Love Me Like You Do -Jason McCann-

Chapter Eight

I double checked the address in my GPS. I was definitely in the right place. 120 Aurburn Street. I recognised a white and blue range rover sitting in the driveway. Her parents haven't changed cars for two years, I get a new car every few months. Probably just because I'm sitting on millions. I drove past the house, parking along the road. Ariana would recognise my car if she saw it. Now I need to think of a way to get her out of there. I'm going to show her that I love her, definitely this time. Then I looked in my side mirror and saw her dad walking along the sidewalk on the same side as my car. I pulled my hood up in a smooth quick motion and lent over to the passenger side, pretending to get something out of the glove box. He walked by without suspicion, not even bothering to look in the car. When he was a little way down the road I got out of my car. Some people walking down the sidewalk gave me a weird look because I had my hood up on such a sunny day. I ignored it and continued to walk towards Ariana's house. Just as I was walking up the driveway, Ariana's mom strolled out of the house, grabbing her keys out of her bag. I hid behind the blue range rover, praying that it wasn't her car. I heard a door slam before an engine started. Phew. 

So that's both Ariana's parents gone now, this is going to be so much easier. After her car had disappeared down the road I walked in. I wasn't going to make a big show of this by sneaking in the back or anything, so I just casually walked through the front door. The breeze made the door slam behind me, are you fucking kidding me?

"Mom what did you forget this time?" I heard Ari's angelic voice followed by one of her cute giggles. I smiled slightly before I saw her appear round the corner. Her face turned to complete horror when she saw me. 

"Ari." I whispered softly, edging closer to her. Every time I stepped forward, she stepped back. 

"W-What are you doing here?" She stuttered fearfully. 

"I need you." I said simply. She shook her head.

"No way, Jason don't ever expect me to come back with you. I hate you." Her last three words made my heart crack. I was fighting back tears at the moment, something that I rarely do. "I don't care if you cry, I don't care what you do. Nothing can make me come back with you, ever." She said. 

After ten minutes, I was pouring my heart out to her whilst she was acting like she doesn't care. She seems fearless, confident now. It's almost as if her parents have brainwashed her.

"Is that your hair dye?" I asked completely changing the subject, seeing brown dye on the table, the colour her hair was before she dyed it red.

"What?" She asked confused looking in the direction I was looking in. 

"Are you dying your hair back brown?" She nodded her head slowly. "But I like your red hair." I said honestly. She sighed and rolled her eyes. 

"Stop changing the subject." She said before beginning to rant on about how I treated her and how much she hated me. Once she was done I slowly walked over to her and embraced her in a tight hug.

"Ari please." I whispered. She grabbed my wrists from around her waist, squeezing them as she pried them off her. I clenched my jaw-her fingernails were digging into my cuts. I snapped my hand away, clutching it tightly. I took a quick look down the sleeve of my jumper to find that they were bleeding, again. She looked at me worried. "I didn't grip you that hard." She defended. 

"It's not that." I responded. Her eyes widened.

"Jason." She said in a sort of warning tone. I looked up at her, staring into her gorgeous brown eyes. "Please tell me you haven't done what I think you've done." I didn't say anything for a few seconds before I frantically nodded my head. 

"Of course not." I said. "I'm upset but I would never cut." I said. She didn't look convinced.

"Show me your wrists." She demanded. 

"Why? I just told you that I don't self-harm. Don't you believe me?" I asked. She shook her head before trying to grab my wrist. "Ari, I'm fine." I said, pulling my wrist behind my back. We were just centimetres apart. I couldn't help but look at her pink, plump lips as she spoke.

"Jason just tell me the truth." She said, her voice cracking. Is she upset about this?

"The truth?" I asked as she nodded her head in response. "I'm fine." I said. We stared at each other directly in the eyes for a few moments. I couldn't resist, I started to lean in slightly. My lips were almost connected to Ari's when she pulled away.

"Jason I can't." She said in response. 

"Why not?" I asked, upset that she actually pulled away.

"Jason, I just.." She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

"Just what?!" I yelled.

"I don't know!" She screamed back. "Jason I was so sick of the beatings and the yelling and everything. You used to tell me that you loved me and then call me a worthless whore the next minute. I couldn't take it anymore! And I know that if I go back you'll do the exact same thing!" She yelled. "You treated me like shit Jason, I never thought that you loved me, because you would never show it." She added, her voice breaking. "I couldn't take it anymore.. And if you were expecting me to just come running back into your arms.. Then I'm sorry to ruin your perfect happy little ending." She replied before walking towards the stairs. "You can go now Jason." I looked at her, my eyes flooding with tears, my heart breaking. Just as I was about to turn around and leave, I felt someone storm up behind me.

"What are you doing here!?" Someone growled viciously. I spun around on my heels and saw John standing over me, his jaw and fists clenched. "I thought you took the hint that she doesn't want to be with you anymore when she LEFT YOU!" He spat, enphasising on the words 'left you.' I gulped and shook my head.

"Yeah I get it." I said trying to push my way past him but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

"Then why did you come!?" He growled, getting in my face.

"John honey, calm down." Laila said rubbing his arm.

"Can I go please?" He moved aside, still clearly angry. I was almost at the door when someone grabbed my wrist, once again digging their sharp nails in my cuts. I hissed in pain and quickly yanked it away.

"Jason you have to promise me something." Ariana said. I nodded, telling her to continue. "Don't hurt yourself again. Promise?" She asked. I didn't reply, instead I just looked down. I was about to walk out the door. "Jason." She repeated. "Promise?"

"I'm not promising anything." I replied walking out the door, my heart breaking as I did. I slammed my car door shut, looking over hoping that Ariana would be there looking back at me, but of course not. She had already walked back into the house. I reversed out of the driveway and continued driving back down the road, heading home.