Keep Me Close

Just A Look

Ramin POV

I think Lily tried on almost every dress in New York City. She was correct, I hated shopping. Always have, and always will.
"Ramin do you like this one?" She said emerging from the changing room. I was staring at the ceiling in bordem not even paying attention to her.
"Yes, beautiful as ever." I said not even looking at her,
"Ramin, you aren't even looking at me"
"Ugh" I said moving my head back to look at her. I was happy I did. She wore a white ball gown with gold and black detailing. The neckline was lower than usual exposing her prevalent collar bones and chest. She looked beautiful, like a princess. I sat there studying her, almost trying to draw a picture of her in my mind so I could never forget the sight of her in front of me.
"Well?" She asked looking at herself in the mirror.
"You look like a princess." I said quietly standing and walking begging her.
"Really?" She asked twirling around in front of me. "I hate how it shows a bit of my scars." She said softly. I saw not a single imperfection on her, not even the scars from the fire all those years ago.
"You look glorious none the less." I said wrapping my arms around her small waist.
"Thank you. I may come back in a few weeks and buy if for the masquerade ball Father is hosting for the twentieth anniversary of the park being open next month" She said leaving my arms.
"Do it." I said as she stepped back into the dressing rooms.
"Any idea who you will take?" She asked changing. I wish it could be you I thought to myself,
"Not sure. I may not even go." I said.
"Nonsense. Father would be hurt if you didn't come. He wants his family there. That includes you Ramin." She said,
"Maybe." She stepped back into the room in the dress she arrived in, still looking beautiful in my eyes.
"Im starved. We should go to that pub down the street." She said rubbing her stomach.
"Sounds great"
I got a table in the bar as Lily stood looking around at the pictures on the walls. Then a rowdy bunch of young men came into the bar chatting and laughing loudly. Not even noticing Lily shading there, one of them ran into her, knocking the two of them to the ground.

Lily POV
I looked at the deep brown eyes staring back at me as I was knocked to to ground. We both stared at each other for a moment, niother muttering a word.
"Lily!" I heard Ramin scream and pull the boy off of me. He gave me a smirk as my best friend pulled him off of me. "What's wrong with you?"Ramin yelled at the boy. "Are you okay?" Ramin said to me, I kept looking at the boy as he kept looking at me, almost as if he was studying me as I was with him.
"You're not even going to apologize?" Ramin yelled looking back at the boy. The boy then snapped out of his intense stare, as did I.
"My sincerest apologies miss. I need to learn to be more careful, I wouldn't want to run into anymore beautiful young woman and hurt them."He said, his voice had a hint of an Irish accent. He ran his hand through his dark brown hair an slicking it back into place, he was handsome indeed. He noticed me looking at him again and smirked at me.
"It's alright." I said softly.
"No its not! He should-"
"Ramin! Mind your manners, he apologized. It's fine, I'm fine" I said running my hand down his arm. He glared at the boy and thn back at me with a caring look. "Go to the table, I shall be over in a second." I said. He reluctantly walked away shooting the boy one more angry glare.
"Excuse him, he worries about me constantly." I said apologizing for Ramin's behavior.
"No need for apologies. He seems like a caring boyfriend" He said.
"No, he isn't my boyfriend. He's my best friend nothing more." I said looking back at Ramin.
"Oh? Surely a young woman of such beauty like yourself is spoken for." I shook my head no blushing in the process.
"I don't believe I caught your name" I said looking back at him.
"James Moritarty" He said taking my hand and placing a soft kiss. I blushed even harder. "Yours?" He asked
"Lillian Destler, everyone calls me Lily."
"A beautiful name, named after a beautiful flower." He said. "Allow me to make it up to you for my clumsy mistake."
"No, theres no need-"
"I insist, how about breakfast tomorrow morning at the Delilah Cafe near Coney Island?" He said. Was this a date?
"I'd love to." I answered him. He grinned at me,
"I shall see you there tomorrow then, Lily. Stay beautiful." An with that he retuned to his fiends. I exhaled and smiled with excitement. I felt as if this could have been destiny, never in my life have I ever felt this way. His voice still echoing in my mind. I dreamily walked back to Ramin and sat across from him. I looked at him, his expression was dark and pained.
"He was so handsome..." I said looking back to the bar where James sat with his friends, laughing away. I looked back at Ramin, his expression the same. "What's wrong?" I asked him.
"Nothing at all." He said coldly, he never took this tone with me.
"There obviously is something wrong."
"Everything is fine, see?" He said giving me a fake smile.
"Okay" I said to him. I let my fretting about Ramin leave my mind and my thoughts went back to James.
Ramin and I ate in a uncomfortable silence. I would look up to see him looking at me but he would quickly look away, Whats wrong with him?
Ramin payed when we finished our meal and we left, neither of us saying a word to the other. I hated it when he did this.
"Ramin, please tell me. What is troubling you?" I asked taking his arm so he would face me.
"Lily, I've already told you I am fine."
"Don't lie to me! I know you too well Ramin Karminloo, you cannot hide anything from me." I said.
"Lily I-"
"Get it!" I heard someone scream form down the street interrupting our conversation. Three young boys emerged an alley way chasing a dog. The dog was limping,
"I think its hurt." Ramin said softly, then I saw the real reason for the limp. The dog had only three legs. The young boys chased the dog, throwing garbage at it in the process. I left Ramin's side and walked towards the situation, pitying the poor animal.
"Lily-"
"Hey! Leave him alone!" I yelled at the boys. They stopped in their tracks looking at me timidly. The dog ran to my side, looking terrified and whimpering.
"He's a freak. We were just having fun with it" One of the boys wined at me.
"You were having fun at the expense of this poor dog that cannot defend itself? No. Go home, leave the poor thing alone!" I yelled at them, kneeling down and petting the dirty dog. He was panting and licked my face,
"Oh yeah? What are you going to do about to if we don't?" The tallest boy said walking towards me. Then Ramin stepped in front of me and the dog protectively.
"I suggest you leave her and the dog alone and walk away." He said his voice deepening. I saw a look of rage in his eyes at the treatment of the poor dog and how they had just spoken to me. The boys coward and took off running in the other direction. Ramin then best down and began petting the dog. The dogs tail was still tucked between its legs, telling me he was still scared somebody was going to hurt him.
"What should we do with him?" Ramin asked me. "Take him to a shelter?"
"No, they'll put him down because he's different and nobody would adopt him. We should bring him home." I said petting the dog as he sat down in front of me.
"Will your Father be fine with it?" He asked me.
"I don't care, he will understand though. I think he will warm up to the idea." I said knowing my Father would most likely be fine with it. He wouldn't want the poor dog to be hurt anymore. Ramin stood up and grabbed a piece of rope laying on the ground near by and tied it around the dogs neck. I stood up and the three of us walked home, the dogs tail beginning to wag.