No One Killed Venus Wilson

XLII. QUARANTE-DEUX

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Trevor put the car in park, lifting his head to view the lake illuminated by the moonlight. The moon itself was mirrored in the water, ripples distorting the reflection. Above them, stars twinkled. The crickets chirped outside, singing a serenade he wished to know. His mind wandered here and there, waiting for Raj to come back with the ice cream the four had agreed on getting. It was her voice that pulled him away from his thoughts. The low hum complemented the music that played throughout the car, not loud enough to ruin the mood the view provided but just loud enough for them to not slip into silence they could not break.

Ever so slightly, his gaze shifted from the landscape to her, his head remaining stationary. The streetlights exposed her high cheekbones, the blush she'd put on fading away from the long ceremony out in the sun. She faced away from him, peering outside the window as her hum grew loud enough to swallow the song. He watched as she absentmindedly picked at her cuticles.

This was how he wanted his new chapter to begin.

"I like this song," she whispered to no one in particular. He wondered if she forgot that she wasn't in the car alone.

"I like," you. "I like it too," he cleared his throat forcing her to turn away from the view to him.

She smiled at him as if there was not a thought in her head. Was she trying to forget like him? He knew it was best not to ask her what happened during the time between their phone call and now. She looked better, she was smiling. When was the last time he'd seen a smile like that? So small, yet big enough to light up a room.

"I like it too," she looked at him, leaning her head into the headrest behind her. Her left hand fell from her lips and to her lap. "Do you have a bandaid?" She asked, lifting her thumb for him to inspect.

He hesitated for a moment, afraid that if he held her hand she'd disappear.

"Yeah," said Trevor, as he lifted the console between the two, pulling out a bandaid from the small box his mother had put in his car the first time he'd driven it. "Here." he handed it over to her.

"Can you put it on me?"

"Y-yeah," he remained there.

Not a muscle in his body moved to help her out as her hand remained in her lap. Fear had struck him still, even holding her hand was something he didn't think he could do. How the hell did he find it possible to hug her back then.

He groaned at the memory of the two sleeping next to one another. "What's wrong?" Lily bent down to catch his downward gaze. "Are you alright? I can do it by myself, it's alright." She rushed out, slipping the bandaid from his grasp.

"No, no," Trevor shook his head, putting his pride aside and turning to face her completely.

"It's alright, Trevor," she reassured him, peeling the bandaid wrapper apart, with one hand.

"Give it to me,"

"I got it," Lily whined earning a soft chuckle from Trevor. A smile found its way to her visage at the sound of his laughter. "That's the first time I heard that from you," she remarked. " — Darn it!" she hissed as the bandaid ends stuck together.

"Now will you give it to me?"

"Give me another one," Lily commanded, "please?" She added as an afterthought.

"Has anyone ever told you how stubborn you are?"

"Yeah, you, like all the time," Lily rolled her eyes, handing the crumpled bandaid over to him, before placing her hand in his open palms.