Alle Kapitel von Re-Arranged: Kapitel 161 – Kapitel 170

"I didn't mean it, y'know?"Immediately, a frown twists itself onto Liviana's face, and she freezes. At this point, after nearly two hours of basking in the warmth of each other's arms and murmuring sweet apologies, an explanation was the last thing she was expecting. In all honesty, she was hoping they were past the idea of a conversation at all.Livi tenses up against his side, dropping his hand altogether, abandoning the invisible shapes she'd spent the past thirty minutes drawing into the back of it in favor of picking at her own heated skin instead. Quickly, any comfort she'd found in the quiet of their bedroom or his touch - the feel of his body against hers, acting as some sort of shield, teddy bear, and anchor all in one - was soured by the statement, replaced by a sense of impending doom. God, she always hated this part. The one where they had a conversation, and she said too much, and somehow made 'the worst' get even worse. Still, she forces herself to at least try to bear

“Are you sure about this?” Blaze asks, lips pulled into a thin line of disapproval while he stares up at the building - some breakfast place where he and his brother agreed to meet. Though he was now coming to regret that decision. “It’s never too late to change your mind, y’know? We could still call them and cancel-“Quickly, Liviana shakes her head, insisting otherwise. “No, we can’t do that,” she says, fixing the man with a frown full of her own disapproval.He scoffs before he can think better of it, asking, “Why the hell not?” Arguing further before she could answer. “It’s not like we won’t have the chance to see or speak to them ever again.”“It doesn’t matter, Blaze!” Livi chides, reminding him of the promises they’ve made. “We told them we’d be here, so here we are,” she nodded up at the restaurant, insisting that since they’d already come all this way, they couldn’t just leave now. “I’d hate to waste everyone’s time like that,” she huffed, her own regret beginning to creep in

Liviana and Blaze walked out of the restaurant hand-in-hand, trying to keep their heads held high in spite of the world’s judgment. They could feel it in the weight of all those watchful eyes and the way whispers seemed to chase them around like shadows.She does her best to ignore it all, but even then, Livi can’t help the way she shuffled closer to her husband as they walked, seeking refuge in the warmth of his body and the safety of his touch. He happily wraps his arms around her shoulders, tucking her safely into his side, which, as far as he was concerned, was exactly where she belonged.Blaze revels in the feeling of her being so close, trying to ignore the way his heart kicks in his chest. He could never get enough of this - of her.He notices the way her eyes dart around, nervous and so obviously overwhelmed by the attention, and gives her shoulders a comforting squeeze, holding her closer. “Just ignore them,” he murmured, trying to remind the woman that none of it - the stare

"Violet-" Liviana called after the woman, sparing her husband a final glance over her shoulder, torn. She hated that they didn't have time for a proper conversation, and that she never had the chance to ask, "Are you okay?" Before he sends her away."Take Vi home," he ordered without so much as a second thought. "Take her, and I'll stay with Mani, okay?"She wanted to ask if he was sure. If this was really a good idea after he and Armani were already pushing each other around. But he doesn't give her a chance."Go," he persisted, nodding toward the blonde, who'd already begun walking away. "She needs someone right now."She hesitates, watching as the man sighs and starts toward her. "Are you-"He knew what she was going to ask - "Are you okay? Are you sure?" - and he answers before she can so much as get the question out, rushing her along with a curt nod. "Mhm," he hums, reaching out to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, promising, "I'll be fine. You can go." Because, really, what

Liviana sat silently with her head in her hands, knee bouncing with nerves. “I just... I don’t understand,” she murmured. “Why would she-“ she cut herself off, narrowing her eyes as if she’s missing something she so desperately wanted to see, to know, to understand. But she couldn’t. No matter how many times she replayed the day in her head and went over their conversation, she couldn’t figure it out. Why would her mother lie? Why did she care so much? Who was this so-called friend of hers? Why was he spying on her?Her head felt full, her mind painfully overworking itself with the way it came up with question after question, thought after thought, worry after worry, until she felt like she just might explode.Groaning, she buries her face in her hands, hiding herself behind a curtain of dark hair, as if she would somehow be able to escape the thoughts, if not her own tortured mind. If only it were that easy.Instead, the noise rings in her ears and the pounding in her head worsens, a