BOOK II.
Four months have passed since Ashton and Ria's relationship fell into ruins. He's convinced that she hates him and she believes he never loved her. Giving up on each other, they attempt to mend their loneliness in the arms of their past; Ch...
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"JARED, I THINK I'M FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU..." Vivian bites her lip and stares into the darkness, listening for Jared's soft breaths beneath her raucous ones. He doesn't shift from slumber. Her heart drops.
She's never expressed her love to anyone besides her parents and Ashton. Every person that she's ever loved...something terrible always seems to take them away from her. What if the same happens to Jared? What if her love is a curse and she's dooming him? Does she deserve to love him? Does she deserve his love?
Her shaky fingers find his soft raven hair and relief washes over her spirit simply knowing that he is real and with her in the flesh. They lie in his bed and had been talking about nothing and everything all at once until Jared fell asleep. Worry has kept her awake.
They're still in an uncertain phase in their relationship. Their level of intimacy consists of light touches, caresses and maybe a kiss here or there. Nothing crazy or intense. Just slow and careful, like she's glass and he's afraid too much pressure will break her.
Maybe she is glass. She could shatter to pieces.
If she and Jared want more, how will she feel if he begins to remove her clothes? How will she feel with him on top of her? Her body recoils at the thought and tears spring to her eyes. She wants him but she doesn't. She likes his touch, but she's terrified of it at the same time.
Is he going to hate her? How long before he craves her body? How is she going to explain the disgusting things her shell of a body has gone through that keep her from intimacy?
He'll break up with me...
"Don't hate me," she whispers. "I'm so sorry." She touches his cheek and sighs. "I-"
"Vivian!"
Her heart crashes into a thud at the sound of someone yelling her name. She springs up in bed and Jared groans next to her.
"Vivian!"
"What the hell?" Jared shoots up straight, suddenly registering that something is off.
Vivian stares at him with wide eyes as one thought rips through her mind. It's over. It's over. It's over.
Limbs paralyzed. Lungs tight, unstable. Heart raging against her ribcage. It's over.
Jared begins to slide out of bed, but she grabs his wrists desperately. "Don't go," she hisses. "L-let's hide."
Too late. Jared looks behind her and his eyes expand with panic. His body is taut and ready to defend. Vivian turns around in time to see a large masculine figure in their doorway, clad in inky shadows. Jared is midway across the bed, ready to pounce when the figure speaks again.
"Calm down," a deep and familiar voice comes from the figure. "It's Daniel."
Vivian didn't think it'd be possible to be more terrified. "Daniel?"
