𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎// john deacon

chapter twenty seven - the restroom break

   VALERIE HAD RECENTLY quit her job at the library. She'd been allowed to take many books that the library was getting rid of, so she had quite a hefty amount of books. 

    "Half of what you got is the works of Edgar Allan Poe," John said as he went through the large piles of books in her piano room. It was one day before they were leaving for Rockfield,  and Valerie and John had just opened a bottle of wine.
    
    He had come over to visit her and to go swimming in the pool, and had of course been dragged into looking at Valerie's collection of books.

"And? Edgar Allan Poe is one of my favourite authors. The Tell Tale Heart? Mystification? Lenore? Please tell me you've at least heard of Lenore," Valerie said from where she was sitting behind John, her, her cheek pressed against his shoulder and her arms wrapped around his waist as she watched him flip through the books.

    "Um, I haven't. But I'm very well acquainted with The Raven." John said to Valerie, as he gave her hand a light squeeze.
   
     "Only because you had to read it for a project in English, yeah?" Valerie said, as John stood up to stretch.

     "Yes, you're quite right. Is Eddy Poe your favourite author?"  John asked as he dragged Valerie off the bed and pulled her into him, his arms resting loosely around her waist.

    "Definitely. Lenore is one of my favourite poems of his." Valerie replied as she leaned her head against his chest.

     "You'll have to read it to me one day. I'm not much of an Edgar Allan Poe fan. The works of Jules Verne are much more appealing because of the science fiction aspect. That's what I expect you to lean towards, but I guess not." John said as he ran his fingers through her red hair.

     "I prefer the more macabre and melancholy feel of Edgar Allan Poe to the excitement of sci-fi, as surprising as that is." Valerie replied to him as he started to sway her around, slow dancing with her to no music.

     "Remember when we went to that jazz club with Roger and Periwinkle,  and you dragged me out to the dance floor?"  John reminisced with a smile.

     "Of course I do. We ran into many people that night." Valerie said, recalling the memory of the two of them dancing around foolishly during the upbeat songs, and trying to make each other laugh during the slow dances, the two of them pressed together much like they were now.

     "It was the most fun I've ever had. We must go back to that club sometime,"

    "Definitely. We'll rock that place apart and dance until we can't feel our feet. We'll-"

    "Okay, love, before you get any more poetic with me, yes. We should. It'll be a lot of fun, considering how I'm a much better dancer than you are." John said with a smirk as Valerie pushed away from John lightly,  though not very far.

     "Whoa whoa, John. That is a very tall assumption! You are not a better dancer than me, lovey." Valerie said, spinning away from John and wrinkling her nose at him.

"I am, and you know it." John said, going over to Valerie and trying to embrace her again, to which she spun away from again.

"Oh no, don't you try to tell me you're better at dancing and then try to pull me in for a kiss. I simply won't have it," Valerie said with a laugh.

"No? Then perhaps some tickling might convince you." John said, creeping towards her. Valerie groaned loudly and started to back away.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me," John said, starting after her. Valerie shrieked and giggled as she started to run about the house, getting away from John.

The two of them were laughing as they shouted at each other, running around the dining room and scaring her cat. Valerie ran past John and made her way up the stairs. She had almost reached her bedroom when John caught up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up and carrying her into the room.