Until You (A Theo James Fanfic)

Chapter 2

Aaliyah~

"Sitting on the sidewalk and crying.. doesn't exactly make it seem like you're okay." I close my eyes as Theo sits down next to me. "It's okay to not be okay, love." I don't know if it's the way he calls me love, or the way he stays, but I look up at him, all vulnerability in my eyes. And then I blink a couple of times, the look in my eyes quickly gone.

"Why is an important celebrity like you talking to me anyways? Shouldn't you be somewhere?" He raises an eyebrow, looking at me with a half-hearted smirk on his face. His face is so vibrant. He's practically glowing.

"Are you telling me that you aren't important?" He leans down to meet my gaze"because, you look pretty important. Especially to your daughter whom you obviously care for a lot." Why is he talking to me? Why is he sitting down next to me, telling me I'm important when we can clearly both see that I'm.. not?

"If people see me with you, it'll ruin your reputation, you should go." I'm not going to let anyone else in. I'm not going to be disappointed again. I put up the walls that hide my emotions, that hold me together. Shouldn't that be enough to make him walk away? It always is.

I cling onto Riley. Because lately, she seems to be the only thing I'm holding onto. She's the only thing in my life keeping me here. I stay strong for her. I have to.

"I don't care. The worst thing that will happen will be people getting jealous because I'm with a gorgeous girl." I blush and look down at the ground. I bet I look like a tomato right now. I haven't gotten a compliment in years. Okay, maybe the occasional whistle or two, but whenever I introduce a boy to Riley, they run away. So why isn't he?

"You know you're beautiful, right?" of course I don't. In fact, I know he's just trying to be nice. He probably treats other girls just like this. He's probably another boy that talks girls up and breaks them down.

"Well.." He furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head, not likening to the answer I gave him. His eyes crinkle at the sides and he licks his lips. I lean away from him and awkwardly laugh, trying to clear the tension.

"You should. Because you are." I stand up and brush myself off. Theo stands up too and Riley shoves her head into my chest, being shy. I can't have someone barging into my life like this, trying to weasel his way into my heart by telling me how beautiful I am.

"I appreciate it. I really do, but I better be going." I walk away. I'm not giving in. I mean, how can I? Its taken years to be stable again, I can't break in front of Riley. What kind of mother would I be? I don't want to be my mother. I don't want to never be there for Riley because of my own problems. I won't make the same mistakes my parents did.

"Wait I never got your name!" I turn around and shrug, the side of my mouth curling upwards. My head tilts to the side and finally I speak what everyone thinks when you know you won't see someone again.

"Does it matter?" He sighs and his shoulders sag, mildly showing disappointment. I turn back and keep walking. It doesn't matter what he thinks of me. I'll never see him again and he'll forget me just as easily as he saw me.

What if he was being completely genuine? And I just walked away like he was pathetic? I just walked away like he didn't matter and completely disregarded his feelings. Maybe he really did mean what he said to me. Suddenly, a sullen feeling comes over me. A feeling that I just threw everything away.

A tug on my shirt tears me from my thoughts. I look down and smile at Riley. Her face lights up and she crookedly smiles, her small teeth showing.

"Yeah?" She lifts her arms up and I pull her up, cradling her to my chest as tightly as I can.

"What was Ms. Claire saying? About daddy." I knew this day would come, but I never expected it so soon. I still haven't gotten over it. How would I explain it to a four year old girl?

"You don't have a dad. He walked out on us when I was pregnant with you. He didn't love you like other dad's love their children."

What am I supposed to say that could make her feel better?

"Well.. He's just not here right now, Sweetie. But he loves you-" I can't help it. I snapped. He doesn't love her. He doesn't love me. I'd be surprised if he loved Claire. Or their baby.

"Mommy?" I laugh and rub my eyes, hoping I can remain strong and calm for her. She doesn't deserve to see her only role model break down. She deserves better.

"Yeah?" I try to seem casual, like everything is alright and nothing bad could ever happen to the two of us. Because we have each other. But I obviously fail as her face scrunches up.

"What's wrong, mommy?" I shake my head and we just walk home in silence. A few random questions here and there, but a comfortable silence takes over. And I wish it hadn't.. Because when Riley stops talking, and the wind blows through my hair, it's at that time when all I can think about his Theo's hand on my face, telling me how beautiful I am. Making me feel loved again. Like I'm actually worth something.

And that's my worst fear.