Bad Habits

Chapter Thirty Four

She stood up and grabbed my hand from where it was on the table three seconds ago.

She yanked me away from my chair and started walking toward the back door. She pulled it open and stepped outside, dragging me along with her.

I closed the door behind us and allowed her to pull me along until we reached a secluded area.

It wasn't anything special, just a small balcony with beautiful flowers and other plants scattered around it.

I looked out and saw the city of Paris shining in the morning sunlight.

"It's so—"

She shut me up with a finger to my lips. She then forcefully grabbed my chin with her fingers and brought my face down.

"What's wrong Enzo?"

I sighed. I was going to have to tell her at some point, guess it was going to be now.

"We're going to Italy first."

Her grin disappeared. A grimace quickly took its place.

She let go of my chin and wrapped her arms around my waist. My arms eventually, but slowly, found her waist.

She pushed her face into my chest and didn't let go of my for a long time.

"Aurora, it's not a big deal."

She slapped my arm. "Big deal my ass. If you don't want to go, we don't have to. I don't want to have to put you through anything you are not comfortable with."

I smiled against her hair.

"It's not that I'm uncomfortable, it's what my mother said. She wants me to meet my grandparents."

Aurora immediately tightened her arms around me. "The same ones that abandoned you?"

"No, that was my father's parents. She wants me to meet her parents."

Aurora didn't respond. She just stood there, arms still clinging to me.

"I'm just anxious.. I've never met them before." I smiled at the thought of my mother sitting with me at night and telling me silly stories about them. "My mother used to tell me a lot about them."

Aurora lifted her head and stood on her toes to kiss my nose. She pulled back and blinked at me.

"Enzo, I think you should meet them. I know your nervous, but I'll be there with you, okay?" I nodded slightly just as she tried again, "Its completely your decision. If you don't want to, don't force yourself. But, if you do want to meet them, and it doesn't go as smoothly as you thought it would, we will leave immediately."

I nodded more firmly this time. "Okay. I'm sorry.. I guess it's just because I've never really had grandparents in my life before."

She reached up and cradled my cheek with her hand, "You don't have to apologise for that, Enzo. I'm so sorry, I still can't believe that bullshit happened to you. You deserved so much better.."

Her eyes finally met mine. I sighed adoringly and leaned down to attach my lips to hers. She met me halfway and kissed me in that slow, loving way I obsess over.

I took my lips off hers and put my forehead on hers. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I dipped her slightly.

I closed my eyes, "I never thought I deserved anything good in my life. I always thought I was the bad person, and I thought I deserved everything that was happening to me."

My cheek was flushed with a tear. Without thinking twice, Aurora wiped it away.

"But, then I met you. You brought in this.. sunshine in my life. It overpowered all the dark memories that haunted me.. and that beautiful sunlight you radiated made me find a will to live."