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┌──── •✧• ────┐ "You know, your Spanish is really attractive."
"Shut up." └──── •✧• ────┘
The two had been sitting on that bench for about twenty minutes, savoring each other's company before Henry got a notification on his phone. He wrestled the device out of his back pocket, his eyes widening as he read the news headline.
Valentina, who was reading the same headline as she rested on Henry's shoulder, tensed. "We need to go." She spoke, standing up and pulling Henry with her.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Henry protested, holding Valentina's hand.
"Don't worry about me, I'm supposed to be worrying about you. You're the superhero, remember?" Valentina reassured. "Ray's gonna need you at the Man Cave."
Truthfully, she wasn't okay. After the drama that went down less than an hour ago, she felt like she was a shell of herself. Hollow. She kept thinking back to the empty room and the fact that now her mother was really gone.
The weight of grief and loss hung heavy in Valentina's heart. Like an anchor weighing her down. But she couldn't let anyone see how broken she really was. There were more important things that were happening besides her grief. Valentina masked her pain behind a stoic facade, burying the raw emotions threatening to surface. She was numb.
Henry stood his ground as Valentina tried pulling him along.
"Come on!" Valentina groaned, pulling on his hand. "We have to go!"
Henry pulled the girl back, forcing her to stand directly in front of him. "Not until you promise me you won't push this down and pretend it's not there."
"Henry–" Valentina sighed, looking down at the ground.
Henry lifted her head gently so she was looking at him. "I'm serious, V. I can't ignore when you're hurting. I need you to promise not to shut me out again. We'll face it together."
Valentina scanned her boyfriend's face. He had concern etched across his features, which made Valentina feel guilty for making him worry. She'd do anything to ease his pain, even if it meant lying to him. She couldn't burden Henry with her emotions, she wouldn't.
"Okay." She finally sighed, hiding her crossed fingers behind her back.
Henry's concern eased slightly as he smiled in relief. He leaned down and captured Valentina's lips with his, kissing her softly, as if trying to convey comfort and reassurance through the gentle touch.
