Page 84 of Victorious: Part I

An unexpected surge of happiness flows through me at his approval. “Told you this place was worth a visit.”

A genuine smile crosses his face, his eyes lock with mine, and for a moment, a brief moment, neither of us say anything. We just look at each other until he finally breaks the silence. “I think you’re right. Totally worth it.”

My stomach falls through my body with his words, my legs trembling again as I feel my heart rate skyrocketing. I don’t know what it is about this moment. Maybe it’s the fact that since he joined the club, we’re alone together for the first time.

Maybe it’s the fact that since the first moment I saw him, I feel like my heart rate has never been the same in his presence.

Or maybe it’s the fact that he’s looking back at me the same way I’m looking at him.

Either way, right now, this might just be my favorite moment of all time.

HONK, HONK.

My heart slams into my chest as I jump back from Phoenix with fright. He spins, clearly reaching for the gun hoisted down the back of his jeans as we both turn to see the hippy-style Volkswagen van skidding into the lot.

With his hand still on his gun, we wait to see who the hell this is as a young man and woman jump out. The guy looks like a twin of Rip, and the woman reminds me of the character ‘Flower’ from the US version of the sitcomGhosts. It’s weird—they both feel familiar somehow, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.

I side-eye Phoenix, a slight smirk crossing my lips as the hippy girl rushes to the guy, cuddling into him as they approach us. “Hey, man, you and your girl here chillin’ with the bottles too?”

Phoenix and I both widen our eyes. “Oh, we’re not—” both of us say in unison, then stopping at the same time.

The woman giggles, cuddling into her man. “Cool, cool. Who needs labels? You’re both young. You have so much left to experience. I mean, I was only nineteen when I entered into my first polyamorous relationship. After that, there was the thruple, the group home, which, now I look back on it, I’m pretty sure was the beginnings of a cult. Then there was that BDSM phase, that was fun. Oh, and the all-girl mega mix, or was that the band I was in?” she asks, looking at her man, who smiles at her lovingly. “Anyway, in the end, after I had my fun, I found the one I’m meant to travel the road with,” she states, cuddling into him, though there’s a sadness behind his eyes when he embraces her back.

“That’s sweet. I guess?” Phoenix replies, not really knowing what else to say right now.

“Hey, Meadow, why don’t you head on in and start checking out the bottle trees? I’ll be in there with you soon, babe,” the guy suggests.

She beams from ear to ear, leans in, kisses him on the cheek, and then turns to look right at me. “You know, honey, you have a really great body. You should show it off a little more.” She grins, waggling her brows at me, then takes off, running toward the bottle tree farm. Her dress is flowing, and I only just now realize she isn’t wearing any shoes.

Glancing up at Phoenix, I raise my brow, wondering what in the hell is going on as the guy drops his shoulders, seeming to change completely when he talks this time. “I’m so sorry about that.” He places his hand out to Phoenix for him to shake. Phoenix hesitates but then slowly moves his hand out and shakes the guy’s hand while he continues to explain. “All this, the hippy shit. It’s just an act. Her name isn’t Meadow, mine isn’t Cedar.”

An uneasy tension rolls through me as Phoenix lets his hand go, clearly moving a step in front of me, putting himself between Cedar—or whatever his name is—and me.

Phoenix clears his throat. “Okay, well, we don’t want any trouble, so—”

“No, sorry, I came at this all wrong. We’re not a threat. I swear. I’m just fucking tired, and it’s actually really nice to have a moment where she’s occupied so I can talk to someone, even if you are complete strangers.”

Furrowing my brows, I step out from Phoenix’s protection, still seeing that same somber look in Cedar’s eyes. “Do you need our help?” I ask.

Phoenix snaps his head around, glaring at me like I’ve just said the most outrageous thing in the world. But Cedar lets out a long breath, shaking his head. “Thank you, but I’ve tried everything. Had the best doctors money could buy. Tried every kind of ‘out there’ therapy. Nothing works. The only thing that helps her is giving in to it. So, I do. For her.”

Phoenix relaxes his shoulders. “Mental illness?” he asks.

Cedar lets out a soft chuckle. “Sometimes I wish it were. It would be simpler. We could use medication to help. But no, we were in a pretty serious car accident a few years back, and unfortunately, well, Meadow, as she now goes by, had a severe brain injury.”

“Shit! I’m sorry, man. That fucking sucks,” Phoenix states.

Narrowing my eyes on him, I turn and glance at Meadow, seeing her skipping through the field of bottles, and it hits me instantly who they are. I turn back to Cedar, my mouth opening wide in shock. “Holy fuck! You’re Luke Archer.”

He glances over to Meadow, and I follow his line of sight, seeing her busily walking through the bottles, and my heart races faster. “Oh God,” I whisper.

Phoenix scratches his head, turning to me. “Am I supposed to know what’s happening right now?”

Biting my bottom lip, I turn back to Luke and exhale, trying so hard to keep my tears in. “I am so, so sorry. I heard it all across the news and social media, of course. But I mean, you never know what you can really trust from reporters when it comes to famous actors.”

Phoenix widens his eyes, turning back to Luke. “Huh? You’re famous?”

Luke fakes a smile. “I was. A few years ago. Selene, now Meadow, and I were the latest hot couple in Hollywood. So, needless to say, we were booked to do a rom-com. It was going to be about two friends growing up together, clearly through the hippy era, exploring everything and everyone. Denying their feelings for each other, but, of course, in Hollywood, at the end, they realize they belong together. The characters were Meadow and Cedar.”

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