Peter and The Park Angel....

Picking up where we left off on the night of Fat Tuesday...
 Willow leaves Peter's apartment in a hurry to get out of there, by the time Peter gets to the door she is long gone. Gone into the night, the only thing left was the smell of her perfume as he swung open the door.

*Peter* "Willow, wait! I..."

Peter steps out into the doorway. It's dark and erie, the super never fixed the light at the end of the hallway. Peter doesn't like that she left alone in the dark, in the middle of the night if 

only she would have stayed. He feels as if he is being watched...

*Peter* "Willow?...Hello?...Who's there?..."

Peter steps back inside and locks the door behind him. He hates that she took off but Willow was born and raised in the this town, she's not scared of the dark and all that goes bump in the night.

 Plus it was obvious she did not want to be followed, because of her speedy exit. Peter treks off the his bedroom to go lay down. It is late, he is exhausted, and the sun will be up in a few more hours, 
he needs to get some sleep. Peter drifts off quickly and before he realizes it, it is now early morning the sun is starting to peek through his windows.

 She sits there and quietly watches him as he sleeps, the sun slowly filling the room with light illuminating his face. She wants to touch him 

but she also does not want to wake him.
You ever get that feeling you're not alone?...

 Peter does and his eyes fly open, his body twisting to see who is sitting at the edge of his bed. Still groggy and sleepy his words are a bit slow, yet still show that streak of shock to his voice.

*Peter* "Sh...Shit, Shelby! What the fuck?..."

Shelby-Lynn immediately lifts her hand and waves greeting him with a nervous good morning salutation, she's odd. Peter, has tried to get her to take a hint but it has not worked, she keeps coming back.

*Shelby-Lynn* "Good morning...sleepy head!..."
*Peter* "Don't you have to be at school?...Get the fuck out!
 I'm sleeping..."
 Shelby-Lynn does not listen, she tries to lean
 in and get closer. Peter grabs her wrist he does not trust
 this crazy woman child.

*Shelby-Lynn* "Who was that woman who left your apartment
in the middle of the night?..."
Peter a bit shocked by how she would know about Willow,
 but he does not ask he just wants her gone. Peter shoves her off to the side of the bed so he can get up. He is definitely awake now.

*Peter* "None of your gawddamn business...now get out!"

He gets up and points in the direction of the front door. Shelby meanwhile is too busy fixated on how attractive he

 is looking this morning.

 

*Peter* "Shelb! The fucking door is that way!..."

When she does not respond Peter yells louder to break 
her out of whatever trance she is in.
*Peter* "Shelby! Out, now!..."

*Shelby-Lynn* "Okay, okay..."
Shelby-Lynn turns and walks away and Peter goes to relieve himself. That damn girl nearly made him piss his pants when he woke up and saw her there. Peter groans when he sees her on the couch. That is it time to physically remove her.

Problem is Shelby-Lynn is turned on by this. Whenever Peter gets mildly rough and angry with her she gets all bubbly with excitement. Peter hates it, it was what fooled him the first when he thought she was a innocent girl. Peter grabs her by the back of the arm and pulls her up.

*Peter* "Fun time is over..."

*Shelby-Lynn* "Ooooo! Or maybe it is just beginning..."

*Peter* "Get it through that thick skull of yours, nothing is happening..."

*Shelby-Lynn* "Oh it's happening, Shuga. I'm already getting wet."

Peter decides to just ignore that, he locks her elbow tight in his grasp and walks her to the door. Her ushers her out and 

then speedily locks the door behind him. Peter does not understand how she is getting in, he locked the door last night before he went to sleep, didn't he?!...

*Peter* "I think I need to get my locks changed..."

**********************************************************

Now we get to fast forward another month. It is now March and it's spring break, all the colleges and schools are out for the week and the club is busy. Lots of bands lined up for shows each night. So as usual Peter works late into the night and sleeps mostly in the morning.
 As the warm spring sun starts to hit his face, 
Peter tosses and turns in his sleep.

*Peter in his sleep* "Willow, please!!..."

He whips his head to his left, still deep in his dream.

*Peter mumbling* "No, No! Nonononono!"

Peter bolts upright in a cold sweat, he's nearly yelling at the top of his lungs by the time he realizes that it was all a bad dream.

*Peter* "No, Willow!"

Peter leans forward in the bed some and runs his fingers through his hair, that was more than the usual run of the mill dream and it was intense.

*Peter* "Holy shit, what a nightmare. I need a shower..."

He scoots to the edge of the bed to get up and stops to look over 

at the dresser, where a plethora of paraphernalia sits.

*Peter* "Pete, you need to lay off the fucking pot, man!"

Peter drags himself up out of bed, goes to take a hot shower

 and get ready for another long night of work at the club.

Afterwards Peter gets dressed, the hot shower did not do much to shake his tired state and lack of sleep from the past week. He runs his fingers through his hair a sloppy attempt to fix it, his tired 

eyes meeting the reflection of the same ones in the mirror.

*Peter* "You look like shit, man..."

He shrugs it off as best he can and heads out the door, 

taking one last look in the mirror before he goes. Working these odd hours are beginning to take it's toll on him, and the 

partying that goes along with it.

**********************************************************

Later that evening on the same day Willow is having Chinese 
takeout dinner with Nathan at his apartment. The two 
are quietly enjoying their food...

*Nathan* "Are you on your second glass of wine already?..."
*Willow* "Yeah, so?..."
*Nathan* "You seem to be hitting the wine a bit harder than usual lately...if you
keep it up, you'll gain weight.

Willow knows he means well him being the fitness guru and 
all, still she cannot help but get defensive.

*Willow* "It's just a few glasses of wine! It's been a long day
 and I'd like to unwind."
Nathan takes a seat next to her on the couch, like everyone we all have our bad habits or flaws, well Willow she loves her wine and she has been drinking a tad more lately. So naturally Nathan is concerned.

*Nathan* "I know, but you need to chill with that wine. You drink
faster than you can burn it...There are better ways you can relieve stress,
hitting up a glass of wine every time is not the answer."
Willow has been under a big deadline lately to finish 
an art piece for a new client.

*Willow* "So what?! I have been working my ass off trying to get this last
 project done, excuse me for trying to relax a little..."
*Nathan* "All I'm saying is lay off the booze it's unattractive...I prefer
 my women to be coherent in the sack. "
Then he looks away and kinda mumbles the last line...
*Nathan* "Not like we've been in the sack much lately anyways..."

Willow flies up setting her wine glass down as she goes. Now 
she is really upset, why does he keep pushing it?
*Willow* "What the fuck is wrong with you?!...It's always about you isn't it?"

*Nathan* "No this isn't about me. It's about us! Ever since you went out drinking with
your sister a month ago you've been avoiding me...."
Willow not fully surprised he is bringing that night up again where she disappeared for hours late that night. She hasn't been able to give him a worthy excuse for where she was, so it still eats away at him.

*Willow* "Oh my gawd, here we go again!..."

Nathan springs up of the couch. He wants the truth, the 
whole truth, and nothing but the truth this time.

*Nathan* "You're damn right, I'm bringing it up again! Just tell me where you
were that night...How can we move on, if I can't trust you?.."
He turns to walk away, he's so tired of the fighting 

and the lack of trust.

*Willow* "I told you. I was drinking at a bar with my sister
 and her friends, that's it."

*Nathan* "Yeah but not just any bar, you were at that one,
where 'skater boy' likes to hang out..."
*Willow* "So?...Lot's of people go there. Plus it was busy that night."

*Nathan* "Till 4 O'clock in the morning?...I called the bar around
 1am and you weren't there and neither were your so called friends."

*Willow* "Well someone must have told you wrong cause I was there."
*Nathan* "Or you were there with him!..."
Nathan's voice gets louder and he waves his hand 
towards the door.

*Nathan* "If you don't want to be with me, then just go!...I am not gonna go
 through this again, either you're committed to us or not!..."

Willow steps in closer and closes the gap between them, 
she runs her fingers across his abdomen.

*Willow* "I am committed...I love you.  Please, please can we just let this go?...I'm sorry if I have been distant lately, but you know I've been working long hours to finish this new project. I promise once I get back from this business trip all my attention will be on you, I swear."

Nathan stares deep into pale blue eyes, he loves her so so 
much but does she really love him back.

 *Nathan* "Marry me...we can go tomorrow to the courthouse before you leave."
 Nathan's proposal is totally unexpected and the way Willow 
reacts tells him maybe his suspicions are right.

 *Willow* "Whoa!..What?!...."
 *Nathan* "Let's get married!..."
*Willow* "Nathan....I...this...No, this is crazy! You can't just..."
 Nathan quickly gets down on one knee, grabbing her 
wrist a little tightly as he knelt and gives the proposal a second try...

 *Nathan* "Willow Bontempts, I love you with every fiber of my being,
 marry me..."
 *Willow* "Nathan get up, you're squeezing my wrist too tight..."
 He quickly pops up and apologizes...

 *Nathan* "I'm sorry, I got a little carried away. So? Will you?..."
Willow stops rubbing her wrist and looks up at him.

 *Willow* "Nathan..I don't......this is all so abrupt."
Nathan pulls her in closer and looks into her eyes...

*Nathan* "But why should that matter, what's stopping us? I love you, you love me, right?...
we've known each other for long time now....And I know I can make you happy,
give you the life you want. I love you Willow..."

*Nathan continues* "Just say yes, Baby..."
 Willow is silent, this sudden and impromptu proposal has her reeling.  She does love Nathan, but her heart does not feel that flutter of happiness when he asked. Maybe it's because it was just a last ditch effort to keep her close...

 *Willow* "Nathan, I'm sorry but I just can't say yes when I feel so forced. "
 *Nathan* "Forced?!....How am I forcing you?..."
 *Willow* "Because you keep pressuring me to say YES!..."
Willow tries to step back more but Nathan counters attempting keep her close to him. His fingers digging into her upper arms 
just a little too tightly.

 *Nathan* "Don't you go running on me!...You always do this shit!"
*Willow* "Ow! Nathan, let go of me!..."
 He immediately lets her go and Willow quickly 
grabs her belongings. 
*Nathan* "So that's it?! You're just gonna bolt on me?. Why are you so 
afraid of commitment?!

 *Willow* "Just give me some space for a few days. Lemme think about it."
 *Nathan* "Think about it?! Why? If you love me then it's simple..."
 *Willow* "Life is not simple between us and you know it!...
It never has been!"
Nathan does not know what else to do or say to her. She is slipping away again, just like before, and he is almost sure she is cheating on him again. He thought that if he could just convince her to marry him, maybe she would finally make a choice. Well it seems 
her choice is clear now.

*Nathan* "Yeah and I know why....You're still in love with him aren't you?
 You never stopped! If you're running off to be with him then don't bother coming back!"
*Willow* "Now you're being ridiculous!...Peter and I have been
done and over for a long time."

 *Nathan* "So look me in the eye and promise me you weren't with
him that night! Prove me wrong!"
 *Willow* "I am not gonna be bullied into answering you, I'll call you tomorrow."

Then like that she is out the door and gone...And Nathan looses it. He is at his wits end with her. Why? He thinks, why do I have to love a woman who cannot love me back?!

*Nathan* "Shit!!! Gawddamnit, Willow!..."
Then in a fit of fury he grabs his make shift coffee table at the corner lifting it up and throws it on its side. All of it's contents flying and hitting the floor. Nathan flops down on the couch, 
and tries to hold it together. His anger towards the
 whole situation is intensifying.

 **********************************************************

Willow heads off to a park to sit and be alone. The park is just busy enough for her to blend in but not too busy that she's bumping elbows with someone. It's late and there is maybe an hour left of spring sunlight before it disappears behind the horizon.

The other park goers are enjoying the nice evening...
some are walking their dogs.

Others are enjoying the company of a friend or lover as the
 last gold rays of sunlight start to fade into the earth.

Willow sits quietly on a bench in one corner of the park. She goes unnoticed by most. As she continuously wipes her tears away. 
She so lost as to what to do with Nathan...

Peter comes up the walkway and stops dead in his tracks.  Breakfast in hand, he decided to cut through the park so he could get to work a little early. She's crying, and yet still the most beautiful creature 
he's ever laid eyes on.

With that hell of a dream still fresh in his memory, and the fact that he is standing here seeing her crying, breaks his heart.  If Nathan hurt her he thinks to himself, gawd help me I will kill him! Peter grew up with an abusive father, he spent most of his child hood in fear of him, till he finally stood up to him when he was a teenager. He had too, or his Mom would not still be here. So Peter needs to know if she is okay...

*Peter* "Willow, you okay?..."
Peter does not have a southern accent, he is from the west coast, so his scruffy skater sound is very unique to her. She recognizes it immediately and her head flies up to meet his worried gaze.

 *Willow* "Peter!...What are you..."
 Peter stops her and answers her question before 
she can get it all out.

 *Peter* "I'm heading to work. Just decided to cut through the park..."
 He steps in closer, worried about why she is crying. 
*Peter* "Is that son of a bitch hurting you?!.."

 *Willow* "No! No, we just had a argument.
Seems we do that a lot a lately..."
 Peter goes to sit down next to her on the bench, as a couple they had their share of arguments as well but nothing like what Willow is experiencing with Nathan, he's so brute sometimes. Sadly Peter crushed Willow's heart sending her back to Nathan, but can he repair the damage that was done?

 *Peter* "As long as he's not physically hurting you. You know I
will not put up with that shit..."
 Willow knows exactly what he is referring to, she is one 
of the few women he has ever confided in that deeply.

*Willow* "I know. And no he is not hurting me, I promise. We're fine. I'm fine. Thank you for making sure, but you should head off to work. I wouldn't want you to be late."
*Peter* "It's fine. I'm early anyways, they don't expect me there till 10pm..."

 *Peter continues* "So I'm here if you want to talk about it..."
*Willow* "Peter, I want to think you mean well but I'm not sure that's the best idea."
Willow is stunned by this, Peter usually hates this kinda chit-chat. 
She thinks if he is just looking for a one night stand, 
she is not up for it, her heart could not take that again.

*Willow* "Please, Peter just go. Let me be, I'll be fine..."
She tries to hold back more tears. Her feelings for Peter 
and Nathan, confusing her to no end. Peter tries to 
console her by rubbing his hand on her back.

 Willow holds back with all her will power to not turn and look at him. She is hoping that Peter will leave and let her be. Peter stops 
and turns to the bag of fast food he had with him.

*Peter* "Well, if you don't mind I'd like to eat my breakfast and keep you company.
 You don't have to talk. It's fine...You hungry? I've got plenty."
 Peter pulls out the hashbrown and holds it out for her.

*Peter* "Here. I know it's your favorite. Good greasy comfort food."
 *Willow hesitates* "That's okay, I'm fine..."
*Peter* "Don't make me eat alone. Here, just take it before it gets cold."
Willow takes the hashbrown she is still a bit hungry, she left 
Nathan's apartment in the middle of dinner.

*Willow* "Thanks, I am a bit hungry...."
*Peter* "I got pancakes too, if want one..."
She takes a bite and chews slowly. This night has turned into such awkward turn of events, but she is beginning to 
find his company very soothing.

 *Willow* "Thank you, but this is plenty..."
*Peter* "Okay..."
 Then he goes to work on opening the the breakfast 
sandwich.  Willow notices how tired he looks.

 *Willow* "You look tired. Have you been sleeping well?..."
Peter shrugs, work has been demanding lately and his
 personal life has been a wreck as well, plus that 
dream he had this morning did not help.

*Peter* "Eh, it's so so. I had a fucking weird ass dream this morning..."
*Willow smiles* "You're probably smoking too much pot, as usual..."
*Peter laughs* "Yeah...I think I may need to lay off a tad."
Willow finally works up the nerve to tell him why she is 
sitting in the park crying her eyes out.

 *Willow* "Nathan proposed to me tonight..."
*Peter* "As in marriage?..."
*Willow* "Yes, and I bolted on him cause I couldn't say yes."
*Peter* "Oh....
 Then there is a beat of silence between them, each taking a bite of their food. They both know why she cannot say yes. 
She is still too much in love with Peter.

 *Willow* "After I couldn't seem to say yes. We also fought about you.
He's suspicious about why I never showed up that one night."
 *Peter* "Shit! Did you tell him the truth?..."
Willow looks up at him. She loves Nathan, but she is still in love with Peter. He is the only man who fully understood her, 
even though he can be a royal asshole.

*Willow* "Of course not! I don't want to break his heart..."
*Peter* "Oh-kay...so why didn't you say yes?...I thought
you were happy with him."
Willow snaps at him, is he really gonna 
make her say it?!

 *Willow* "Peter, you of all people know exactly why!..."
He looks away down at his sandwich, and gets 
ready to take a bite. Willow does the same and takes 
a bite of her hashbrown.

The two finish the rest of their food in a somber silence.

Willow wipes her face and finally breaks the silence.

 *Willow* "Thank you for the food...I'm sorry I snapped at you....I don't want to fight,
I've been through too much of that tonight, already."

*Peter* "You don't need to apologize...I...I'm the
one who shouldn't have asked that..I'm sorry, being a dick is what
 always got me into deep shit with you."
As they are talking an elderly man is walking by with his dog...

He stops when he sees them, he remembers those
 days and how quickly life went by. 
He speaks directly to Peter...

 *Elderly Man* "You have an angel there, son, she's a keeper...."
 Peter and Willow stop to look up at him. He is smiling 
brightly, you can see the joy in face.

 *Willow* "Oh, we're not together...Just friends."
 The old man smiles again, you can see he is
 reminiscing about his old love.

 *Elderly Man* "I was married to my best friend for 60 years! Life is short,
hold on to her before she flies away...Y'all have good night." Then like that he is off again, the sun is about to set and 
everyone is beginning to leave the park.

*Peter* "Well that was a bit weird..."
*Willow* "I think it was sweet."
Peter leans back stretching his body out, the sun
 is just about to disappear.

 *Peter* "Well, I guess we better say good bye and good night..."
 Willow without even realizing it leans into him and lays
 her hand oh his upper thigh.

 *Willow* "Yes, and thank you for keeping me company... and for the hashbrown. I enjoyed it.
Even though you can be a dick I find it very easy to talk to you..."
 *Peter smiles and laughs* "That's a fair assessment of me."
 Then the two find them find them slowly gravitating 
closer as the sun sets on the horizon.

 *Willow* "I really should go now..."
*Peter* "Okay..."
 Peter stares deep into her eyes. Then to her lips, they are softly parted and the urge to kiss those lips is strong. So strong that the two both know it and like that they draw in even closer to each other. Peter's lips crash down onto hers as the last rays of sunlight fade away.

 And this is not just any kiss, Willow can feel his emotion behind it, she kisses him back with all her heart and soul too. 
Peter gently pulls back his face still so close to hers.

 *Peter* "Willow?..."

*Willow* "Yes?..."
*Peter* "Don't say yes to pencil dick..."
She tilts her face towards his, her pale blue eyes
 glinting in the low light.

*Willow* "Why?..."
His heart is beating so fast he's almost sure she can feel
 it but little does he know hers is beating just as fast.

 *Peter* "I love you!...I fucking Love you, Babe."
 *Willow* "Oh, Peter!...I was so sure you would never
say those words..."
 *Peter* "I'm sorry it took me so long to say it, but I've never loved anyone as much
 as I love you. I can't loose you to him...Please come back to me."
 As happy as she is to hear him say those words she is
so scared he will break her heart again. Her hesitation
 starts to worry him.

*Peter* "Don't leave me hanging, Babe."
*Willow* "Peter...I love you too. Gawd help me, you set my soul on fire."

The End!...for now.
^_^
Hope y'all enjoyed!
Thanks for all of your support, likes, and comments!
They are always very much appreciated...