Love or run?

When fear comes back

About a month has passed since Jake and Ariel became a couple. They were still happily living together. Recently Jake had started trying to get Ariel to get more social. He'd taken her to a few restaurants and a couple business parties but every time Ariel would get uncomfortable and leave. Jake didn't understand why Ariel was like that and whenever he asked her about it she would get depressed and say that she didn't want to talk about it. Every time Jake tried to get Ariel around more people it slowly started bringing her fear of hurting people back. Ariel was afraid to tell him why she didn't like being around people because she was afraid that he would start to hate her if she told him. She wanted to tell him but she just couldn't risk loosing the only friend she ever had.

"So what do you wanna do today?" Jake asked her hoping she'd say she didn't know so he could pick something. He wanted to take her to the amusement park that was a couple miles away. It was a Monday so he knew that there wouldn't be very many people there.

"We can go on a drive?" Ariel suggested.

"Good idea." Jake said. He knew that he could convince her to go to the amusement park if they were driving.

They got in the car and Jake started driving around. He eventually started going in the direction of the park.

"Do you mind if we go somewhere?" Jake asked carfully. He knew that if he told her where then she would try to convince him to just go back home.

"It's fine. Where are we going?" She asked.

"It's a surprise." He answered hopeing that she wouldn't ask again.

"Last time you said that you took me to a business party." She said hopeing that the suprised didn't involve a bunch of people.

"You'll like it I promise." He said smiling sweetly at her.

Ariel trusted Jake so she didn't question him any more. She knew in the back of her mind that it would involve her having to be around people in some way. Ariel understood why Jake was trying so hard to get her around more people. If he understood her past then he would know why she was afraid to be around people. He would also either be afraid of her or he would hate her. She really didn't want him to hate her and she deffinately didn't want him to be afraid of her. All of this thinking about her past reminded her why she avoided people to begin with. It also brought a new fear. What if she hurt Jake, or worse what if she killed him? She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did something to him. She would never forgive herself. She looked at Jake suddenly wanting to tell him everything. Maybe he wouldn't hate her. Maybe he would want to help her. Maybe he would hold her and tell her that she's not the evil monster that she believes herself to be. He always held her when she was upset about something. Ariel finally made up her mind.

"Stop the car."She said. (Not in a mean voice)

Jake looked at her then pulled over in the grass. They were in the middle of nowhere between town and the amusement park.

"Whats wrong?" He asked turning to look at her.

"There is something that I really need to talk to you about." She said meeting his eyes.

Jake could see in her eyes that she was serious and that what she was wanting to say was difficult. "You wanna go back home to talk?" He asked.

Ariel shook her head no,"if I don't do it now then I might change my mind." She answered.

Jake turned the car off then turned to face her better,"ok. Then we can stay here. What do you want to tell me." Jake was suddenly feeling nervous. He was afraid that she was gonna say she was leaving him. He loved her too much for that.

"I want to tell you why I don't like being around people." She said.

Jake felt so releaved to hear her say that, "I've been wanting to know." He said.

"I've know." Ariel looked down at her hands,"will you promise me something before I tell you?" She asked.

Jake smiled sweetly at her,"anything for you." He answered.

Ariel smiled lightly at his answer, "promise me you won't run away from me." She said.

Jake kept his sweet smile,"I would never leave you." He said worried about why she would ask him to promise something like that.

"That's not what I asked. I asked you to promise not to run away from me." She said looking up into his eyes.

"I promise not to run away from you." He promised as his smile faded when he saw the sadness in her eyes. 'What does she want to tell me that has her so sad?' He thought to himself.

"I've killed people before." She said looking down again,"I didn't mean for it to happen. I also killed my parents. The only reason being that I smelled their blood. That's why I killed my parents and some other people. WheneverI smell blood I go crazy and completely loose control of myself. I don't like hurting people and it terrifies me to think that I could kill someone so easily. That's why I don't like being around people. I'm afraid that I'm going to loose myself and hurt them. I'm also afraid of hurting you." Ariel explained. She wanted to get away from him and run. She didn't want to see his reaction to what she just told him.

Jake didn't know what to say to Ariel. She wouldn't look him in the eye but he could tell that she was crying. She went to open the door and Jake pulled her into a hug. He didn't know why but he was afraid to let her go. He knew that she was going to run away if he did. He didn't know how he knew but he did. People have always left him, even his parent had left him. He was always left alone. He hated it. He couldn't let the one person that he loved so much leave him too. He would die if Ariel ever left him.

Ariel didn't understand why Jake was holding her so tightly after she told him her past but she didn't care. She was just glad that he didnt run away. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back as she cried.

"Please don't leave me Ariel." Jake finally said still not letting go of her.

"I won't." Ariel said.

Jake finally let Ariel go and wiped the tears out of her eyes. They sat in silence staring at eachother for a while then Jake did something that suprised Ariel. He leaned in and kissed her. They have been together for a little over a month and this was their first kiss. When they pulled back they smiled at eachother.

"So do you wanna go home or go where I was taking you before I stopped the car?" Jake asked turning the car on.

"Let's go where we were originally going." Ariel said. She didn't care if there were going to be people there or not. She knew that as long as Jake was with her then she would be fine.