Superimposed

12

The first thing Taron brought with his mum's money was a bouquet of flowers for Belle, well that and a pack of tobacco, Rizzla's and filters - roll ups were a lot cheaper than Richmonds.

"Taron?"
Taron was stood at Belle's front door with a mixed bouquet of flowers in his hand. All different colours and his face lit up when he saw her.
He extended his arm out to offer her the flowers, which she took. As she did, Taron took in her appearance. Even though he'd appeared out of the blue she still looked effortlessly beautiful. She was wearing black leggings and a cropped, long sleeve turtle neck in a deep red colour; which really complimented her hazel eyes. She wasn't wearing any makeup at all and Taron wanted to kiss her right then and there.
"Do you want to come in?" Belle stepped aside so Taron could enter, "No one's home" She said as he came through.
The two went straight through the hallway to the kitchen, Taron admired the pictures up as he went. Belle's house was really tidy and smelt like fresh linen.
"Tea?" Belle set the flowers down on the table and was blushing. Taron stood admiring the paintings and little ornaments on the shelves in the kitchen/ dining area.
"Got anything stronger, we're celebrating" Taron shot a look to Belle as a smirk appeared on his face
"Oh my god, results day!" Belle rushed over to him and sat down on the dining chair next to him, "C'mon, what'd you get?" She clapped her hand in excited and Taron's smirk turned to a full smile. Belle was genuinely excited for him and it made Taron so happy, he's never had someone other than his mum show such enthusiasm towards him accomplishments before.
"Two C's and a B in drama"
Belle leaped up from the chair and threw her arms around his neck in pure exhilaration, "You fucking did it" She whispered
"Yeah I did" Taron agreed, wrapping his arms around her waist
"Well done" Belle pulled away and pressed her forehead to his, staring into his eyes as they both smiled into a kiss.

"Champagne?" Belle stood at the foot of her parent's underground cupboard in the dining room. There was a small hatch that lifted next to the dining table and Taron had seen nothing like it before.
"Are you sure?" Taron furrowed his eyebrows, "Your parents won't mind?"
Belle scoffed, "I don't think they'd noticed one bottle missing"
Taron shot her a smile and Belle went excitedly down the few steps to the small cellar.

While he waited for her, Taron took off his cap and ruffled his hair which he did manage to wash every other day in the toilet block. He took his jacket off and started to search the unfamiliar kitchen for two flutes.
First all the cupboards in the kitchen, plates, bowls, jugs, chopping boards, nope, nope nope. Then he searched the cupboards below the worktop, nope, nope nope. So he decided to wait for Belle, choosing to look at the fridge magnets instead. She had all sorts on here, from loads of different places around the world. Barcelona, Paris, Holland, Las Vegas, New York, Taron ran his fingers over each of them. Taking one or two off and inspecting them carefully, they must go on holiday a lot. Something Taron has never done, well not that he can remember - maybe he went when his dad was still alive?
He tried so hard to remember his dad, what he looked like - any memories he had with him. But he just couldn't, Lisa had told him he died when he was just five. Which meant he was just too young to make memories that he could recall now, no matter how much he wanted to recall them.

Although you'd expect Taron to feel empty after finding out his dad was actually dead, he didn't. How could he if he never knew him? But he did feel sad and let down that he doesn't have any memories of him, that he'll never get to know his dad. He'd always fantasise about him coming home to surprise him at Christmas and on his birthday. He'd try so hard to really imagine it, really see his dad walking through the front door of his house, scooping him up in his arms and taking him and his mum away from Phil. In fact, it was what he dreamt about most at night, all three of them walking towards the sunset to a happier life.

Father's Day was the worst day, especially the Friday before because that was the day they'd make Father's Day cards at school. Most kids would be busy pouring love into a homemade card, drawing hearts and pictures of them and their dad. Taron would sit in the corner at the back of the room on his own. Teachers never tried to cheer him up, they didn't know how to. Taron was the only kid in class not making a father's day card and he felt so alone and so different to everyone else. Once he got to middle school, Taron started being aggressive and argumentative to everyone around him. The kids never accepted him and would walk away if he went up to them in the playground. He became so isolated in school that he'd feel physically sick before going in, he hated it there. The teachers did nothing to help and would watch as a little boy would slowly sink further into his own world. By the time high school came around, Taron had decided enough was enough and he began to rebel. Becoming the loud kid who was always getting sent out of classes. No one understood him and he had believed that he wasn't meant to be understood. Home life was bad, he really felt like there was no escaping the loneliness he'd felt for so long.

"Taron?"
But then there was her, Taron watched her in slow motion as she approached him with a bottle of Champagne. This beautiful girl with the sweetest smile and hazel eyes, she seemed to understand or at least want to. She made him feel different, like he could be someone someday.
"Taron"  Belle repeated, Taron physically shook his head to clear his thoughts and reality quickly came back
"Yeah - I um, looked for glasses but couldn't find them?"
"They're here" She walked towards a cabinet against the back wall, of course.

Taron watched as she delicately took two shining glass flutes from the cabinet and placed them on the dining table. She then took the metal cap off the bottle and proceeded to try to pull the cork out.
"Let me-" Taron put his hand out to do it for her and she passed him the bottle.

Belle watched Taron's arms are they tensed, his sculpted muscles showing themselves and he opened the bottle.
He then poured her glass first, then his own before setting it back down.
"Cheers" They both say which makes them grin at each other, clinking glasses they take the first sip
"So what were you thinking about a second ago?" Belle asks, taking another sip straight after her first
"My dad" Taron said truthfully without hesitation, something that didn't come easily to him, "My mum showed up at the school when I got my results this morning and uh- we went for coffee and she told me about my dad" Taron took another sip of champagne and set the glass down on the table, dropping his hand down to hold the base of the glass, "She told me that he didn't leave her he um- took his own life" He didn't break eye contact with Belle, he wanted to see her reaction.
Her lips parted a little and her eyes widened, "What?"
"Yep, mum lied all this time - he comitted suicide and there's me thinking I'd be able to see him again" Taron shrugged, taking a mouthful of champagne this time, "Mum didn't say why though, I don't think she knows"
"Taron" Belle sighed, "You're meant to be happy and she told you today?"
"I told her I was gonna take a gap year before drama school to find my dad so she came clean then. I don't blame her though, like, it is what it is. We gotta do what we gotta do"
Even though Belle wanted to say something else, she didn't. Instead she drank more Champagne, they both did. In silence.

"Another?" Belle took the bottle and poured Taron another glass before he could answer her
"Do you mind if I smoke?" Taron asked, taking the tobacco from his back pocket and begun the process of making up a roll up
"Not if I can have some" Belle smirked and her response caught Taron off guard
"You smoke?"
"When I drink, what?"
Taron shrugged in response, "I just didn't have you down as a smoker - too much of a goody two shoes" He teased
"We all have our secrets" Belle winked and Taron laughed but inside he melted. This girl was drop dead gorgeous, how was she giving him the time of day?
"C'mon then" Taron got up and headed for the back door that was just behind them, Belle followed with their two glasses.