“

when he comes back
don't you dare
forget how you
broke when
he left.

”

"Kayden," Ariel glared at the Asian girl that had dark sunglasses on, a casual t-shirt and dark jeans. She was forgetting they were a few days away from Christmas and it was freezing.

Not like it was unlike Kayden to not consider the weather before dressing up.

"What?" She asked innocently as she sketched away on her notebook. She was incredibly talented, everything she called nonsense were things Ariel admired.

"Do you really need another tattoo? I mean, you have so many that there might not be any space left for another one," Ariel frowned, but Kayden ignored her and continued sketching her dream tattoo.

"We're going on a trip around Asia. I'll make space," Ariel rolled her eyes at Kayden's childishness, but said nothing.

She was going to be spending Christmas away from Agape and Jasper to go on a getaway trip around Asia.

Kayden had her entire trip planned. Ariel? Not so much, planning was never her strong point, but she was sure of one thing.

She would do anything if they could spend some time in Europe. She had learnt from a former friend that after she had run off with Nick, her parents had waited for her for months - when she didn't come back they went on a trip back home in Greece. They hadn't returned yet.

Even though it had been years, the hurt was still there. She couldn't believe herself or the things she had done  to her family. The pain she had caused her parents and siblings.

And as much as she craved an opportunity for redemption, she also knew that it was probably best the way things were. Maybe one day, just not today.

They're both in a cute little restaurant that Kayden adores because the scenery looks divine at night. Although it's morning and their both waiting for their breakfast, when Ariel looks out the window she has to agree it does have a wonderful scenery.

"Do you want one?" Kayden suddenly asked Ariel, startling her a bit.

"Excuse me?"

"A tattoo, do you want to get one?" She eyes Ariel's skin, seeing it void of ink, "there's a lot of space on you, if you ask me."

Ariel laughed sarcastically and rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm not getting one, it's too painful."

"Ariel, nothing good can come out of something if you don't go through a little pain to get it done. Besides a few minutes in and you'll find it soothing."

"Spoken like a true masochistic."

A few minutes later their food arrives and Ariel can't seem to get her appetite, watching Kayden moan in delight while praising the pancakes may be enough for her.

She passed her pancakes to Kayden once she was sure she wasn't going to be eating.

They had a flight to catch tomorrow. And maybe it was just nerves, but Ariel felt like the world was crumbling underneath her feet.

×××

Ariel is at store picking up pasta for dinner. It's her turn to cook this week and with Agape overworking and Jasper doing after school clubs, she can only hope everyone will be able to make it.

She does want to leave and follow Kayden to the unknown, but she has to admit the thought is scary. Her life with Nick was predictable and planned, all she thought she ever wanted - but the moment he had thrown her out of his house, and his life, her life had spiraled out of control.

She couldn't predict a thing that was going to happen and it was fun, but insane and her trip with Kayden would be the same. Completely unpredictable.

But she was scared sometimes that she didn't want that. Sometimes she still wants everything Nick gave her. And sometimes she's glad she realised she deserved more.

What would await her? Love? Wealth? Success? The suspense was killing her and she kind of wanted her life to be something similar to a movie. So she could easily jump to the end of the story and see everything that unfolds.

Grabbing some tomato paste, she concluded that she'd do some last minute shopping. Maybe a way of saying 'Goodbye, but just know your fridge will be stocked up for a while!'.

After a bit of shopping and a lot of mental reassurance, Ariel's sure she has everything she needs - and even more. Rolling her cart away and mentally calculating the price of everything in it, she doesn't pay attention to the person right in front of her until her cart manages to hit him.

Then she looks up, her cheeks red in embarrassment. "Oh gosh, I'm so- Nick?" With surprise laced in her tone she looks at the familiar face.

He looks the same, like nothing about him has changed - except from the dark stubble on his cheeks and the purple bags underneath his eyes.

"Ariel?" He said, the surprise on his face matching that of his tone. Ariel knew that she could walk away, she was experienced enough to know that most people would want the closure. They'd want to let that one person that hurt them know that they were doing better without them.

But Ariel couldn't- no, she didn't want to. She didn't want to rub it in his face that she was happy without him. She didn't want any pathetic form of closure that would probably mark her like a bloodstain for the rest of her life.

All she wanted was peace. And he wasn't going to give it to her. Not in this life and not in the next.

Ready to roll her shopping cart away from him as quickly as possible she averts his gaze and tries to walk away, but gasps when he holds her arm, the cold of his hand ruining her mood instantly.

"Don't touch me," he lets go of her quickly, he never listened to her when they were together. It was good to know that now they were apart he had more respect for her.

"I'm sorry," he apologised, looking sincere, "it's just been so long that I-"

"That you what, Nick? Huh? If you missed me so much I'm sure you'll be glad to know I didn't change my number."

"It's not that, I- I've just missed you. I love seeing you again," the feeling of discomfort was a feeling Ariel had never gotten around Nick. But there's a first time for everything.

She shook her head, a sarcastic laugh on her lips. "You've got to be kidding me," she muttered, almost stunned by his confession, "the last time we saw each other you made it clear you never wanted to see me again. And I listened to you, Nick. I never once tried to reach out to you again so do the same for me. What we had was foolish and stupid and even though I'd never take it back I'd love to take back the decisions I made because of you. I don't want anything to do with you ever again. I love my life, Nick, and you're not in it."

His eye twitched, maybe he wasn't used to the rejection or maybe he just wasn't used to her rejecting him. To him, she was a possession and he owned her. And he always wanted to own her.

To her, he was a painful memory that came back in flashbacks and echoes.

"Ariel, you're wrong. Look we could go out for dinner or-" Ariel shook her head again.

"I'm leaving BreaVille tomorrow," she hated to admit that she enjoyed watching his face fall in disappointment, "and even if I wasn't, you've lost me and I hope you never find me again."

She walked away from him, feeling alive. But she didn't miss when he said, "In another life I would make you stay. . ."

She snorted at that and whispered to herself. "And I'll get to courage to walk away. Over and over again."

She wasn't the girl that had lost him. No, she was the one that got away.