Unrequited

Broken - 1988/1989

New Year, new start, right? Arianna was still reeling from losing John, but she knew she couldn't wallow forever. Not for a man who had made it quite clear that she was not the one for him. She started picking up her pieces and moving on by focusing on her work. She was determined to make up for the time she had wasted the year before by being away with him. So, she had a lot of work to do.

She started sketching new designs and taking new ideas to her boss almost every single day. When he liked one, she would pick the perfect fabrics and bring the design to life. She often worked long hours, toiling over her sketchbooks and sewing machine. If she was busy, she didn't have time to think about what John was doing. Or whom.

The unfortunate thing about falling in love with a man as famous as John was that sometimes she couldn't pretend he didn't exist. She'd walk past the magazine rack, and there he'd be, smiling out at her. She'd turn on the radio, and there'd be one of the band's songs. She'd turn on MTV, and there would be one of the band's music videos. Or she'd see Renee on the cover of some fashion magazine. How would she ever get over him if she had to see or hear him on an almost daily basis? But was that the point? Was she not supposed to forget him? Yet, it hurt so much to be away from him.

Her answer was to dive into her work. Her spring line was so successful that she realized she needed to stop designing for someone else. She needed to step out on her own and make her way. By August, she had opened her studio and started her own line that she called Storm Fields. Now that she had her own business, she worked harder than ever, determined to make it on her own. And burying her feelings for John.

Storm Fields was soon featured in the likes of Vogue, ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, and even Cosmopolitan as her work became more and more popular. Soon, her clothes were sold not only from her studio but also from high-end department stores like Nordstrom and Lord and Taylor (she could not get away from that name!).

Her hard work paid off, as she was quickly becoming one of the most sought-after designers. One of the most ironic things that happened around her popularity was the layout in Vogue featuring her designs and two well-known models - Yasmin LeBon and Renee Simonsen. She almost fell over when she saw the two of them wearing her clothes. Especially Renee. Did she have any idea that Arianna was behind Storm Fields? And if she did, did John? But why did that matter? He was long gone from her life.

Things went smoothly and quite well for Arianna and her business. She started opening boutiques in malls to sell her clothes. Storm Fields was soon a household name, sought after by both twenty-somethings and celebrities. She had made it on her own and quite well. She wondered what John thought of his little Arianna. And while she could definitely afford better, swankier digs, she kept her tiny, safe apartment in New York, saving her money and investing it well. She was pretty sure her fortune had surpassed John's. He was snorting his up his nose, after all.

Why did she keep comparing her life to John's? Wondering if he knew about Storm Fields? Wondering what he thought about her success? Because she was hurt and angry, and success was the best kind of revenge. She could buy circles around him if she chose, but she didn't. She knew that her money would come in handy someday. Maybe she'd even retire in her 30s or 40s and live off her accomplishments.

Every once in a while, she would hear a little something about Duran Duran or John. They had released a new album. They were on tour. Well, that meant quite a few groupies were seeing the inside of John's hotel rooms. Then she started hearing that John was sick. That he was bone thin and frail-looking. That meant he was still drinking and snorting coke. The man probably barely ate, binging on all kinds of substances while he literally fucked his life to shreds. She was glad to be free of him. Why did she need to be tied to someone like that?