Love Persists

Chapter 16

Mandie's POV:
Realizing what I was doing, I suddenly stepped away from Erik, "I-I am sorry Erik, but I can't do this."

"What do you mean, Mandie, what is wrong?" He asked, concern filling his eyes.

"I-I do not actually love you," I lied, my heart feeling as though it was being stabbed as the words left my mouth.

"I do not understand, why did you just tell me that you did love me if you did not?"

"I-" I began to try to come up with another lie, but it hurt too much. Instead, I turned from him trying to fight the tears that threatened to fall.

"What is wrong, Mandie?" He asked tenderly, taking my hand in his.

"I-I cannot love you, Erik. I know that I cannot and yet I do, but that does not mean that we can be together. We must both simply forget about this, it would be the best this to do, for both of us."

"What on earth are you talking about, Mandie? Why is it that we cannot be together? There is no one who can stop us from loving one another."

"But there is, Erik. Well, they can't stop us from loving one another, but they won't let us be together either."

"Who are they, Mandie? Just tell me and perhaps we can find a way around it."

"I have told you how strict my parents are, they won't let me be with you," I informed him, suddenly wishing that I didn't have the parents that I had.

"Because of my mask?"

"No, because they do not want me dating. Although they haven't specifically told me that, they will do all in their power to keep us from each other. For one thing, you don't have any parents here, which means that they won't have a reliable adult who they know watching over us at all times-"

"Mandie, I'm not going to let your parents keep us apart, not when you are the only person I have ever met with the power to love me. We will find away around your parent's rules and perhaps you can come over my house on Friday."

"And who will be the trustworthy adult?"

Erik paused for a moment before breaking out in a small smirk, "did I ever tell you about my acquaintance whom I live with? He would never pass as my biological father, but with a bit of makeup we could probably age him a bit and have him pass as an adoptive one, what do you think?"

"Will he be up to that?" I asked in shock, not realizing that Erik had someone willing to pretend to be his father just so he could go on a date.

"Oh trust me, after finding out I have finally confessed my feelings, he will be willing to do anything for us. So would you like to come to my house after school and then-"

"No, my parents will have to meet your friend first, so they will probably want to drop me off. Unfortunately they work on Fridays and they both work until five. We could leave immediately when they get home and get there closer to five-thirty or six?"

"And then I can bring you home around ten-"

"No, they will want me home for nine. I'm sorry Erik, I realize how inconvenient this is for you," I sighed, turning from so I wouldn't have to look into his disappointed eyes.

"Mandie, that does not matter to me, as long as we get anytime together, I will be happy," Erik assured me, wrapping his arms around me. "Ask your parents about it tonight and if there is anything else we need to alter, I will be more than willing to do so. I don't care what price I must pay, I would give everything I have for just an hour with you, I love you Mandie."