The Frozen Heart

Chapter 7- The Surprise

Harper's POV:
I can't believe I even took Aspen to the cinema with me, first he insults the movie, then he won't leave me alone. I sighed and rolled my eyes, it was my fault I fell asleep though. But he was so warm and comfy... I blushed slightly as I felt an arm wrap around my waist as I waited outside the shop for Aspen. "Hey, Harp..." Said a voice in my ear. I froze, was that... I turned around and screamed, "LOGAN!" I screeched, grabbing him and wrapping my arms around him. He hugged me back, lifting me slightly off the floor. "Where have you been all this time Lo?" I asked, "I missed you so much!" He put me quickly back down, and I turned to see Aspen staring at Logan shooting daggers at him. I swallowed and removed my arms and coughed nervously, "This is my friend, Logan." When he heard the word friend, Aspen's face seemed to relax slightly. Logan held his hand out, "Pleased to meet you..." He paused. "Aster." Aspen replied, then I remembered. His fake name, he told me he couldn't trust anyone else with his real name but me. He shook his hand quickly then dropped it, he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. "I assume you've met my girlfriend." Aspen said, emphasising the word my. Logan seemed slightly confused and looked at me for help, Aspen tightened his grip around me and I let out a frightened squeak. "Yeah, we've been friends for quite a while now. It's funny how we met actually, I was in the locker rooms and-" Logan said. "Don't you dare!" I quickly said stopping him before he said anything else, he laughed. Aspen shot a piercing glare at Logan, I felt my cheeks burn. Aspen tugged on my hand, "We'd best be going hadn't we Harper?" I'd barely opened my mouth to speak before he tugged me away. "Bye Harp! It was nice to see you and," he glared at Aspen, "Your boyfriend. I'll see you around." The word boyfriend came out mangled and seemed to be filled with distant, he waved at me before walking quickly away. "What was all that about Aspen?" I asked. Angry flashed in his eyes, "He touched you." He growled, "He touched my girl." I placed my head on his shoulder to reassure him, "We're just childhood friends, that's all." I replied. "I don't want him touching you again. Ever." He muttered, angrily. "Don't you think that's a bit-" he opened the back door to my car and pushed me onto the seat. He angrily kissed me, his lips claiming me, possessing me. Owning me. His hands roamed my body, "You. Are. Mine." He huffed between breaths, as he passionately kissed me, "No one. Else's. Mine. Only mine." I reached up and gently pushed him back, "People are going to-" I tried to push him off me, but he pressed himself closer to me. His body heat suffocated me, his heavenly smell intoxicating. I closed me eyes for a moment, before opening them to see Aspen wasn't there. "A-Aspen?" I called out nervously, my voice breaking slightly. He didn't answer I couldn't see him anywhere, "A-Aspen!" I cried again, my tone pleading. I turned around suddenly to see a black coated figure, "A-Aspen!" I squeaked in fear, the figure came closer. "W-where's Aspen?" I whimpered. "He's dead." The figure laughed maliciously, "See for yourself." He gestured and I stared wildly to see a gun being pointed at Aspen before the trigger was pulled and he fell to the floor bleeding from the head. "ASPEN!" I woke up screaming, tears were streaming down my face as I sat bolt upright. Aspen sat up from the car seat looking panicked, "What happened?" E asked, "Harper, talk to me! Are you OK? You just feel asleep, it's OK please stop crying, you're scaring me!" He gripped my arms tighter, but I could do nothing to stop the tears falling. "Oh Harper..." He said, his voice breaking slightly. He grabbed me and pulled me into his lap facing him, I wrapped my legs around his waist and threw my arms around his neck. He rested one hand on my lower back and the other curled around the back of my head. He kissed my forehead, "Harper," he whispered, "What happened?" "I-I had a nightmare." I whimpered. "W-what happened?" He asked, holding me tightly. "Y-you got shot." I replied, almost silently. "By who?" He said. "I-I couldn't see, but there was a black coated figure in front of me." I answered. He froze and his face darkened like the one I'd seen when I first met him. Then it softened again, "It's OK." He said soothingly, rubbing my back gently, "It was just a nightmare, it's over now. I'm here Harper, I'm going to stick around and annoy you for a long time." I laughed slightly, he took my face in his hands and wiped the tears on my cheeks with his thumbs. "It was going well until that happened, I liked where it was going..." I said, not realising what I'd said. He smirked at me, an eyebrow raised, "Did you now..." He said, flirtatiously. I shoved him hard in the chest, "Don't push it."

Aspen's POV:
"Don't push it." She said. I laughed, but all I could think about what the nightmare she'd had. It has to mean something, right? "A-Aspen?" She whimpered. "I'm still here baby, it's OK." I replied, she curled into my body. She fell asleep after a while, I listened to her breathing for a while before I fell asleep myself. I woke up to hear her muttering to herself. "Aspen~" she softly moaned, "Aspen, let me take your shirt off~" she curled her fingers around my thigh her nails digging in. She slid down and rolled over so she was now laying on her back. "Aspen~" she sighed in her sleep. "Yes, Harper?" I asked, "What do you want?" "I want you to take my dress off, and kiss me~" I snorted and her eyes shot open, "Having the hotel dream again?" I asked. She rolled over onto her back and stared at me blushing, "Y-yes, I mean no!" She said, nervously. "You don't have to lie to me, I know you did." I replied, almost laughing. She sighed, her body limp, "What did I say this time?" She asked. "Aspen~ Aspen, let me take your shirt off~" I moaned trying to impersonate her, "Aspen~ I want you to take my dress off, and kiss me~" her eyes widened, "W-what?!" She screamed, "I said that?!" I laughed, "Yeah, you did. It was probably the most hilarious thing I've ever heard." She got up from my lap and opened the door, "Let's go home, I'll drive." She said, I got up too and sat next to her in the passenger seat. She drove away from the shop, "Where are we going?" I asked as we passed her flat, her hands gripped the wheel but she said nothing. I reached across and curled my hand around hers, I rubbed my thumb on the top of her hand. "Is something wrong?" I asked, a hint of panic in my voice. "Yes." She gravely whispered, "Yes." She drove through a forest and stopped on a clearing, laid out in front of us was the city. She swallowed and rested her head against the steering wheel, "This was the last place I went with my parents before they..." Her voice trailed off, she took big gasping breaths and I knew she was trying hard not to cry. "Hey," I put my arm around her and pulled her closer, "It's OK. Tell you what, let's sit in the roof. Come on, I'll keep you safe." We got out to the car, she knelt on the bonnet and I knelt next to her. I helped her up onto the roof and laid down next to her. She wrapped her arms around me and I kissed her softly. "When I was younger, I always used to love the stars." I said, "I always thought they held some sort of magic, you know? I thought each star had a story to tell, I don't know." I suddenly felt shy telling her something so secretive. I expected her to mock me for my stupid beliefs, but she didn't. "I used to think stars were magic too, I thought that each star was a person." She laughed softly, "And that one of those stars would be the one I would spend the rest of my life with..." she coughed embarrassed. "I guess I found my star..." She said softly, I couldn't hold myself back anymore. All the emotions I'd felt for her in this past few weeks ever since we'd met came pouring out. I bit her ear softly and she wound her legs around my waist tightly. I rolled her over so she was sitting on top of me, I reached up and tugged her shirt off. I skimmed my fingers down her spine, she shivered slightly. As her parted lips met mine, a sigh of pleasure escaped my lips. This is where I'm meant to be, this is my destiny. I will always love her. No matter what happens. She is my star, the biggest and brightest in the whole world. And I love her. Just then I heard a voice from behind me, "We meet again, Mr Aster."