Undying Love (The Introduction) (5 page)

I raise a brow at her. “Uh, is there a fire or something?”
 

“Nope.” She replies breathlessly.
 

“So why did you run into the car?”
 

“Because I did not want you to go inside …”
 

“Why is that?” I ask curiously.
 

She’s quiet for a long while, so I steal a glance at her and she’s looking straight ahead. “Rachel?”
 

“Yeah?”
 

“What’s wrong?”
 

She sighs and turns in her seat slightly. “I’m not sure. You know that I like you and sometimes I think you like me too. But there are times when I think you would rather we be friends. Almost like it isn’t me you want to be with.”
 

“If I didn’t want to be with you I wouldn’t be with you.” I lie coolly. I want to tell her the truth, but I don’t want to hurt her. If Arianna never existed I may have been able to give Rachel
more of me, but I can’t. Arianna had me from the first time I laid eyes on her. Arianna loves her, so that means I care for her also. Plus Rachel has grown on me a lot.
 

“Why don’t I believe you?” She asks gently.
 

“Because I’ve been a pretty shitty boyfriend to you. So I can understand the distrust.”
 

 “Sky, I want us to work. So whatever it is you need from me, for us to work, I’ll do it.”
 

My brows pinch from shock.
“Rachel, what are you trying to say?”
 

“I think you know what I mean Sky.” She says flirtatiously as she rubs my thigh.
 

When I stop at the light I slowly remove her hand from my thigh, and I see her face falls. “Rachel I can’t drive with you rubbing my leg like that.” I say with a
tight smile
.
 

She smiles brightly at me, and instead of being happy, I feel like a complete fraud. “Rachel, are you a virgin?”
 

The light changes and I continue to drive and she still doesn’t respond. “So I’m guessing you are by your lack of response. It’s nothing to be ashamed of Rachel. There is no rush.”
 

After a moment she silently confesses, “Yeah, I am. How about you?”
 

I can feel myself beginning to blush. “No, but I wished I waited on someone I loved.”
 

“Yeah?” She replies in a quiet voice.
 

“Yeah.”
 

I pull into the restaurant parking lot and as we’re about to step out of the car I say, “Hey, Rachel.”
 

“Yeah?”
 

“Were you watching
me
from the window when I came to pick you up earlier?” I ask with a smile in my voice.
 

“Oh shut up will you.” She grumbles.
 

As we're walking to the entrance, she stops in front of me.
“I think I believe you
now,
Sky.”
 

I smile tightly back at her. For the rest of the night I’m having an inward battle on why I let this relationship with Rachel get this far.
 

***
 

I decided to start training early for the soccer season after school. So, when the tryouts start I’ll be in top form. I’ve just finished running for the last hour to strengthen my resistance. As a result, I’ll be able to play a full game without becoming winded.
 

I’m heading back to the locker room and for some reason unknown to me; I turn my head in the direction of the tree where Ari goes to think. To my surprise, I see her sitting there. Before I even realize what I’m doing, my legs start moving towards her.
 

“It’s late why are you out here by yourself?” I shout.
 

Eyes open wide, she shouts, “Sky …?”
 

“Yes, Arianna?”
 

"
You scared me. I didn’t realize anyone was out here. Colin asked me to wait on him, he’s at basketball practice.”
 

I wipe my face with my shirt and put my hands on my hip to catch my breath a bit. I notice her eyes follow the movement of my hands and I smile to myself. “So why aren’t you inside the gym? This isn’t safe.”
 

She looks up at me sheepishly. “I slipped out of the gym. I don’t care much for basketball.”
 

“Oh really? So what do you care about then?”
 

She smirks at me. “Soccer.”
 

I laugh. “You are trouble Arianna.”
 

She smirks. “I do try.”
 

“Let’s go. I need to take a shower, and I’m not leaving you out here by yourself.”
 

She pouts and I laugh. “Your super cute powers don’t work on me Ari.”
 

I grab her book bag and pull her upright straight into my chest. “You smell good.” I say while fighting with myself not to kiss her.
 

“Thanks.” She murmurs.
 

“I told myself I’ll be good. So I’m going to release you and step away from you okay?”
I say shakily.
 

“Okay.”
 

When I release her, she looks everywhere but at me.
 

“Let’s go Ari, before your boyfriend goes apeshit searching for you.”
 

She laughs. “You are awful Sky.”
 

I laugh along with her and in this moment, I’m content to be in her presence. It’s not what I wanted but it’s better than not having her in my life at all. Any amount of time I spend with her is a good time.
 

Chapter Eight
 

Arianna
 

 Rachel slams her locker door. "Oh my gosh, why won't this day be over so summer can begin."  
 

I shake my head at her. "What's the rush? Got something special to do this summer Rachel?"  
 

"Yes! Hopefully Skylar." She says flirtatiously.
 

I roll my eyes. "Ugh. Have you ever heard of TMI? Over sharing does not become you, my dear."
 

She looks at me condescendingly. "Whatever. I don't know what his problem is anyways. He should totally want to hit this." I look away from Rachel feeling a bit relieved and embarrassed all at once.
 

"There's no rush Rachel. You have all the time in the world."
 

"I think we are the few
virgins left." She says with a pout.
 

"Who are the few virgins left?" Colin asks as he hugs me from behind and kisses my cheek.
 

"Me and your
girlfriend here
. Hopefully, I won't be
one
for much longer
though!" Rachel says while wagging her eyebrows.
 

I laugh and say "Good luck with that."
 

Colin speaks into my ear in a whisper. "Maybe she won't be alone in losing her virginity."
 

I roll my eyes and step out of his embrace.
"Yeah? Well, keep dreaming."
 

 I start to walk away as the bell rings for last period. I hear Colin calling after me, but I ignore him.
 

***
 

I walk into the classroom and flop into my chair. Sky eyes me cautiously.
 

"Hey Ari.”
 

"Hey, Sky." I say with tightness in my voice.
 

He looks at me warily. “What’s up with you?"
 

"Nothing."
 

"Hmm ... You’re lying. I know you better than that. Tell me
.
" He says forcefully.
 

I groan. "I'll tell you later."
 

"Okay." Skylar gets up and heads towards the teacher and speaks quietly with him. A few minutes later, he walks back and picks up his book bag.
 

"Let's go."
 

"Where are we going?" I ask warily.
 

He smiles. "To the nurse. You're not feeling well and I'm going to take you to the nurse’s office. I've got the pass to prove it."
 

"Really Sky," I say as I get up and gather my things. When we're in the hallway, he grabs my hand and links our fingers together. I look up at him, and he stares straight ahead and leads us
to the parking lot, directly to his car. He opens the passenger door for me to get in and then he heads to the driver’s side. Once he's in the car, he turns and looks at me. "What is it? I don't like when you're not happy."
 

I turn away because I can't look into his eyes. It hurts. I still feel the connection with him, but I can't have him. He slips his finger under my chin and turns my face. I'm hit with the most
intense
eyes I've ever seen. Blue eyes that almost looks gray, even more so now. It looks like a storm is brewing in his eyes. He is
breathtakingly stunning
, that is the simplest way I can describe him. He has a perfectly defined jaw line. And the most tempting mouth I've ever seen on the opposite sex. He is like a Greek god. Although, it’s not his appearance but something good and pure deep within him that pulls me toward him. Even though I shouldn't
be anywhere near him
.
 

"Your girlfriend wants to have sex with you." I say petulantly as I hang my head down so I don’t meet his eyes.
 

"I see.”
 

I whisper, "I don't know how I feel about that Sky. I shouldn't feel anything because you both are my friends."
 

"I know, but you know it's not what I want Ari."
 

"I know." I look back out the window. "Colin heard her talking about it. Now he has this crazy idea in his head that I'm going to sleep with him too."
 

He shouts, "Over my dead body Ari! … I'm trying here, I am, but you know better than I do that you should have chosen me. This isn't fair to either of us. We belong together."
 

"It's too late. Live with it Sky."
 

"Are you going to sleep with him?" He murmurs.
 

I look out the window and see a few students laughing. I imagine what it must be like to be them. "I don't love him. But I don't know if I won't."
 

"I'm in love." I feel my heart shred and a tear slips out of my eye.
 

"Okay."
 

"Okay? Just okay?"
He murmurs.
 

"Yeah. What else am I going to say? She's your girlfriend; you are supposed to love her. I can't be mad. I'm not supposed to be." I say defeated.
 

"Yeah it would have been nice if I was in love with my girlfriend, but I'm not." He croons.
 

I whip my head around so fast I get whiplash and
I
stare at Skylar's face.
 

"Don't." I say in a sharp tone. But I’m angry with myself, not him.
 

"I can't help it, Ari."
 

"Please don't Sky. Don't say it, please." I say crying.
 

"I won't say it to you now because you’re not ready. But I will one day."
 

Inhaling a deep breath I whisper, "Thank you."
 

"Yeah, it's no problem. You know I'd do anything for you Ari."
 

"Yeah. That's why you are such an awesome friend." He flinches at the word friend.
 

"Yeah, I am." He says with a sad smile. "Let's go get you an ice cream. I think you deserve it."
 

I laugh. "You are the best. You know that?" I kiss his cheek and he smiles at me.
 

He looks at me and whispers "You are so worth it Ari."
 

I don't think I was meant to hear it, so I don't acknowledge it.
 

***
 

"I would like a double fudge sundae please, with lots of whip cream." I smile at the waitress as she leaves. I turn back around to see Skylar laughing at me.
 

"What? I would like to get chocolate-wasted. I deserve it after the year I had." I say with a pout.
 

He laughs and shakes his head. "Well, if you don't get chocolate-wasted with that, I don't know what will."
 

"Thanks, smart ass."
 

"Anytime, doll face." He says with a smirk.
 

"Really? Doll face? Is that the best you can do?"
 

He makes a face. "What's wrong with doll face?"
 

I roll my eyes at him.
 

"You know if you don't stop rolling your eyes at me it's going to stay like that." He deadpans.
 

"Whatever, you would still totally love me with crossed eyes, so hush."
 

"Yeah, I would." I swallow and as I'm about to make a joke of what he said, his phone rings.
 

"Hey, babe ... Yeah, I'm not at school." I turn away to give him some privacy.
 

"Yeah, she's here with me. We kind of skipped class. There wasn't anything going on being that it's the last day of
school
and all … Yeah."
 

I look back at him and notice that he's staring at me. I pull my phone out to hide from the intensity of his gaze. I notice I have a text from Colin.
 

Colin: Hey babes. Where you at?
 

Me: I'm at the diner.
 

He responds almost immediately.
 

Colin: Yeah? With who?
 

Me: I'm with Sky.