Both Sides | ✓

Chapter 52

Cleo's POV:

It felt like some instinctive act. The moment I saw Via, all I thought about was how I needed to talk to her. She stood, doe eyed and brilliant as I always knew her to be. Her hair didn't slide down her back like it used to, but instead swept the top of her shoulders and was secured back with a few pins. Wisps of scarlet hair freed themselves from the confinement. The same freckles danced across her nose. The same emotion crossed her face when she saw me at first, her lips parting and shoulders raising. The same girl I had left. Except, Via thought of me completely different from how I thought of her.

It was my fault, I know. But, a pit formed in my stomach as I realized that Olivia had seen what I did as abandoning her. I had discarded the person I loved and left her without answers for years. I still remembered her fondly, though. And I couldn't just pass her by as if we were strangers. Another missed opportunity wasn't what I needed.

We entertained ourselves with polite conversation but I could almost see Olivia growing angrier by the second. Every minute I pretended nothing happened was just twisting another dagger through the both of us. Still, the right words simply wouldn't come.

"Can we go somewhere," I asked, desperate to show Via that leaving her wasn't for no reason.

"What," she scoffed, leaning back in the booth.

"I just... I want to show you something," I said. Olivia hesitated, but gave in after a moment of contemplation. Instinctively, I extended my hand as I stood. And after a beat, Via took it.

We left our half full coffees to gather condensation at the booth and exited the doors of the cafe. Hand in hand, we walked through the streets as headlights danced from passing cars and casted out cartoonish shadows against buildings. My heart raced as her delicate fingers curled against mine just like they had so long ago. I smiled and rounded the corner.

The air was cold, around 40° now, and the night sky wasn't helping the chilly atmosphere. Via had switched from grasping my hand as I pulled her along to holding onto my arm as she shivered.

"We're almost there, I swear," I said, noticing her chattery teeth. "God, I forgot how much a baby you were about the cold."

"I don't know how you aren't dying in that outfit," she said with a laugh.

"Ah, dressing slutty comes with its challenges."

We continued through the sidewalk, rounding another corner before our destination came into sight. Neon lights lit up the shop, the indoor lights turned off. Vice Tattoo Parlor shown bright as we walked closer and I pulled out my store keys.

"Woah, wait," Via said, letting go of my arm as I unlocked the door. "You have a tattoo parlor?"

"Yeah," I chuckled. "Just got the place. Wanna take a look?"

She sheepishly nodded and the door clicked open. Lights came on as we entered and Via began to look around. Vintage posters plastered onto the walls, several booths with chairs lined the perimeter of the building. Olivia took it all in before sitting down in a tattoo chair. I sat in the stool beside her.

"What do you think," I asked.

"This is so cool, Cleo," she replied with a smile. "And so... you. Wow, I'm impressed."

"Look at that, I impressed a Yale student."

"Shut up," Via said. "But really, Cleo. This is amazing."

I shrugged and grinned discreetly. Olivia fumbled with her hands in her lap, obviously holding something back. I tilted my head to her and she glanced upwards back.