Lovers at War - (A.R.)

Chapter 24

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Angels Fallen, Demons Risen

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"WHAT ARE YOU -"

"Is Lenora home?" I asked Arvin, who stood surprised on the other side of the door. I really wasn't expecting him to answer, mainly because I thought that he may have not even been home right now, off venturing in his own world doing whatever it was that he did on a daily basis.

"Yeah, she is," he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I saw her head to the shed a while back. Probably still there."

"Could you show me to her?" He looked at me in question, and I raised out the bouquet of flowers which were hidden behind my back earlier. His eyes stayed on my face as I explained, "She didn't pick them up today, so I thought that I would hand them to her myself."

"Sure, uh . . . Right this way," Arvin said, stepping outside and closing the door behind him. I silently went into step beside him as we walked the short way to the house's shed.

"So, uh, is that a usual thing?" He motioned to the flowers and I nodded.

"It's kind of a funny story, actually," I said, a weak laugh coming from me. "Some months ago, Lenora had come by my workplace, the flower shop, and I - hold on. I don't wanna bore you."

"I've got time."

So, I told him everything, from the small deal that Lenora and I made all those months ago about picking up orchid flowers on every Wednesday of the week, all the way to us gradually becoming best friends. I, of course, spared a few minor details such as what exactly our conversations were about.

Arvin only nodded in understanding, his hands stuffed into his pockets as he glanced at me now and then from the sidewalk. "No wonder. I'd been wondering where all those fresh flowers were coming from." A small chuckle escaped his mouth and I couldn't help but laugh a little as well.

"Well, now you know," I said, smiling at my feet. After a moment, I nervously started, "So, um, Lenora's told me that you and her aren't, uh, "biological" siblings. So -"

I was really expecting Arvin to tell me off or put me in my place like he'd done in the past, but to my surprise, he stayed completely calm and unfazed. I could tell that it wasn't a topic that was mentioned too often, but he just stopped in his tracks, and I naturally did the same. Looking at me carefully, he said, "She's kind of like my adopted 'step-sister,' but I don't treat her as one."

I smiled. "She says that you're a really nice brother."

He raised an eyebrow, coming closer. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"No, no," I quickly said. "I'm just saying that it's probably true because -"

"Sh. You talk too much," he said quietly, touching the tip of his finger to my lips. I teasingly tried to bite his finger, but he pulled back in time.

"Why are you so distant?" I asked, smiling as he dutifully avoided my question. "You're so serious all the time."

He looked past me. I could just feel the cocky smirk on his face. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises."

"Arvin," I said a little more seriously, and it was only then when he met my eyes again. "I mean it. When we first met, you were always so worried and hesitant . . . What changed?"

He shut his eyes, stiffening slightly. "I come from a rough background, Faye," he said. "It's dark, suspenseful, and certainly not the positivity that you're so used to."

"That's a bold assumption," I said as he furrowed his brows. "I may appear optimistic from the outside, and I'd like to believe that I really am, but I've not had the best past either."

Arvin remained silent as he gazed at me carefully. He stared as if I'd just produced a cure for world hunger. I could just imagine the sparks in his brain, desperately trying to connect the dots and instead just causing a short circuit. It was at that point I knew that Arvin certainly didn't perceive me the right way at first. I supposed that I hadn't perceived him correctly either.

I reached my hand up and slid his cap properly onto his head, and he took a deep breath. It looked like he was about to say something else, but he instead shook his head, muttering, "I should probably go check on Lenora."

He went ahead of me and over to the shed which was now only a little way across from us. Smiling instinctively, I bit my lip to prevent an unwanted giggle from leaving my mouth.

It was then when I heard the distressed screams of Arvin. Without a second thought, I ran after the sound and into the shed where my mouth parted, a terrifying scream coming from me as I fell to my knees in agony. The purple orchids in my hands were askew, as they were the last thing on my mind. My knees weakened and I fell to the floor in a heap. Curled up on the floor was my best friend, Lenora, and just from the pale face and limp body that her brother had been holding on to. . .

I knew it was too late. 

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Author's Note:

It gets exciting from here on out! :)