Insufferable Proximity

2.Trip Down The Memory Lane

2.Trip Down The Memory Lane (Leon POV)

"This is Bianca Reece, star student of our college, And these are Preston Knight and Leon Spencer, members of that modern form orchestra...what does your generation call it....ahh yes...band Jaded and also our new students for the year."

As I turned to face Bianca, I could see that the Dean's words were falling on deaf ears because she never even acknowledged his presence as she stared into my eyes.

I, for my part, was still not out of my shock. When I left, I thought that was the last time I would ever see my angel. But fate was keen on bringing us back together and so here we were.

I couldn't help but stare at her. She looked so different, yet so familiar, all at the same time. Her previously shoulder length hair now cascaded down her back with cute side swept bangs framing her heart-shaped face beautifully. Her skin, no longer so pale because of the slight tan, still held the lustre it used to.  The fact that she still wore that old grey hoodie made me smile . Even faded and lacklustre, it looked hot when she wore it.

As I gazed at her , I noticed the plum-coloured circles curving under her eyes. Nightmares. I facepalmed mentally.How could I forget that like me she too had a very rough past. I remembered how I used to gloat over the fact that my Beenie could never sleep without me. We even joked that we'ed be buried beside each other just so we could be together forever. That was one of the million promises I broke the day I left her alone.

As I looked into her brown eyes, now glassy with unshed tears, I saw a medley of emotions-surprise, sorrow, betrayal, and something I never expected to see in her eyes for me again - love. But before I could think any more about that emotion, she abruptly turned away from me and looked at the Dean.

" I'm really sorry Sir, but I can't show them around. I have to help the librarian with the arrangement of some books. Class will be over in a few minutes. I'm sure a lot of people would love to show these newcomers around." 

"Welcome to the college." She said as she turned around and smiled sweetly, rather too sweetly at us, and before I could even say something, she was out of the cabin, walking away from me, the same way I did four years ago.

*Flashback*

"What are you thinking about", she asked as she came from behind me looping her arms around my waist. I could feel her soft , warm breath across my neck, sending goosebumbs through my body. A million responses ran through my mind, some wanting to break free from my throat and blurt out the truth, others wanting to soothe the worry evident in her voice. My mind continued the throwball match  as I stared blindly at the sun dissapearing in the horizon, leaving behind a sparkling pandora of evening lights, before settling on one. "Nothing", I said, knowing that she wouldn't believe it.

She slowly drew back her arms, leaving me feeling cold from the emptiness , before once again coming in front of me and slowly lifting her hands to my face.I inhaled her subtle sandalwood scent,  knowing that this was probably the last time, I'll ever get to smell it .

"You know, I can tell when you are hiding something from me, right?", she asked as she rubbed her  thumb gently against my rough unshaved cheek. "Tell me what's bothering you, please.", she whispered to me.

Being so close to her, knowing that a few seconds of it was all I had, was immense torture. Before, her angelic voice could shake my resolve, I blurted out the words."Bianca,I have to leave" , I said in a calm, yet firm voice which in every way contradicted the multiple tenterhooks that were now pricking my interiors.

She slowly withdrew her arms, not once breaking eye contact with me. "Uhm, okay! Just give me an hour to pack up, we can pay off the motel bills and..". "No, you don't understand Beenie. Its just me leaving, you are staying right here!" I shouted, more harshly than I intended.

Ten seconds passed.Ten more did.More ten, and she still hadn't uttered a single word. 

Just when I thought that the suffocating silence would drown me, a loud, smacking sound pierced through it, leaving behind a hot stinging sensation on my left cheek. 

Raising my head, my eyes locked onto another pair of the same, now shining like a depthless abyss of onyx, filled as they were with unshed tears threatening to break free any instant. Without even looking, I could feel my eyes turn glassy aswell, knowing that I was the one causing my angel so much pain. She never said a word, just stared at me sharply, no doubt waiting for some logical reasoning for this sudden decision.

I turned around before replying, knowing fully well I'd fail in my hardened resolve, if I looked at her . "Beenie, its not that I don't love you, because I do, but your baggage is too much to bear, even for me. I have my own past to deal with, I can't bear the burden of your skeletons any further.I have some dreams to fulfill , new people to meet, a completely new world to enter and live in, away from you. I'm sick of being stuck with you for so long, I just can't do it anymore."

Even as I said the words, I knew how far from the truth they were. But if one lie could save the life of the one person who meant everything to me, I was ready to lie a million times.

She said nothing as I slowly approached her again. As I tenderly lifted her hand and put on the bracelet on her delicate wrist, now cold by the evening breeze, I didn't take my eyes off her, memorizing this angelic form for the last time.

"Good bye Beenie. Take care of yourself and please forgive me if possible" were the last words I said to her before turing to the door and walking out of her life.

The last thing I saw before exiting was the grinning sniper sitting on the roof of our adjacent building as he slowly lowered the gun previously pointed at Beenie.

*End of flashback* 

" Snff! Snff! " A weird sound brought me back to reality and I looked over at Preston.

"Dude! Why the heck are you sniffing your underarms? " I whisper yelled at him as the Dean answered some phone call.

"Bro, did you just see how that chick walked away from us. No one, straight or gay, walks away from us, ever. Either something's wrong with her or she must have realized that I haven't taken a bath today."

I wrinkled my nose as I rolled my eyes. This guy was a weirdo for sure. He didnt bathe for days at a stretch, drowning himself in deodrants, and suddenly when he felt like it, he'd have a 6-hour long shower. He needed someone to bring him to sanity.

"Lets get out of here and check out the place. Remo is going to forward us the details of the subject within an hour." I said as I walked towards the door. 

This mission was going to be a big challenge for me.Not only did I have to play the part of a famous spoilt rockstar, and protect my subject, but now I had Beenie as my biggest priority. But how could I stay away from the one person who could bring me to my knees, when i was going to spend one year seeing her every day ? How would I survive this insufferable proximity.

A/N

Hey guys! Sorry for the late update. I was a bit confused of how I wanted to continue the story, but I finally mnaged to clear the clouds and come up with the story track. So who do you guys think is the actual person behind Leon's rockstar facade? And why was Bianca put on gunpoint to drive Leon away? Keep wondering till the next update (I'll try to not take so much time).

Love, Ash :)