Corvina Maxwell
"Cafe?" I felt my cheeks throb from the smile on my face.
He nodded and looked ahead.
When we got inside I almost groaned with the smell.
"What do you want?" He mumbled.
"Apple cider." I loved this.
My stomach was imploding with excitement and joy.
We got to the register.
"Can I-"
"Are you- oh my god- you're Valerian Calix." She gasped.
His face remained still. I already knew he didn't care less.
"You interrupted him as he was speaking to you. I don't believe that's very kind." I said and she looked at me, slightly hostile but returning professional.
"I apologize, what can I get you both?" She said giving me a tight smile.
I felt his hand on my back, rubbing up and down twice before his hand returned to his side.
"Two apple ciders." He said and I nodded.
She put that in and I grabbed my card but he already tapped his.
I frowned.
"Could I possibly get a photo with you?" She asked.
He looked at her.
No expression.
"Okayyy, uhm..." he took the receipt we had and grabbed the tipping pen, signing the back of it.
He handed it to her and she grinned.
"Thank you. So much." She held it to her chest.
I smiled and walked to the side where you pick up the drinks.
"It must be hard being adored by the female population." I teased.
"They don't appeal to me much." He mumbled.
"No? Usually the big rockstars are players." I grabbed my drink and hissed at the heat of it.
He took it from me, putting it in the little hand protecter thing and walking to a table.
He set mine down on one side, he sat on the other.
"No." He answered.
"Do you not have experience with them?" I asked.
His eyes locked firmly on mine.
"Not even a kiss." He told me.
I felt my jaw drop.
"How?" I asked.
"Intimacy means a lot to me. I can't just give it up to anyone." He said.
"Even as a kid? Like a little peck with your second grade girlfriend?"
"No."
"Hand holding? In like middle school."
"No."
"You can't tell me you weren't wanted then."
"I was. As I said, physical contact is a sacred thing to me. I cherish it like I do my feelings and interests. I'm not just going to do something to appeal to age based experience. When things happen, there's going to be a reason for it". He said, his voice low and I hummed, intrigued.
"You've been touchy with me." I tilted my head.
"Am I making you uncomfortable?" He asked, a voice which showed he didn't care much about him doing it but more concerned along the lines of my feelings.
"No, not at all. I'm making an observation."
"When I do something, there's always a reason behind it." He repeated.
I nodded.
I pulled my cider to my lips but he reached and stopped me.
"Don't. It's hot."
I nodded.
"Good girl. Let's go." He stood and offered me a hand.
I took it, standing and following him from the cafe, obsessing over the praise.
I found myself reaching for his arm when his steps were too large and I had to move quicker to catch up.
"Sorry." I let him go when I caught up.
"You didn't do anything." He opened the door to what I smelt to be a bookstore.
"Thank you." I said for holding the door open and I smiled.
Loved the aesthetic but I'm not sure they have Cor-worthy books.
He followed me around, observing the higher shelves that weren't in my vision.
He handed me two and I read the backs.
They were... intense. Well one was a Sophie Lark book that I didn't own yet called There Are No Saints, and another I'd never heard of but would definitely read.
He handed me Haunting and Hunting Adeline.
They were on my to buy list.
And I was to get them.
"Don't keep handing me things, I have a budget."
"Why would you pay?"
"Because it's my book trip?"
"No."
"Excuse me?" I looked at him.
He paused, looking at me like I made a joke that wasn't funny.
"I'm paying for my own books. That's that." I said and he shut his eyes as he walked toward me, towering over me, my back firm against the bookshelf.
He grabbed my jaw.
"No."
I frowned.
"Then I won't invite you next time."
He faked a pout.
"Awe. Cute. So stack your fucking arms Corvina." He walked away and I swallowed, my stomach erupted with nerves and warmth.
He was some isles over as people gradually filled the store.
It was busier than when we walked in.
"Excuse me, the book is behind you." A man said and I smiled, moving.
He grabbed it, looking at me.
"You're terribly pretty. May I ask your name?" He asked, his voice slightly southern.
"Corvina." I smiled but it was soon lost as Valerian stood behind the man, making him look so much smaller than he just had.
"Yours?" I asked, ignoring him.
"Thomas."
"Thomas." Valerian repeated quietly, making Thomas jump and turn.
"Oh is this- am I in your way?" He asked nervous.
Valerian smiled, seemingly enjoyed with the man's fear.
"Leave." He said and Thomas gave me a stiff nod before walking past me.
"What was that? You were so nice all day." I frowned.
"Do I look like a nice person to you? Overjoyed with human life?" He asked, completely coating his words with sarcasm.
"Why are you starting to be not today you? It was fun!" I groaned.
He lifted his lip, irritation coating his expression.
"Tell me when your done then. I don't want to keep you from enjoying yourself." He turned on his heel and left the store.
I rolled my eyes, looking around for half an hour more.
I walked outside, he was on the phone.
He nodded to me and began walking toward the door and inside.
I waited at the register and he tapped his card, immediately leaving with a bag full of books.
He didn't even talk on the call.
He hung up and looked at me.
"Now what?"
"Now what? You just walked out. I'm not ignoring that or overlooking it. I don't believe in that. Things need to be spoken about and understood to continue a decent friendship." I said and he looked over me.
"I don't understand what I did." He told me.
I sat on a bench, he sat beside me.
"You were rude to a man for no apparent reason and pinned me to a shelf about paying for books."
"I don't grasp the problem your having." He was being serious about that, there was no sarcasm or amusement in his tone.
"First of all, I understand your not a people person. But you told that man who was being kind to leave. He'd done nothing."
He chuckled.
"He was flirting with you. I'm with you today. I tell you I do things for a reason. I bring you up here because I understand you'd enjoy it. I won't talk to you while I'm angry so I left. I think my tone pointed very clearly to jealousy, Corvina." He explained quietly.
I was silent.
"Why?" I asked.
He looked at me.
"Don't pretend to be oblivious." He whispered.
I nodded.
I sat there, the bag on my lap, my arms around it.
"What're you thinking about reading?" He asked.
I sipped my cider.
"Haunting Adeline. It's been a book I've wanted for a very long time." I reached for the book and looked through it.
"We have all day, you can read it." He told me and I debated.
"I've heard it's an intense book so I'm unsure if reading it in public will be a mistake." I said and he hummed.
"All up to you, doll."
"Thank you. For the books and bringing me here." I smiled at him.
He studied me.
"Oh my god, you're Ecstasy." A woman and her friend came up to Valerian.
They began freaking out about his biceps and he just sat there, unamused.
I looked at him, "to be fair people have been leaving you alone today for the most part."
I mumbled.
He shrugged.
"Can we have a photo?" One asked.
He waved for the books they were holding and took a pen from his pocket, an autograph for them both, each in a book and they freaked out, leaving.
"Have you ever signed boobs?" I smiled.
"They want me to."
"You haven't?"
"No."
I hummed.
"Have you ever even held hands in a platonic way with a girl?"
"No. I don't do female friends."
"Why?"
"They catch feelings and want fuck buddies."
"You don't want that?"
"No."
"What do you want? Out of your life with someone else?" I asked.
"A soulmate."
"What is that to you?" I asked and he glanced over at me, taking a deep breath, looking up at the grey sky above us.
"Complete devotion. Trust. Respect. I want to get to a point where I don't even have to speak because my person just understands me." He murmured.
"That's fair. Is there anything I can do for that? I'm not sure if it's painful to talk or what exactly prompts that but I'd like to help you a bit." I studied his side profile.
His nose had a small bump on the bridge, his lip ring barely with a gap between the metal and his lip.
His lips were bright pink, hydrated and soft, they were larger for a man and his jawline was sharp, something worthy of an aesthetically based cover.
His adams apple was prominent and moved as he bent his head back, it was addicting to watch.
"There's nothing you can do. I don't know myself like that. You seem to do well as it is." He said.
"Does being louder bother you? Is it easier when you're quieter?"
"I prefer it. It's not pain. If that's what you're thinking. I just hated speaking through my childhood so my expressions and feelings were expressed through violence. Talking is supposed to be meaningful. Done when it's mandatory. Me talking my mouth off isn't gonna do shit for anyone so I'm not going to change myself to satisfy people's wishes."
"I understand that. It's kind of satisfying how you are." I said.
"Yeah?"
"Mmhm. It forces you to be a good listener and girls like talking when they're comfortable. So I babble and you just sit there and make me feel heard even if you aren't hearing me." I said and the corner of his lip lifted.
"I also like seeing interviews of you guys with the hosts and especially the females where they try to get you to speak so they can hear your voice but you just look at them. I can tell they feel slightly rejected."
He lifted his head, looking at me.
"Is my voice that important?"
"Silence is loud. Hammering. So when your silent, then yes. If you spoke a lot then your voice will lose value."
He hummed.
"I have a question."
He nodded.
"Can I make a painting based on speech? Therefore the lack of? I'd enjoy your personality and perspective on it but you sparked that inspiration. I've been wanting to do two art pieces, one a pencil set of your kind of anxiety and a painting of silence. Both I know are common things people face but I want to make yours." I said and he studied over my face.
"Can I keep them? You can take photos and post it. But I don't want people knowing it's based off me."
"Of course."
"Alright." He nodded.