Page 128 of Ravage God
I didn’t get to come here often, less than a handful of times before.
We were seated right away, with Tommaso occupying a table a good distance from us. He couldn’t hear what we talked about, but he could see us.
Valentino was a picture of ease, unaware of my turmoil.
“What are you going to get?” he asked me.
I hadn’t even looked at the menu. I didn’t know what they served.
“I’m not sure,” I mumbled.
He made a small sound as he continued browsing the menu.
I looked up at him after a short while and opened my mouth.
I didn’t know which words to use though.
What could I say?
Valentino, Dad is abusing me.
Valentino, I’m being abused.
Valentino, Dad is hurting me.
I don’t want to live with Dad anymore.
I don’t want to be there anymore, Valentino.
Valentino, help me.
Help me.
Help.
Valentino—
He looked up at me suddenly, and I could feel my heart stalling.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
I could only nod, looking back down at the menu before he could say anything more.
I was a fucking coward.
I couldn’t make the words come out. I didn’t know how.
We ate our lunch with conversations that didn’t matter. While Valentino wasn’t one for words, he must have sensed that I didn’t much feel like talking, so he took up most of the conversation, telling me stories about his life that he deemed weren’t too ugly to share.
I felt a little sad over the fact that had I even been in the mood to talk to him, I wouldn’t know what to say, or what story to share with him.
Before I knew it, Valentino had paid for our lunch, and I still hadn't said what I wanted to say.
And I knew we would leave as soon as the waitress came back with his card.
“Valentino—”
He pulled out his phone, stopping me in my tracks. I quieted as I watched him read his message.
