Beautiful

Chapter 29

Veronica POV {Five Days Later}

I haven't seen or spoken to Theo in five days. The press has had a field day with the photos of him and Layla at the party. Meanwhile, I've been in constant contact with Camille about recording studios, when to rehearse, getting with a producer, and so on. This is just the calm before the storm.

I know it would be so much easier with Theo by my side. I haven't been able to stop thinking about him. I miss him so much. I'm in my room, writing all my songs out on sheet music so that we can start recording on Monday. That only gives me three days to write out eight years worth of music. I started when I was sixteen. This doesn't even include the new stuff that is spinning in my head.

I steal a glance at the clock next to my bed and see that it's nine-thirty. I sigh heavily and get back to work. Random papers and notebooks cover the surface of my bed.

I love what I do but it does get exhausting. All of a sudden, I hear Susanna's voice call for me. "Ms. Veronica, you have a visitor!" she calls.

"Thank you! I'll be right down!" I call back. I quickly finish the line I was writing and try to make myself look a little more presentable. I push my glasses up my nose, tighten the straight ponytail that sits on top of my head, and smooth out my clothes. I'm wearing a grey, short sleeve crop top and red sweat shorts with a white stripe on each side of my hip. It may be fall but I like to dress breezy. I slip on my unicorn slippers and run down the stairs.

Once I reach the foyer, I see the last person I had expected to see today. "Nice shoes," Theo says.

I cross my arms and say, "I know." There's a pause between us that seems to last a lifetime. "What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Well, there's this place down the street and I'm going to go get some ice cream. Do you want to go with me?" he asks. That's exactly what I said to him the night we first kissed.

I cross my arms. "Um, I don't know. I'm really busy. I've got a lot of work to do here," I say.

"I can pick up where you left off, Ms. Veronica," Susanna says.

"Looks like your schedule just opened up," Theo says.

"Yes it does," I say. "I'm just going to go change."

"No rush," Theo says. I run upstairs and trade my sweat shorts for jeans, my slippers for sneakers, and grab a jacket. It's cold outside, even for fall. I grab my phone and wallet and head back downstairs. Once I reach the bottom, I zip up my jacket halfway and say, "let's go."

The two of us get into the elevator together and the doors close. It's silent for a moment. "So, how've you been?" Theo asks.

"Good," I say thinking of everything that has happened within the last few days. Would've been better if you were here, I think.

"That's good," he replies. It goes quiet again until he turns to face me. "Listen, Ronnie, about that night-," he says, but I cut him off.

"You don't need to say anything," I say, turning to face him.

"Yes I do. I haven't been completely honest with you. I was acting really weird and lying to you wasn't right," he says and then there's a bang and the elevator stops. "What's going on?" he asks.

"The elevator must've broken or something," I say as I press the emergency help button. "Help should be here any time," I say as I sit down on the elevator floor. Theo joins me.

"I want to tell you the truth. About everything," he says.

"Okay," I say. My voice comes out smaller than I'd have liked for it to.

"First of all, I need you to know that nothing happened between Layla and I. Me sneaking out and that phone call you heard had nothing to do with her," he says.

"Okay," I say again. He reaches over to lift my chin and make me look at him.

"I'm serious, Veronica. Nothing happened. I only love you, I swear on my life," he says.

"Did you just-,"

"Of course I did," he responds. "I love you and nothing is going to change that."

"It wasn't over for me," I say.

"It wasn't for me either," Theo responds. A beat passes and then he kisses me. I kiss back and the kiss quickly becomes something of love and passion. He pulls me onto his lap and continues to kiss me. In between kisses, he says, "I'm sorry. I was drunk. I didn't mean any of it. I love you." He tells me he loves me over and over and I say it back.

"I missed you so much," I tell him. He smiles and kisses me once more before I pull away to catch my breath. A comfortable silence passes over us as I take my hair out of a ponytail and shake it out. My head was starting to hurt.

I move off of him and lay down with my head in his lap. He runs his fingers through my hair and I let my eyes close.

"I still have some explaining to do," he says.

"Yes you do," I say, eyes still closed. He chuckles.

"The night I snuck out, I went to meet my mother. That's who you heard me on the phone with," he says. My eyes pop open and I sit up.

"What?" I ask.

"Yeah. She's living in the city now, thanks to her new boyfriend, and she messaged me to come see her," he tells me.

"I would've gone with you," I say.

"I know you would've. But, Ronnie, she's dangerous. She doesn't stop until she gets what she wants. I'm worried she'll come after you," he says. I take his face in my hands.

"Sweetheart, you don't have to worry about me. I will be fine," I say.

"But-,"

"Because of Sean, I doubled up on security. Doormen, security guards in the lobby, personal body guards, a security system," I say. Then I start rambling. "Honestly, even with all of that I didn't feel safe until," I say but something stops me.

"What?" he asks as he puts his right hand over my left.

"Until that night we kissed for the first time. You held on to me and I felt truly safe for the first time in so long," I say.

"You know I'm always going to be here to do that, right? I promise you I will always be here to protect you," Theo tells me. It feels like an icicle was just plunged into my chest as I remember those exact words coming from someone else a long time ago.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," I say.

"I'm not," he says. I lean against his shoulder and he wraps his arm around me. "Can I ask you a question?" he asks. I look up at him and nod. "Why did you immediately assume I was cheating on you?" he asks.

"I've always had trust issues. And after my last relationship. . . I mean he would cheat on me constantly and lie and I could hardly ever tell what was real and what wasn't," I say. "I'm sorry I assumed the worst. That's just what I've always had to do," I say. "The bottom always gets pulled out from under me."

"You don't ever have to apologize to me," he says, his lips against my forehead. All of a sudden, the elevator starts moving.