Loving Damon

| 7 | A Fragile Flower

A/N: The picture at the top is an aesthetic board of Ariels graduation and what she was wearing. 😍

| Ariels POV |

I sat in my crisp white chefs jacket and new black pants, quietly but nervously watching as president and Vice President of my culinary school went up with their prepared speech and spoke to thousands of graduating students in the crowd. Myself and the soon to be pastry chefs surrounding me would be the first group called up to receive our diplomas and I knew the time was quickly approaching.

I chewed on my lip nervously because I knew not only my best friends and my father were sitting in the seats watching but so was the man who made my heart race out of my chest and shivers run up and down my spine — without even trying. The man who I foolishly fell head over heels in love with at 17. I still couldn't believe he was here witnessing me graduating and taking this huge step forward in my life, despite the fact I tried my hardest for him not to be here.

I couldn't believe he put everything else out of his mind to come here with Lena and Emma solely because he was worried about me. He heard the pain in my voice as I spoke to my girls and its as if he sensed he needed to be here. My mind though couldn't comprehend why. Why did he need to come so bad to ensure I was okay if he feels nothing for me. If he can never imagine falling in love with a woman?

I can't lie to myself, as soon as I saw him at my door, I never wanted him to leave. In that moment I couldn't remember why I didn't want him to be here. Psycho ex-boyfriend and fear of seeing him be damned. As soon as my eyes came in contact with his and his deep rough voice rushed out concern for me I knew I was doomed and my walls would begin to crumble again...

I didn't want him to come for obvious reasons. The way we left things at Lenas wedding being one of them but the biggest reason of all was that I was trying to move forward with my life, with someone else, and forget about him. I wanted to push all the love I felt for him in high school away and I wanted another man to show me so much love that my feelings for Damon would disintegrate — Andrew did no such thing. If anything he did the total opposite and now here I sit in the same situation I was in 4 years ago — hurt dramatically by a man I wasted four years of my life on and in love with a man who didn't know how to love.

Thats rich. That is what romance dramas are made of and it seems like slowly but surely my life is turning into one.

With that thought my hand reached up, subconsciously and held my throat, my fingers delicately rubbing the up and down my esophagus. The thought of Andrew holding my life in his hands sent shivers of fear through my body and I had to swallow to make sure my throat was still in working condition.

Never have I been so scared in my life. I still wondered if Ricki hadn't shown up, if Andrew would have let go in time for me to breath again. Why did he get so angry anyway? He didn't want me anymore, he didn't really love me...the cheating and insulting he did throughout the relationship showed that so why would he become murderous when I uttered those words?

I shook free of my thoughts when a classmate of mine, Alexandra nudged me playfully on the shoulder and gave a low giggle. "Looks like you've got an admirer. Hottie checking you out, twelve o'clock Ari." She whispered close enough for only myself to hear.

Forgetting about the four years wasted on an asshole and the fear he has instilled in me, I turned to my left to see exactly who she was talking about and rolled my eyes. I wanted to make believe I was frustrated at his staring but my body didn't seem to get the message as I felt my cheeks heating up and my teeth tugging at my lower lip again.

Damons green eyes were gazing my way. He had a sly grin on his face, no doubt from seeing my reaction to his watching me, and he winked me way.

This time I actually did roll my eyes but not before turning back shyly and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.