Chapter 8 - Never Gonna Give You Up

Ha ha ha.

Face my fears she said. It will be fun, she said.

I yelped in pain as I felt my legs slowly give in to my weight.

Fucking Mr Hastings.

Taking a look at the clock on the wall, I thanked God that I had only three minutes and 26 seconds of torture left.

Come on Adrianne, you can do it.

And finally, as if forever has passed, the bell finally rang, indicating freedom for me and my legs.

Lucy approached me, her legs wiggling all the while walking.

"My gosh. This man is crazy. Like, crazy crazy. My legs feel like someone has ripped them out. And look at Jake, he can't even stand up properly."

She pointed her finger at his laying form on the floor, and wore a grin that looked kinda forced. I have wondered for some time now why does she always act so... I don't know, plastic around him. She's in love with him, right?

Speaking of love.... Scarlett should pick me up anytime now. Awwh, she's going to break the rules for me. Hopefully she'll break a couple of big ones too...

I laughed at Jake, and helped him up along with Lucy who just kept her head in the clouds the whole time. What in the world is going on with this girl?

"Adrianne!"

I heard the sweetest voice ever call out my name.

My friends patted me on the shoulder, wished me good luck, and finally, thank Goodness, left, leaving me alone with the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Ready to go, Addy?"

I nodded my head, and followed her out to her car.

We got in, and the first thing I saw as I got in was a little picture of me hanging from the rearview mirror. I must have missed it the last time I was here.

The picture was the one of me from eleven years ago. I was hiding behind some rock, only my head popping out, and a grin splitting my face.

"It's what kept me alive these past years."

Her confession was so quiet, so shy that I had barely heard it, and still wasn't sure if my mind had made that up.

I turned around to look at her, and found the most adorable pinkish color painted on her cheeks.

"Scarlett.... I..I don't know what to say..."

She shushed me with a finger on my lips, and my body temperature immediately rose up at the contact.

"Don't say anything. I don't want to be giving you false hope. I just wanted to reassure you one more time that I never once forgot about you. The thought of you is what kept me strong. What gave me the courage to stand up to the world. I'm grateful that I was able to meet you, and be alive at the same time as you. Thank you for everything."

Tears picked at the corners of my eyes, and the amount of adoration in her eyes broke me. At the lack of words, all I could do was fling myself at her, and bury myself in her warm embrace.

"Why do you always have to render me speechless, huh?"

I looked up at her, only to find her eyes fixed on my lips. Now, the moment is perfect. Just lean in a little bit...

What? No. Adrianne, snap out of it for Christ's sake.

I pulled a bit away from her, and it seemed to be enough to break the trance like state that she was in.

She coughed awkwardly and started the engine of her car.

"So, uh, where are we going?"

The sudden idea came to my mind. Perfect. If nothing, it will at least ease the tension a little bit.

"Hey, I know. Let's go to the Japanese restaurant."

She looked at me weirdly and chuckled.

"A Japanese restaurant? Since when do you like that stuff? I clearly remember you almost passing out first time that you tried sushi."

If looks could kill, she'd be six feet under by now.

"Well, guess what smartass, I might have stayed the same as I was back then, but some things still changed. I adore sushi now."

I actually didn't even try it since then.

"Ok, ok, off we go then."

I really hope that my hate for sushi has vanished, or else this could become awkward....

~~~~~~~~

"HAHAHA, I can't believe you. You literally started crying just from one bite. What's wrong, is the soy sauce too strong for you? Aww, you're such a little baby."

Although I was all too focused on my burning throat, I still found it in me to hit her on the arm jn hopes it would silence her at least for a minute.

"What was it again that you said earlier? Some things changed, right? You're still that same kid that I knew."

Finally, as we got to some kind of a shop, and I drank some water, I could breathe again. When I looked at Scarlet, she seemed so lost in thought, and I had to stop for a second to admire her.

Her eyes were ocean blue, and looked like starry sky under the city lights. Her sharp facial features looked so soft as she was standing here with me.

Finally, like she broke out of trance, she looked at me, and came a little closer.

"Some thing really never change..."

My heart was beating wildly inside my chests. The sad look in her eyes broke me. I needed to get away from her right now, or I will do something we are both going to regret later.

"Hey, which reminds me, why wouldn't you bring Addy sometime? I'm sure that Scar would be overjoyed to see her."

I said the first thing that came to mind, just to ease the growing tension between us.

She seemed to notice what I was trying to do, because she pulled away from me a bit.

"I really wouldn't know, I'm going to be more than busy the next few days. Maybe, if it's not too big of a bother for you, you could watch over her for some time. How does that sound?"

"That's great. I would love to. But what are you gonna be doing anyway?"

The look on her face changed in a second, and her eyes suddenly got that sad and tired tone to them.

"I...I'm going with my fiancé to see his family."

Oh... Well, I really don't know what I should say...

"R-really? I hope you have a good time."

I tried my best to sound convincing and to keep a smile on my face.

Out of nowhere, she pulled me in and her arms locked tightly around me.

"You know, you don't have to pretend that you're happy for me. For Christ's sake, I'm not happy for myself. I know that it hurts. Just know that you're not the only one that's feeling that way."

Her words left me speechless, but yet so many questions surrounded my head.

"Then, why don't you leave? Nothing is worth it if you're not happy."

She tried to smile, but failed miserably, and let me go from her arms.

"Addrianne, you don't know some things. And it's better that you don't. Just know that sometimes life doesn't go the way we want it to go. We can't be with who we want to be. That's sad. But that is life."

Tears pricked in my eyes as she finishedher sentence. I caught what she meant. I still don't understand everything, but some things are clearer now.

I turned around and started walking away.

"Where are you going?"

Her voice was underlined in panic.

"I don't know. I just have to think about something. But, I'll be back. I'll always come back to you."

And, in that moment, as I was getting further from her, I gave a promise to both Scarlet and myself.

I will never, never give up on you.