The Project

I'm Giving You One Last Chance

-Arista's POV-

I stumble out of the tube that had held me captive and collapse to the cool floor beneath. I can see my reflection in it and I see the mascara infused tear streaks across my cheeks, cutting jagged black lines into my pale skin. That feeling I had been immersed in was horrifying. It felt like the physical equivelent of being ripped open and having all your secrets divulged for all the world to see and it terrified me. Apparently to the point of tears which was odd for me, I never cry at anything physically distressing. I look up from the floor and see Cade still staring at the screen with an unreadable expression on his sharp features.

"Well, what were my results pretty boy?"

He does'nt respond, making my anger rush to the surface and drive out my sense of revulsion at what I just experienced.

"The least you can do is tell me after the hell I just went through at your hands!"

I can hear my voice rising and I don't care, I need to give vent to these feelings before I succumb the the tears fighting against my fury for dominance. He simply looks at me, and says nothing. That is the final straw, I have to know what that screen says.

I stand up and take long strides to him, getting more pissed by the second. I reach him and look down at the screen to finally know what I am, and I see nothing but a blank screen.

"What the hell Cade? Where are my results?"

He looks me dead in the eyes and says flatly,

"I removed them from the screen. You see, I have to explai..."

Thats it.

I grab him by the front of his shirt and sling him against the wall, feeling satisfied when he winces at the impact. I hope he gets a damn concussion from that hit, he deserves it.

"You bastard, tell me what I am now or by God I'll break every one of your limbs here and now!"

He reaches his hand up and before I know whats happening, he wraps his cool fingers around my throat. I don't have time to react before I feel that oh-so-familiar feeling of crawling things under my flesh start to stir.

Not again!

I spin and throw him into a panel of buttons and lights, effectively stopping him from using his power on me again.

"Dear God Arista, I am not a frisbee. You can put your hands on me whenever you please, but I beg of you to try to remember the fact that at some point or another, I am breakable.

"Why'd you take away my results? Why can't I see them?"

"All good things to those who wait my dea..."

"Stop with the smooth words Cade and just tell me!"

He sighs and scrapes himself off the wall.

"If you want to know, come with me."

"No! you can tell me right here and now!"

I don't know why I'm being so stubbern but I'm not backing down now. God dammit I have some pride and I will not damage it by backing down and doing whatever pretty boy wants. All of a sudden he's right in front of me.

"Do you get embarrassed easily my dear Arista?"

"What do you mean?"

He smirks.

"I do hope then that what I'm about to do will make you blush. It would make this physical strain of being in your company and becoming a part of the wall all worth it."

Before I can say something he backs me against the wall, his eyes blazing with barely contained mirth. I can't move, his arms have trapped me and he's pushed his body against mine so that I can feel the heat of our combined forms emanating off of us.

"I'm giving you one last chance Arista. Will you come with me? Or will you continue to be ever so charmingly stubborn?"