In the Darkness || Arne Johnson

Chapter 20

After Lorraine dropped that whole Arne's always loved me thing, I just sat there——staring at nothing.

I was trying to rack my brain on how she knew that or why she would even think that.

I mean, Arne couldn't have always loved me more than a friend while he was dating Debbie, right?

Not too long after my brain was seconds away from exploding because of thinking about Arne too much, the doctor and everyone walked in and were able to discharge me.

Even though I insisted everyone that I was okay to walk, my parents were pretty stern and strict on having me sit in a wheel chair.

So, that leads me to right now. Me, sitting in my room, on lockdown. On the way home, I got a very lengthy lecture from both of parents on how they're obviously glad that I'm okay, but I'm grounded till I move out.

Actual bullshit if you ask me. I mean I get stabbed and I get grounded for it? But, I guess I did break into a prison, so everything equals out. But still!

It had already hit nighttime and my nerves are at an all time high. The phone is still dead so I have no way to contact Ed and Lorraine and tell them that I'm forbidden to leave the house.

The second I got home, I've attempted seven times to sneak out. Yep, seven——and every time either my mom or dad were there to stop me.

Eventually I gave up and I'm now stuck in my room trying to devise a plan. Unfortunately, I've gotten nothing.

The sound of the door knocking brought me out of my thoughts. I turned my head to see Debbie walking in, with a small smile on her face. But, I can clearly tell she's a little nervous.

Still bitter about our last argument, I rolled my eyes and turn my head back towards the window. Watching the stars and moon light up the sky.

"I know you probably hate me right now, and that's totally understandable because I'm mad at me too. But, I've been thinking about what you had told me yesterday and you're right." Debbie said, making me snap my head back towards her.

"I'm a coward. I was too scared to admit that I was the bad guy during all of my break ups. I was scared that if you and the rest of the family figured out the true reasons behind all of my past break ups——which was me falling out of love with all of them and getting bored with them, that you guys would hate me." She said, nervously fiddling with her fingers.

"Debbie, we'd never hate you. I don't hate you." I said, softly.

"Well you should. I mean you were right, Arne is an amazing guy and I shouldn't have used him being possessed as an excuse to break up with him. That's honestly probably the worst possible way in human history to break up with someone." She said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, that was a pretty crappy thing to do." I said, making her laugh weakly.

"But the more I thought about everything, the more I realized how your love for him was nothing compared to how I loved him." She said, making me frown.

"I don't love-" I began but she quickly cut me off.

"I know you do Eden, you don't have to lie. Any person would be able to tell how in love you are with him." She said, making me look down.

"I just got so mad at how easily you guys were hanging out and how easily you guys were getting along." She began, taking a deep breathe. There was a brief silence, but for some reason I was hesitant to look up.

"I hated that I kept him away from you when you were clearly the right person for him." She finally said, making me snap my head up towards her. I just know my eyes were wide.

"You and Arne are soulmates, Eden. I see that now. I also realized that he loves you too, he has for a while now. I know you're about to hate me but I read a piece of your journal." She said, making my blood boil. She obviously saw my look because she put her hands up in fake surrender.

"And I know! Fuck me for invading you privacy! I promise I won't snoop through your stuff anymore!But the entry that I had read, mentioned how you hated how I never got him a locket with a picture in it. But that's the thing! He never told me he wanted a locket." She said, making me confused.

"What do you mean he never told her? He told me on a daily basis that he's always wanted a locket with a picture inside. How could he not have told you? His own girlfriend!" I asked, perplexed.

"I know it sounds crazy but it's true! Every single time during our anniversary's and his birthdays, I'd always ask him what he wanted——and he'd always say the same thing. Tools, clothes and cologne. Eventually I got a little skeptical. I even asked him if he wanted something different, like jewelry! And now that I look back on it, he was always hesitant to answer and now I know why!" She said, leaving me speechless.

All I could do was sit there and gape at her. I don't even think my brain is fully processing what she's telling me right now.

When see saw that I wasn't going to say anything and that I was speechless, she sighed before digging in her pocket of her jacket.

"He never told me he wanted a locket because he only told you, Eden." She said, pulling out the blue box the locket was in.

"He wanted you to give him a locket, just you." She said, smiling softly at the box before handing it to me.

I took it, opening it up and grazing my fingers over it, a ghost of a smile appearing.

"I'd like to think that Arne truly did love me." She began, breaking the silence. She looked at me with a sad smile, stuffing her hands in her pockets.

"But I think the love he felt for me was nothing compared yours. His love for you could put a million relationships and marriages to shame." She said, making us both laugh, tears falling from both of our eyes.

I looked back at the locket, wiping a tear away while opening it and looking at the picture of Arne and I.

"You need to get to him." She suddenly said, making me look back at her.

"What?" I asked.

"If what I heard the Warren's tell you at the hospital is true, then Arne doesn't have much time. And you're the only one who can save him." She said, making me bite my lip.

"There's no way I can leave. Mom and dad have me on lockdown if you don't remember." I said, sighing defeatedly.

"Don't you worry about that." She said, giving me a mischievous smile, making me frown in confusion.

She gave me one last wink before leaving out the door.

Oh god! What are you about to do Debbie?

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**Author's Note**

What'd you guys think of this chapter?! Looks like Eden and Debbie made up!

It also looks like things are about to go down in the next chapter ;)

Thank you guys for 6k reads and also making my fan fic #1 under the arnejohnson tag!

Also totally off topic but I was finally able to watch the first two episodes of Loki and holy shit it's so good! My obsession for Tom Hiddleston and Loki are growing more and more lol :)

Anyways, let me know what you guys thought of this chapter!

And I'll see you guys next time!

:)