Unrequited

A Future - Christmas Eve 1980

After that night in the club, Arianna and John started spending a lot of time together. If she wasn't in class, they were hanging out, listening to music, and if they were lucky enough to be alone, snogging like crazy. Arianna traveled with John to London when Duran played at the Marquee Club, and they had a great night, both during and after the show.

A few days after that, she saw him off in the little van that the band had rented for the Hazel O'Connor support tour of the UK. John wrote her a letter almost every day that he was gone, and a few times, Arianna borrowed Sophie's car to drive out to him. They would hang out, make out, and she would see Duran perform.

Then the band's big break came. It was during the Hazel O'Connor tour that a bidding war between record companies broke out over Duran Duran. Both Polydor and EMI offered them good contracts, but they had a hard time deciding which company to choose. Eventually, in the sense of British loyalty and loyalty to the bands they looked up to, they signed a contract with EMI. John was so excited that he called Arianna long-distance right after, at the company's expense.

When the tour ended, John and the rest of the band returned to Birmingham. A celebration of the contract signing was held at The Rum Runner for the band and their families. John introduced Arianna to everyone as his girlfriend, which thrilled both his parents and Arianna.

Soon after, Duran played some more gigs in London at various venues, and there they met movie director Russell Mulcahy, along with his assistant/partner, Gerry Laffy. Russell ended up shooting Duran's first two "music videos," a type of short, promotional movie set to the band's music. Making videos like that was in its infantile stages. Duran then spent a few days recording songs for their first album but took a break for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

On Christmas Eve, John took Arianna to a nice restaurant for dinner. There, he gave her a diamond pendant on a delicate gold chain, which earned him several loud squeals, a few hugs, and a huge, passionate kiss from Arianna. After dinner, they went back to John's house since his parents were at a friend's Christmas Eve party. He and Arianna were soon wound together on the couch, making out like crazy. They were getting quite wound up when John stopped and gently touched Arianna's face.

"Do you know how much I love you?" he asked, looking down at her, and she smiled sweetly up at him.

"Probably as much as I love you," she teasingly quipped, making him scoff.

"If I could, I would marry you right now," John added. Arianna's eyes grew wide, her mouth gaping open.

"You can't be serious," she countered, but John nodded as he looked into her eyes. Yet, he could tell that Arianna still didn't believe him.

"As soon as Duran makes it big - and we will - we're getting married. Promise me," he said emphatically and watched as Arianna's eyes filled with tears.

She loved him so very much, and the thought of being married to him thrilled her to bits. She pulled him down to her, thrust her lips to his, and kissed him hard, knowing without a doubt that he was the one for her. Then she broke the kiss and pressed her forehead to his.

"I promise," she whispered. "But I think I'm ready for something else first," she added quietly, then looked into his eyes. She saw him blush, but he was also trying to hide his shock at her suggestion.

"Do you mean...," he started, and Arianna nodded. "Are you certain?"

"With you? Yes, very certain," she answered, and it was John's turn to kiss her hard.

Their kisses grew with passion, and John slipped his hand under the front edge of her sweater. For the first time, he was not met with any of her defenses. His hand first caressed her soft belly, then slid up and cupped her breast, lightly squeezing. Both he and Arianna moaned, and he abruptly sat up, pulling away from her and getting to his feet.