Lovers at War - (A.R.)

Chapter 32

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Behind Closed Doors

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MY HEAD RESTED against the passenger seat window of Arvin's truck, staring at nothing in particular as the Ohio roads passed by with a breeze. In the little while that we had been travelling, I knew we weren't too far from home, but that Arvin hadn't spoken a word to me since. He looked so grief-stricken and miserable, that he probably felt it better to stay silent and continue on our journey of nowhere. Hell, I wasn't even sure if we had any cash on us - we would probably have to move around as beggars if we wanted to make it through the next few days.

My attention averted by the truck coming to a complete stop in the middle of the road. I looked at him. "Why'd you stop?"

"This isn't right." He shook his head. "This isn't right. We gotta abandon this truck right now. This instant."

I raised my brows. "Wait, how come?"

"They'll track us down, that's why! We gotta leave, come on, we gotta continue on barefoot."

Knowing very well that Arvin was correct, I only nodded and both of us abandoned the truck on the side of the road. Soon, we'd both come so far along that the old Chevy was no longer behind us, and it was then that I realized that this was all for the better. This was probably all for the better.

As Arvin and I trudged down the street, our shoes  worn out and slightly dirty, I was the first to break the silence, "Why'd you kill him, Arvy?"

He looked at me briefly, slightly surprised by my use of his nickname, but then focused back on the road. Nevertheless, he responded, "I told you. The man got what he fuckin' deserved."

"You already said that," I said. "But you haven't exactly told me why he deserved to be killed."

"I---"

"Arvy . . ."

Arvin sighed before nodding to himself. "As a kid, my daddy used to tell me that revenge was the only kinda greatness a man could do. 'Sooner or later, everybody gotta sit down to a banquet of consequences,' he'd tell me, and soon . . . I began to believe him. My daddy was right all along, and that preacher knew exactly what he had comin'."

I nodded, trying to understand what he had told me. When I first met Arvin Russel, I knew that there was a lot more hidden behind all that seriousness, but it felt good to know that he was opening up to me . . . even if what he told me surprised me completely. So, unsure of what I was exactly doing or why for that matter, I grasped Arvin's hand, pausing him in his tracks. He glanced at me, silently asking me something.

"Let's take on the world together, I'll be with you till whenever."

At that, Arvin couldn't help but smile. A genuine smile, the kind I hadn't seen on his face since I first invited him to join me for dinner all those months ago. I couldn't forget those beautiful eyes of his, and for the first time in a long time . . . I knew exactly what I was doing.

A while later, the two of us continued hiking down the road hand-in-hand, not having a care in the world until an old, busted up truck stopped right beside us.

In the driver's seat sat a middle-aged man, with visibly greying hair and eyes that spoke of a beast. I didn't let myself wander too much on him as I next saw a younger blonde woman in the passenger seat beside him. She looked nice enough, a lot more friendly-looking than whoever she was riding with.

"Why, hello there! I'm Sandy, and this is my husband, Carl!" the woman said, smiling at us.

She remained in the vehicle as Carl hopped out. He did a once over to the both us, leaving his gaze on me for a fraction longer than deemed appropriate. Arvin tightened his hold on my hand.

"What have we here? Two runaway lovers, huh? Look, darling, 'ya see this?"

Sandy called back, "What a lovely sight!"

"Whaddya two want with us?" Arvin questioned and the older man raised a brow.

He blew out of his mouth mockingly. I was already beginning to hate this man. "Thought we'd give 'ya folks a ride? Not too far, just a couple miles down the road. Whaddya say?"

"Appreciate the offer, but no," Arvin responded, about to turn the direction when I pulled at his hand gently.

I looked in his eyes, hoping that he would get the message. If this couple was willing to give us a ride, what could go wrong? Plus, it wasn't like we'd seen a passing vehicle in the last hour anyway, and my feet were starting to hurt.

He narrowed his eyes like he did every time he was annoyed by me but also knew that I was right, and then shifted his attention back to the odd-looking couple ahead of us, who seemed almost intrigued by our silent argument.

"A'right, we'll take the offer."

I heard Sandy murmur something along the lines of, "Least we know who the top is in the relationship" before Arvin and I got in the backseat of the vehicle, still holding hands.