Chapter - V

Arlo was startled, it was Paola's, her hand was slipping onto his jeans, a sudden secret warmth against his skin. He held his breath, after a moment, he let his breath out, slowly slowly, wondering if she could feel his wild rapid pulsing of his breath, he made a slight turn, letting Paola find his hand, she held his palm, her hand was warm and he felt good, a sudden pleasure, "You still have that habit?" Arlo asked with a big smile, "Shut up and let me watch the movie." The naked branches of the tree had already turned white and he sat beside Paola at the window, watching the sharp gust of snow, then swirl drift to the ground, "I can't wait for the tomorrow morning, I will play outside with this snow," an 8-year-old Paola said, filled with excitement, the wind rattled onto the window and then she held his hand, "Come on, let's finish this movie," an iron gate radiating the waves of heat, a hearth time, crossed leg and Arlo holding her hand, "Paola, can I ask you a question?" He asked, she nodded, "Why do you hold my hand?" She looked at him, smiling, "Because I like to hold your hand when I watch movies with you." The movie was already ended and it became meaner with the time, the dense theatre became lesser, only some watching the movie. "It's so boring," Arlo said, the light came on and Paola let his hand free as she stood up. "Ah….. that was a good movie," she said, stretching her arms, "Well it was an okay movie," Wren said, "How do you guys like this shitty movie, it was so boring." The room became almost stiller and everyone was dispersing out. "You never liked romantic movies," she said, "Just go and watch horror alone," being haughty, he smiled, amused and faintly, gesturing to her, "But I can watch any movie if a gorgeous girl like you is sitting beside me," 

"Stop flirting with me, you moron," Arlo chuckled, "Well," he said as he rose, "We should go now," being genteel, they all walked out, passing the exit gate and waddling into the wide lit hallway, "That actress was amazing, isn't it?" She asked, "I want to be an actress now," 

"What? You just found a publisher girl, you should stick with writing," Arlo said, he had read some of the stories of her and knew she was technically proficient towards the writing and passionate too. "Yes, I think you are right, I should stick with writing." The world was precarious and always cruel for him ever since Amelia died but when he was with Paola and Wren he was happy. The sun was almost hidden behind the slope of the mountain and the houses were glinting like a lantern with the light in the dim sunlight. And they kept walking leaving the theatre behind and smoking a cigarette, "So you guys wanna go somewhere else?" Paola asked, 

"Isn't it time to go home?" Wren said, "Ah I wanna enjoy it more." 

"Just go home and enjoy there." A smile on Wren's face, and then they stopped, "So home it is, I hope that we can spend some time like this again," Wren said. "Yeah sure," he waddled to a dark alley and soon he got swallowed by the dark, they both watched him as he vanished in the dark, "Can I ask you a question?" Paola said, "Are you alright?" 

"What do you mean?"

"I miss Amelia so much, she was my best friend," tears crowded her eyes

"I just hope that she can somehow come back," she said, wiping her tears

"It's not possible, isn't it?" He asked, "Come on, let's go to some restaurant and eat something," he began to walk but Paola, she was behind, still standing and wiping her eyes, "Just come with me, girl," he said, holding her hand and walking with her, the sun was already down and the road was pretty dark and then they stepped into the light roads, dense with the crowd, "Just wait here, I have to go and buy some cigarettes," he said and waddled to a shop, he bought some cigarettes and began to smoke, he stepped into the flattening roads and began to walk, "Now let's eat something," he said

"I remember something," Paola said

"What is it?"

"Just follow me." She said and held his hand and began to walk to the darkened roads, "Where are we going?" She said nothing and kept walking, his sadness had been quelled, well at least for a moment but it had returned again, she went towards the dark mountain, "I don't think we should go there," he said, "It's pretty dark," 

"Shut up," she said, they stepped into the quiet mountain and began to walk to the high scrawny roads, the chirping of birds were there. And Arlo, he was convulsing his tears, her hand was warmer and stiller. "I have to something to saw you," she said, the winds were swirling and the mountain was too dark to see anything, they began to walk to the intricate slope, the path was filled with giddiness and he could see her back meticulously, her short hair stirring with every step she took, "I don't think we should go this deep," he said, "It could be dangerous," 

"It's not that far now," they surpassed the cluster of catalpa trees and the leaves fluttering with the every wind, the stirring of every leaf was only there and the sound of footsteps, she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, the wasp nest hung on one of the tattered trees and then she stopped, gasping, taking long breaths, an old tattered tree stood still, the leaves fluttering and falling down in their head, "What is it?" Arlo asked, "Look closely at the tree," he focused and looked at it, something carved on it, "I love my best friend, Paola, and Wren and I love my boyfriend Arlo." And a heart around Arlo's name.