The Introduction (Undying Love #1)

Chains

                                                                                                Arianna

It's been a few weeks since I've met Skylar Montgomery, and my life has changed a bit. He wasn't kidding when he said we would be best friends. He has been doing his best in finding out everything about me and I'm trying to fight it. I know I said we could be "best friends", but how can we? Even if I wasn't attracted to him the fact that Rachel is always fawning all over him would still make things weird. I don't do love triangles and things are getting a bit too messy for me.

It's Wednesday morning and I'm tired, and it's just third period. I've been dreading this period all day because he's in this class with me. I don't need to see him to know when he walks in. I feel it pulsating through me the minute he's near. I can't figure out what else I can do to stop the sensation I get from him. I've tried ignoring him or outright pretending he doesn't exist, somehow he always finds me. This emotion that I refuse to define is suffocating me, but I like it. Actually I think I may even love it, and that scares me even more. It's too early to be thinking this hard. I sigh and slump into my chair and I rest my head on my desk. Then I feel it; the electricity. I hear a chair scrape the ground and I can imagine him folding himself into his chair.

"Ari..."

"Hmm."

He pulls my hair and I sigh contently. Then with a fake annoyance I say, "How may I be of assistance to you today, Sky?"

He chuckles. "One day Arianna. One day."

I raise my head off the desk and look at him. "There will be no one day, Skylar."

"We'll see." With that he turns around as the lesson begins. He doesn't look at me throughout the whole class. I should feel happy but, I'm terrified. Usually, he tries to get my attention a few times during class, but not today. Call me a silly confused girl all you want, but he has become a constant part of my life. And it seems I've grown quite attached.

***

After class, he grabs my hand and pulls me away from my next class. My pulse quickens and my palms begin to sweat.

"W-where are we going Sky?"

He doesn't respond. He continues to pull me until I begin to see his intentions. There is an old hang out spot behind the gym that kids use to skip class.

I panic. "I'm not skipping class, Skylar."

He smirks. "Yes you are. We need to talk Arianna."

Warily I ask, "About what?"

He simply says, "You."

I begin to panic. "Me?"

"Yes, you Arianna. I need to understand you. I'm infatuated with you, and I'm not talking about your looks. There is something about you that makes it hard to stay away from you. I've tried. It's obvious Rachel wants to be with me, but it's you that I want; I need to understand why I can't be with you."

"I can't betray her like that. She's like my sister. Her parents are my parents now."

"I want to comprehend what happened...but if it's too painful you don't have to."

I turn away from him and find a spot on the ground and I sit. I tap the space beside me for him to take a seat. When he's seated he takes my hand and kisses the back of it. I close my eyes and relish the feel of his lips on my skin. I take a deep breath and open my eyes. "My parents were so in love. At least that's what I remember about them. They were always touching each other and kissing each other. My home was happy. But, the last time I saw them I was mad at them because I wanted to go with them. It was their anniversary, but I was so selfish I wanted them to take me with them. I wanted to go on that trip with them so bad that when they called I didn't want to talk to them."

He grabs my hand and rubs his thumb in circular motion on it. "You don't have to do this if this is too hard Ari."

"I want to. The last time I spoke to them... or the last time I even heard their voices it still haunts me, Sky. They called and when they asked to speak to me I didn't want to. Rachel's parents had to bribe me. Who does that? Who has to be bribed to speak to their own parents? ... When I came on the phone they both were on the line. I remember my dad saying they would be home soon and he bought his princess gifts. He said they had a surprise for me. That's when I spoke to them. When I heard about the gifts and the surprise."

"You were young Ari. You can't beat yourself up about this. It isn't your fault."

"I know it isn't. I hope they knew how much I loved them. Because they were my world and I lost them."

He brings his hand up to my face and wipes the tears I didn't realize I was crying. "They knew because if you didn't adore them why else would you want to go on that trip with them. And I'm sorry you lost them, but I'm not sorry you didn't go with them Arianna. If you did I would never have met you. My life wouldn't be the same without you in it."

I swallow the lump in my throat and turn my face because the emotions in his eyes are unbearable. "Thanks for listening. I haven't admitted how I felt out loud to anyone."

"I'm here for you anytime you need me, Arianna."

"I'll remember that. Now you see! I can't be selfish with my family anymore. I don't want to hurt anyone I love. I can't." I say with a tremble in my voice.

I feel my resolve beginning to crack. It's like the harder I try to fight this feeling...this unbearable emotion that I feel for him, the deeper it becomes. It's like we were created for one another.

He takes two fingers and lifts my chin up so that I can look at him. "Ari... I"

He moves in to kiss me and the moment his lips are about to touch mine I hear my cellphone ring. I jump back and the hypnotic haze is lifted. When I grab my phone out of my pocket I see it's Rachel and I get this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I look at him remorsefully. "I have to get this."

He doesn't say anything, he just nods.

"Hey, Rachel... Yeah, I wasn't feeling well, but I'm fine now... No, I wasn't sick I was just having one of those days you know... Yeah, don't worry about it. I'm good...I'll see you later I just need to be alone... I love you too."

I don't speak for a long while after I hang up the phone. When I gather enough courage to look up at him, I see that he's already watching me. He sighs. "You're going to say we can't be together, right?"

"We can't Sky. I can't do this to her. Plus, she likes you."

"Sometimes a sure thing isn't the best thing, Arianna."

Frustrated and overwhelmed I snap. "What are you trying to say? She's not good enough for you? She's a beautiful girl with a beautiful heart. You should feel lucky to have someone like her be into you." I shout.

His face becomes void of any emotion. "I'm sure she is, but my heart doesn't speed up at the sight of her. If you can honestly say that you don't feel anything for me at all Arianna I'll date her. I'll do what you want."

I close my eyes to fight the tears that are close to spilling and I stiffen my spine. "I'll be okay if you date her."

He knows I'm lying; I can tell by the way he looks at me. But I see the resolve in his eyes and with a sad smile he says, "Your wish is my command, my lady."

I return his smile, but it's forced. On the outside, I look calm but inside there is a raging storm and I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with it.

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