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News
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Chapter 3: News (London's POV)
I rushed to the back of the store, found the empty wall between two shelves, and leaned against it, sinking to the floor while pulling my knees.
He's back. He's back in Runville and he's at my store!
I took in a breath before letting it out slowly, running a hand through my hair. What the hell do I do? I fished my phone out of my back pocket, scrolling through my contacts and dialing Damon's number.
He answered after a few rings. "Hello?"
"Where are you?" I asked.
"London?"
"Where are you?" I repeated demandingly.
"I'm heading to work, why?"
"I need to see you."
"N-now?"
"Yes, now. Black Marina, quickly." I hung up not waiting for an answer and stood back up, tucking my phone into my pocket quickly. I just need to get to the counter, grab my bag and go. Or maybe I'll just leave my bag there. Yeah. I tucked my hair behind my ears, clearing my throat and running my clammy palms down the sides of my jeans. "Shit," I breathed out. I walked back slowly, making my way past the shelves and towards the entrance. I reached the front, feeling the three ladies staring at me.
"London, where are you going?" Dylan called out.
I cringed, not turning to look at him, too scared to see Ronan. "I'll be back later. It's urgent." I quickly pushed the door open and speed-walked down the sidewalk, making my way back to Black Marina. When I got there, Damon was walking up with his bag pulled over one shoulder.
"I'm late for work, thanks to you," he chuckled dryly.
"You're a soccer coach at an elementary school, nobody plays soccer in the mornings here," I barked back.
He smiled, nodding at me. "Long time no see."
"Yeah, you too," I mumbled, both of us standing outside the café.
"You called and it sounded urgent. What's wrong?" he questioned, eyeing me with curiosity.
"Ronan's back," I blurted.
He paused for a minute, his lips parting. "Ah. You heard, huh?"
"No, I saw," I said through gritted teeth. "Did you know he was coming back?"
"Um... yeah. His parents told me two or three days ago." He scratched the back of his head. "Where did you hear the news?"
"I didn't hear it!" I hissed. "I saw it first hand when he walked into my store, Damon."
"Oh. Did people see?"
"Yeah, people saw."
"Who?"
"Mrs. Kimberly and her friends."
He exhaled, shaking his head slowly. "That will be the news now, something else for them to gossip about."
I smacked his arm. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I..." He huffed, "I didn't know what to tell you. Look, just like you I haven't seen or spoken to him in four years all right, but it was different with you two. I didn't know what to say to you. I thought I'd let you hear it on your own."
I closed my eyes, tilting my chin up and facing the sky, holding all my frustration inside.
"What did he say?" he asked.
"My name," I answered, looking at him.
"Huh? That's it?"
"Yeah. Then I ran out of my own store."
"So... you don't know what he wanted or why he showed up?"
I shook my head, resting my hands on my hips. "I don't know what to do. I can't even look at him," I groaned.
"Look, I'm sorry, I don't know what to tell you. I have to get to work."
"Damon—"
"But let's meet later and talk, okay?"
"Damon, wait, I—"
"I'll see you later!" He turned around and jogged back, heading for the school.
I sat on a bench nearby, staring ahead of me blankly. I wasted a good five minutes there before getting out of my head.
What am I doing? Why am I sitting here, wasting time and energy? Why am I letting Ronan win? I have no reason to be running from him, if anything, it should be the other way around. He's the one who did this. He doesn't just get to walk back in.
I stood up, gathering my courage with me, and started walking back. I mumbled a silent prayer before walking back in, taking in a huge breath and feigning confidence as I walked back around the counter, interrupting their conversation. "You can go," I said to Dylan.
He eyed me for a minute but he left nonetheless.
I blinked, forcing myself to look up and face him. "How can I help you?"
He stared at me for a minute before clearing his throat softly. "Uh, actually I'm back in town. For good, I think. I mean, I don't know yet," he rambled.
I clenched my teeth, waiting for him to stop acting like a fool. "Why are you here?" I questioned.
"Right," he said slowly, recognizing the indifference and cold shoulder I was giving to him. "I came here just to introduce myself as an author."
Trust me, Ronan, I know.
"You're an author?" I lifted my brows, playing dumb.
He nodded. "I was wondering if you have any copies of my book. It's called Wicked Ruins."
I shook my head. "I'm afraid we don't."
His eyes held mine and he nodded again. "All right. Well, would it be okay if I asked you to order a few? I just thought it would be a good idea to sell them here since I'm back."
I sat down in my chair and started typing an email to our supplier. We buy books from the city and sell them here, so for any book we need, we need to order at least three days in advance. I put in twenty copies and went to check out, stopping and looking up at him. "I'll order them if you sign every copy."
"Huh?"
"Well, since Runville has a big author in town, it's only fair for them to get signed copies of your book. Can't you do that for your hometown?"
He blinked a few times before nodding. "Sure. Um, fifty copies should be—"
"Twenty."
"Oh. Okay."
I placed the order before facing him again. "Done. Anything else I can do for you?"
He just stood there before resting his arms on the counter and leaning forward. "Do you have a minute to talk? Please?"
"No, I'm busy working right now. Sorry."
"Lunch?"
"Busy."
"Dinner?"
"At home."
"Coffee?"
I picked up my cup, taking a sip. "Already got some," I spoke around the straw.
He sighed, tilting his head to one side. "London—"
"You're giving them a show," I cleared my throat, grabbing the book I was reading earlier. "If there's nothing else I can do for you, please leave."
"Okay," he accepted, "I'm leaving. But I thought you should know that I'm back in town. At least for some time. And I want to talk to you. So if you could just—"
"Come again, have a nice day," I cut him off coldly. "Bye."
He drummed his fingers against the counter before backing away slowly. "Bye," he said softly and then turned around and left.
I looked over at the women who, surprise surprise, were already staring at me. They all quickly looked away and broke out into whispers among themselves. I leaned back in my chair, throwing the book down on the table and sighing loudly, pinching the bridge of my nose. I glanced outside and saw him walking away.
What the hell is he doing back in town, that too so suddenly? And who on earth told him it would be a good idea to show up at my store? I turned my gaze to the computer in front of me, the confirmation of my recent order looking back at me.
Wicked Ruins By Ronan DeLuca.
I guess leaving Runville to go to college in Boston paid off after all. It made him a successful writer. He has a heavy-paying job, he has a good life going in Boston too. He has everything he ever worked for. So why is he back in Runville after all this time?
I couldn't help but think back to the last time I saw him. Soon after he left, that became the first memory with him that came to mind. The rain, the thunder. The tears and the heartache. His suitcases and the words 'I'm leaving' echoed in my head, playing on a loop.
"You're really leaving?" I blinked back the tears, thankful for the rain that concealed the ones that already slipped out.
"Yeah. I can't stay here anymore. It's... suffocating, London. Everything here suffocates me."
"Do I?" I asked.
He blinked quickly a few times, his eyes seeming red. "Yeah," he nodded, "yeah, you do."
"London?"
I snapped out of my thoughts, looking up at Dylan. "Hmm, sorry, what?"
"I said I'm going to the bathroom. So if a customer needs help, don't call me. I'll be back in a minute. You okay?"
I nodded, forcing a small, reassuring smile onto my lips.
"Was that the guy everybody talks about?" he asked, glancing at the door.
"Huh? Who?"
He eyed me, pity swirling in his eyes. "The one that left you," he mumbled.
I looked outside at the spot Ronan was standing in just a moment ago. "Yeah," I nodded. "That was him."
"What's his name?"
"Ronan DeLuca," I sighed, turning my gaze back to Dylan. "Don't take too long, yeah?"
He nodded and left, heading to the back of the store where there was a small spiral staircase, leading to the basement where we stored a few more books, and it also led to the back entrance of the store and Dylan likes to sneak out and linger around to grab a smoke sometimes on his way to the bathroom.
Ronan DeLuca. The boy that broke my heart and the latest news of Runville. He's back. And apparently, for good.
.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 3
But the way she ran after seeing him... literally what I would do
next chapter: reasons