01 | Philophobia ✓

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14TH, 2020
_________

ONE YEAR LATER and Caleb hadn't gone anywhere. To say this scared Scarlett would be putting things lightly. She didn't expect that one dinner between them would result in them being here.

The two were at a Valentine's Day party that their friend Nate threw with his wife Melinda. It was a small dignified affair and actually the first Valentine's Day party she went to-willingly.

It made it easier since it was at Henry and Adora's restaurant. She felt more comfortable being there.

Scarlett had an interesting year. She graduated from her university with a Bachelor's degree in Social work and not too soon after, she found a job.

For the first few months, she had to train which meant following a senior social worker around on their cases, but soon enough, she was assigned to a young girl.

Her name was Tiffany and she had run away from home about fifteen times in the last year alone. She was only sixteen.

Previous social workers had tried to help her, but no one seemed to connect with her on a deeper level. Not until Scarlett found out what had been happening at home.

Tiffany's mom had been bringing an array of men through their home and it made the girl uncomfortable. Scarlett empathised with that because she had lived it.

Luckily, Scarlett managed to convince Tiffany to trust her, and the girl quickly became comfortable with sharing her thoughts and fears. A bond had quickly formed and solutions to her family situation began to form.

By no means had it all been fixed. Tiffany would never forget the things she'd witnessed, the things that had been done to her, but Scarlett had promised her that she wouldn't go anywhere, and that gave the young girl hope when she had never had any.

And as crazy as it seemed to make a commitment to someone she had just gotten to know, the words became true as soon as she had spoken them.

As for things with Caleb, they was interesting. To say the least.

After a few months of platonic friendship as they had agreed, they ended up in bed together one night, and that singular occurrence became a haphazard routine.

They didn't go on dates but they were always out alone. They kissed, talked in intimate depths, and trusted each other enough to open up.

But they were not together. Scarlett was clear on that, and Caleb respected her choice.

Caleb didn't push her into anything more than what she was comfortable with. The reason being because, after their conversation a year ago, he understood that she needed time and space to heal for herself.

That didn't mean he didn't want more, because he did. He loved her aura, her charms, her sense of humor, and her ability to cheer him up when he needed it. Everything about Scarlett with him felt so natural, and he knew that if he couldn't be with her any other way, this would be enough.

It had to be.

He was content with her pace, as long as he was with her.

"Is it everything you thought it'd be?" Caleb whispered beside Scarlett who was standing in the corner of the room, sipping on her non-alcoholic 'lovegarita' which was just a margarita with red food dye.

Scarlett pursed her lips removing them from her glass, "It's so...pink and red." This made Caleb laugh as he moved around to stand in front of her.

As he laughed, his eyebrows crinkled and his bottom lip caught in between his teeth. Scarlett could never deny how handsome he was. She enjoyed Caleb's company and for the first time in her life, she could truly say that a man hadn't disappointed her. She had expected it, the disappointment, and that's why she was the way she was.