RANDOM QUESTION:

In Memoriam (It's Time To Move On).

I nodded as I removed my benzodiazepine bottle with my right hand and started fiddling with it.

"I know that you might have your.....needs, and as your girlfriend, you would expect some things from me too," I started.

His eyes widened at the direction this was going in as he said, "Veronica-"

"No, wait. Let me finish."

Skeptically so, he nodded and kept quiet as he drove.

"We'll need to take things slow, Xav," I blurted. "Like really slow. And it has nothing to do with you but its just that every time I even think of getting physically close to someone, the stunt Ryan tried to pull on me last year comes to my mind and I feel momentarily repulsed. It'll take some time for me to be completely okay for us to do certain things."

"Love, please listen-"

"So I just wanted to put this out there. You might feel a little less attracted towards me now and I totally understand if you want to end things-"

"Veronica!" he exclaimed, making me shut up effectively.

"Only you, love. Only you can talk about us ending things on the first day of us being together," he said with a chuckle as a small smile graced his lips.

He turned to give me his full attention as the car stopped at a red light and said, "I want you to listen to me when I say this, and I want to make sure that I have made myself absolutely clear, okay?"

I nodded as I let go of his hand and use both of mine to fiddle with and clench the bottle in my hand.

I saw Xav briefly glance at it, after which he sighed and said, "I like you. I like you as a person and I like your heart. Don't even think for a second that I'd let you go just because you aren't ready to have sex or make out with me. And I understand, love," he whispered. "I understand how difficult all of this is for you which is why I want to let you know that I'll be right here whenever you're ready."

I smiled at his heartfelt words as he turned his attention towards the road and started driving again.

"No second thoughts," he said with a smile in my direction.

"No second thoughts," I confirmed.

"You don't need that, you know?" he said after a while. "Your tablets."

"I know," I said guiltily as I put them away. "I stopped taking them after I took it in Hawaii. It's just that having them with me gives me some sort of comfort. Not even kidding, every time I've had an anxiety attack in the past and I took them, I think that the idea of taking the pills calmed me down more than the pills themselves. I'm trying my best to get rid of them altogether but its not working."

"Baby steps, Veronica. Try leaving them at home every alternate day initially and then don't bring them to school altogether. Within no time, you'll get rid of them."

"You'll help me through it all?"

"Of course, I will! I'm right here, love. I'm not going anywhere."

***

"What the hell do you mean by 'Xavier's 'almost accident' might not be an accident'?" Jerko scowled as we sat in his bedroom. For the last half an hour, I had told him about every message I had gotten from 'TheDevil'. I needed advice on what to do and think and telling Xavier wasn't an option.

"Exactly what it sounds like," I said. "I've blocked this guy but I was getting really creepy vibes from him."

"Why didn't you tell me the second you got your first message?"