Heart Out ||m.h

8-The Go

We'll storm this palace for you.

•••

Vivien

"Dalton."

I instinctively turned around and gripped the leather straps of my backpack tighter than I've intended to.

The ever-so familiar ancient and barely holding it together Audi caused my breathing to hitch and come halfway out my constricting throat.

"Matty".  I whispered lowly to myself, shoulders lowering in confusion. I knew he couldn't hear me but as I saw his window rolled down, revealing his tired yet friendly face with his elbows casually propped on the edge of his car window- the edge of my mind control. I knew that it was him.

That same guy who I think about everyday whether I want to or not.

That same guy whose smile can make my knees tremble with the suspicion of him trying to take a hold of me and my feelings.

That same guy who I never thought could turn every single thing I see into some makeshift representation of what he's like and supposed to know about.

That same guy who is everything at once.

He's here.

He came back.

"Well, well." He grinned cheekily once the Audi stopped a few inches beside the sidewalk -the ground where I'm supposed to stay. "I guess, the universe is finally on my side." He started making that weird eye contact he often does. "Hey, Dalton."

I feel betrayed as the involuntary tugging of the corner of my lips occur, etching a rather ridiculous smile on my face. "How'd you find me?"

"In a way, I didn't." He sheepishly looked down but his smile didn't falter. "I was just around the neighbourhood."

I nodded patiently, like how mothers nod at fellow mothers knowing exactly what it's like to go through the same rollercoaster ride everyday. "Yeah, of course you were."

His eyes roamed around my entire façade, looking for cracks. "Or was I?"

I didn't know what appropriate thing to say so I kept my mouth shut as I try to level my pulse rate as discreet as possible. He had this striking effect on me and I knew just how much I've longed to let myself succumb to this kind of feeling and to let it linger.

"Vivien, well I," he paused reluctantly, as if continuing on will bring a drastic change to the entire atmosphere, it probably will. "I was sort of in the neighborhood for...a while now."

I felt my eyebrows furrowed. "What exactly do you..." I let my voice trail suggestively.

"I came here looking for you."

I was unsure of what to do next so I sighed like I refused to let everything sink in and reclaim its meaning.

•••

Under the cool and detergent-smelling sheets of my blanket, I lay. Unable to close my eyes and fall into the overdued slumber my body desperately needs.