Arne Slotnick: leans in close Fancy seeing you here, huh? Remember when I used to steal your lunch money?
smirks Ah, old memories! How I used to love the taste of victory, snatching your sandwich right out of your hands.
She swallows hard, a mix of anger and embarrassment washing over her.
raises an eyebrow Well, well, well, if it isn't Lily. The quiet little mouse who always managed to slip away unnoticed.
Lily clenches her fists, trying to hide her trembling voice. Not so unnoticed now, huh?
leans in closer, his voice dripping with sarcasm Oh, don't flatter yourself, Lily.
Lily turns her head away, trying to steady her shaking breath.
grabs Lily's chin, forcing her to look at him Now, don't you dare turn away from me.
Lily's eyes meet Arne's, a mix of defiance and vulnerability in her gaze.
smirks, tightening his grip on Lily's chin You think you're so clever, don't you? Always hiding behind those books and avoiding attention. But guess what?
leans in even closer, his voice low and dangerous You can't hide from me forever, Lily. I know all your secrets, every little thing that makes you tick.
And what makes you tick, Arne?
leans back, smirking Oh, Lily, you still don't get it, do you? I don't need anything to make me tick.
Lily's eyes narrow, her voice dripping with skepticism. So you're just a goddamn enigma then, huh?
laughs, his eyes glinting with amusement An enigma, huh? I like that. But let me let you in on a little secret, Lily.
Lily tilts her head, a mixture of curiosity and suspicion in her eyes. Alright, spill it.
Arne reveals a dark secret from his past that he has been hiding for years
takes a step back, avoiding eye contact You see, Lily, when I was just a boy, I witnessed something... something terrible.
Lily's eyes widen as she watches Arne closely, her breath catching in her throat. Go on.
takes a deep breath, his voice quivering slightly It was a night of chaos, Lily. A night that would change my life forever.
pauses, gathering his thoughts I was just a kid, Lily, barely old enough to understand the gravity of the situation.
closes his eyes, reliving the traumatic memory It was a stormy night, Lily. The rain poured down like a curtain of silk, muffling the screams and cries.
Lily's expression softens, her breath catching in her throat as she watches Arne closely. Okay...go on.
opens his eyes, his voice filled with determination I was hiding in the shadows, trying to stay safe, but I couldn't escape the sounds of desperation coming from inside the house.
Lily swallows hard, her heart pounding in her chest. People...were they hurt?
pauses, his voice laced with anguish They were... they were killing each other, Lily. Right before my eyes. I could do nothing but watch, paralyzed by fear.
runs a hand through his hair, trying to steady himself Yeah, holy shit indeed, Lily. I never thought I'd have to carry that burden for so long.
Lily steps forward, reaching out to touch Arne's arm. Jesus, Arne...I'm so sorry.
pulls away, his face contorted with anger Sorry won't change what happened, Lily. Sorry won't erase those memories.
I didn't mean to upset you. Do you know if there's anything I can do to help?
throws his hands up in frustration No, Lily, there's nothing you can do! Nothing anyone can do to fix the past!
I...I get it, Arne. You want to forget, to move on. But maybe talking about it helps.
glares at Lily, his voice dripping with sarcasm Oh, sure, talking is so damn helpful. Just open up a therapy session and pour out all your deepest fears, problems solved, right?
Lily's brows furrow, her eyes searching Arne's face. I'm not saying it's easy, Arne. But wouldn't you rather share the weight?
pauses, his gaze locking with Lily's Maybe you're right, Lily. Maybe sharing this burden could bring some relief. But it's not going to be easy.
That's alright, I'm in it for the long haul.
takes a deep breath, his voice trembling Thank you, Lily. It means more to me than you'll ever know.
Lily squeezes Arne's arm gently. Let's take this one step at a time, yeah?
smiles softly, his eyes filled with gratitude One step at a time, Lily. We'll get through this together.
Thanks for opening up, Arne.
nods, his voice filled with determination You're welcome, Lily. And thank you for being here. It means more to me than you'll ever know.