydia decided to slide off her shoes and sit herself down on the couch in the room. She tucked her knees against her chest and propped her chin onto her knees. "Do you ever miss high school?" Lydia questioned, gazing over at him. "...I mean, I know it was forever ago, but... sometimes I miss it. I miss the little things that I took for granted. Like... talking to my friends or family. Or... acting." Humming, Lydia shrugged her shoulders while looking over at him. "Did you ever see any of my plays in high school?"

"Yeah," he replied, smiling. "I think Beauty and the Beast was your best." Then David and looked away, rubbing his neck. "But... yeah. There's... a lot I regret from then. A lot I would do over..."

Lydia made a face and shook her head. "I hated Beauty and the Beast." She argued with a sigh. "I mean, it could've been good. But, Richie was not a fan of Jake kissing me. I'm just glad one of his friends held Richie back from shouting during the second performance." Lydia said, giving a soft laugh. She pat the spot next to herself and smiled towards him, offering for him to sit. David seemed to walk over and lowered himself down onto the couch. "What would you do over?"

"Ahh, you'll laugh..."

Smiling, Lydia shook her head at him. "I wouldn't laugh." She argued softly. "I'm just curious, that's all. But, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Humming, Lydia shrugged her shoulders. "If it counts, I'm not... sure what I would change. I have a hard time picturing my life if something was... different, you know?"

He hummed. "...I regret not asking you out..."

Lydia shot her eyebrows up in surprise and glanced over towards him. "...Really?"

"Yeah... 'The one that got away', y'know?"

The woman was... a bit surprised at that. She rested her cheek against her knee and smiled softly, watching him in amusement. "You never even looked at me or talked to me." She pointed out.

"How could I have? Dickie's a fucking attack dog. I had my chance, I didn't... I let it slip. And then you ended up with an abusive prick instead."

Lydia winced somewhat and glanced down at her toes. Rubbing her cheek against her knee, Lydia remained silent for a few moments before opening her mouth. "...Do... you really think he abused me...?"

"I do. I mean, that's the thing, isn't it? It's obvious to everyone else except the person being abused." David said.

Squeezing her eyes closed, Lydia burrowed her face into her knees. "...I didn't... I didn't think I would be one of... those..."

"I know," he murmured, leaning over to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "Nobody does, until... they are."

Lydia let herself lean against his side. She left her eyes closed as she rested against his side, taking a few deep breaths. Frowning, Lydia ran her hands against her sides. "...Maybe it wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world if you had asked me out before Richie had."

"...I think we'd both be a lot happier with our lives if I did."

Opening her eyes, Lydia glanced up at David who looked like he was on the brink of tears. She frowned softly and placed her hand on top of his, which was around her waist, and squeezed it softly. "It's okay," She said with a soft smile. "No one can change the past, but... we can change the future. You know?"

"...Right," he mumbled, squeezing her hand back before getting to his feet. "I should, uh... grab my stuff from home. You, um... you get settled. Okay?"

Lydia blinked her eyes, though she was a bit sad at the warmth removing from her side. She nodded her head and gave him a soft smile. "Okay," She agreed, though she remained in her own spot on the couch.

David nodded his head somewhat before picking up his own car keys. She murmured a soft goodbye to him as he made his way out of the apartment. Then Lydia stood up from the couch and picked up her belongings.

Lydia began to relocate herself to the bedroom and set down the boxes on the bed. She felt weird moving around his belongings to make room for her own, but she did. Lydia started to hang up her clothes again while pushing his clothes to the side.

Once all of her clothes were in, Lydia slid herself back onto the bed and laid down on her back. She let her head flop against the pillow and let out a sigh. David's bed, as a whole, smelt fairly nice. It was a warm smell. And, in a way, it smelled familiar.