To Write LOVE On Their Arms

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"I don't know," I replied, still frowning. "Let's go downstairs." I tugged him away from the bed, and led him out the door. Once we got to the main lobby, I asked the receptionist if there was anyone waiting for me. She nodded and pointed behind me. I turned and saw someone I had never expected to see again. His face was drawn, but he was still the same person who had forced me away from that field.
'Theo!" I cried, and flung myself into his arms.
He hugged me back, then pushed me away a little to get a good look at my face. He smiled softly. "It's been awhile," he said in reply. "What the hell are you doing here?"
I sighed, and his arms tightened. I looked down at his arms, and noticed the thick scars that ran up his arms like veins. "Theo?" I inquired, looking up into his eyes. He looked away. "You don't need to know," he said, and I nodded, dropping my gaze and hugging him tightly.
"I think I should be asking what the hell you're doing here, Theo," I said. "Are those men..." I trailed off as he nodded.
"I wanted to say a better goodbye to you, in case anything happens to me, okay?" I frowned at him, but he shook his head at me. "No questions, no protests," he said. "I'm going away into the wilderness. If you ever need to find me, send a message to this number." He passed me a slip of paper, and I pocketed it. "I know it's dangerous, but you're safe here, I can tell." he smirked. "The security guys are hell here." I nodded in understanding.
"Goodbye, Nova," Theo mumured.
"Goodbye, Theo," I replied. And then he was gone.
 
Allistair watched from afar, though not without a little jealousy. The security wouldn't let him actually go in to the lobby, as it wasn't Allistair Nova's friend was here to see, but he could stand at the door, watching through the glass as Nova and her friend embraced and spoke. To be honest, Allistair was afraid that Nova and her friend were more than friends, but he clenched his fingers and told himself to stop that train of thought. Nova would have said something if there was someone else...right?

Sighing softly, he watched as the two seemed to say goodbye, noticing how sad Nova looked. As her friend left, he longed to go to her, but the door still wouldn't open without the receptionist's leave. Instead, he tapped on the glass door, trying to get her attention, wanting nothing more than to find out what all that was about.
 
I turned as Allistair tapped on the glass impatiently. He was most likely curious, and I opened the door and stepped out in front of him. "An old friend," I said, noticing the look of jealousy in his eyes. I cracked a smile. "I didn't ever date him," I revealed. I took his hand gently in mine and led him away from the lobby.

"I dated his brother."
 
"Oh," Allistair answered, looking down for a moment, not quite sure how to respond. "Um..." he trailed off, wondering how he should phrase it. "...why was he here? I don't want to be nosy, but if you don't want to answer, it's fine with me...I'm just curious, is all..." He bit his bottom lip, knowing he wasn't helping his case in the slightest.
 
I tightened my hand in his a little. "He was saying goodbye." I said quietly.

((EHHH WRITER'S BLOCK))
 
"Oh..." he replied, slowing a bit. "Why...? Is something wrong with him, is he sick?" Allistair came to a full stop, dropping her hand. "I don't want to push...I just want to know everything I can about you...So, please, if it's not going to hurt too much, will you tell me?"
 
I shook my head. "He's perfectly fine," I replied tiredly. "He's just gotten into some trouble, and he came to say goodbye if..." I trailed off, remembering the night Josh told me everything- why they were running, where their parents where.

Josh took my hand in his and smiled softly in the moonlight. "The reason you can't meet my parents," he said gently, "Is because they died in a car crash when I was ten." I touched the scars that marred one side of his face. "Yeah," he said in answer to my unspoken question. "But..." I murmured, my voice soft, "Why are you so far from home? Why are you hiding?" Josh sighed, and reached his free hand over to cradle one side of my face. I leaned into his touch, welcoming it. "My father was a policeman," he began slowly. "Very highly respected, and known for catching drug dealers.
"One night, he received an urgent call from one of his fellow officers, requesting his immediate backup- they'd found the men who had been making and dealing heroin, crack, the works.
He caught them almost single-handedly. His partner was shot and down beside him, and he kept them at bay until more came in to help him. He was a hero." Josh sighed. "The leader wasn't there..." I wrapped my arms around him silently, showing him love and support. "That man calls himself Rain," Josh continued. "And my father received so many threats, but he kept them all secret. Rain decided to run him and his family off the road, but he wasn't looking for any survivors." he shook his head.

"They've been looking for us ever since."
 
Allistair didn't need Nova to finish the sentence to know what she was going to say. Still, he didn't know why someone who knew Nova might die, but he didn't press it. As they were making their way towards the dorms, they were stopped by an official-looking person. He was dressed in a business suit and tie, certainly not somone who would be at a place like this.

"Allistair Aurelio?" the man asked, placing a hand on his elbow.

"Yes...?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

The man's next words seemed to make the world end. "We have found your mother."

His breath catching in his throat, he asked, "Really? Where?"

"Venice...Italy...in a park...I'm sorry..." After seeing the look in the man's eyes, Allistair knew.

"You're lying!" Allistair shouted, balling his hands into fists. "She can't...she can't be dead!" With that, he ran past the man, leaving both him and Nova as his sneakers squeaked against the linoleum.
 
I didn't hesitate. I'd looked into the man's eyes and knew what he was saying was true. I ran after Allistair, thankful that I was faster than I sometimes seemed to be. I caught up with him quickly, and threw my arms around him, digging in my heels to make him stop. He was shaking, although I wasn't sure he realized that.

"Allistair, Allistair!" I said softly, but urgently. "Running doesn't help. It never helps. Believe me, I know." I touched my forehead to his back, no longer sure if it was him shaking, or me.
 
Allistair stopped when he felt Nova gripping his back, forcing him to stop. Tears were in his eyes, angry tears that threatened to spill over his cheeks. His mother had been his one chance at getting out of there, and now that they had found her, he knew that he wouldn't be able to get out until he graduated. The only thing that had been getting him through each day was hoping that his mother was still alive somewhere. Now that that hope was gone, he didn't know what would keep him from doing something he would regret.

Closing his eyes as Nova spoke to him, he shook his head as the tears finally broke free from his eyes, staining his cheeks. Angrily reaching up to wipe the tears from his eyes, he folded his arms across his chest, feeling like the world had ended and he had nothing left.
 
I held him, saying nothing. What could I say? I ran my hands over his muscled shoulders soothingly. I turned him around and wiped his tears away for him, then reached up on my toes to kiss his forehead. I understood his feeling of loss and grief, of hopelessness. "I..." I swallowed. What could I say, to make him feel better? Then I knew, the words I wished someone had spoken for me when I was in pain.

"I'm here," I whispered.
 
Feeling reassured by her two quiet words, Allistair placed his head on her shoulder, the tears falling freely. "Thank you," he mumbled in between sobs. It was rare that he would break down like this, but he truly felt alone. However, knowing that Nova was there helped. After a few moments, he straightened before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Thank you," he repeated, forcing a smile to touch his lips.

Brushing away the last of the tears, he sighed as he said, "In a few days, they'll probably have me go to a funeral for her or something. And..." he paused a moment. "If you want, I would like you to come with me..."
 
I held him gently as he cried, as if I held him too tight, he would break. His kiss lingered on my lips as he straightened. I smiled softly as he invited me to his mother's funeral. I understood the need for someone to be there, so I placed my arms around his neck and replied, "Of course I will," I murmured, leaning my forehead against his chest.
 
"Thank you," he whispered, before wiping his tears away with his sleeve. "That would...it would mean a lot to me...." Forcing a smile, he squeezed her gently. "We'll get out of this place...I promise. Soon as we graduate, we'll get as far away from here as possible."
 
I looked at him in surprise. Nobody had ever said that to me before, and I didn't know what to say. "You mean it?" I asked him softly.
 
"Of course. Even if we have to walk, I'll take you anywhere you want to go." Allistair grinned, brushing her hair back from her face. "I promise."
 
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