Zarah

I groaned. "I can't believe you agreed to this! You don't even like the opera," I told myself as I looked in front of my mirror. "And you're going by yourself, no less!"

I took one last look in the mirror before I head on out the door.

Marco offered to have his driver, Dale drive me to the opera and I didn't decline.

"Good Evening, Miss Anastasi," he greeted when I exited my building.

"Good evening," I said.

He opened the door for me and I climbed in.

The drive to the opera house was quick. Before I knew it, Dale was opening the door for me and helping me climb out.

"Thanks," I said.

"My pleasure, ma'm. I'll be close by waiting for you, ma'm," he said.

"Oh please, you don't have to do that. Please go home, I'll take a cab on the way home..."

He starts shaking his head. "I have orders from..."

"Dale, please. Tell Marco I insisted on not making you wait 3 hours. Please, I'll be fine," I assured him.

He looked torn, but I know he didn't want to argue with me so he gave me a curt nod. "If you change..."

I shook my head. "I won't. Have a good evening Dale and thanks for driving me here," I said and headed inside the theatre.

I was already dreading the next couple of hours. I don't know what it is about the opera, but it has always given me the creeps. The setting of the opera theatre just makes me uneasy. I always feel like someone's going to sneak up behind me and grab me.

I shivered at the thought.

"Stop it, Zarah! You're overreacting!" I told myself.

According to my ticket, my seat is at box D. I went in search of box D. It wasn't hard to find since there were usher's to help you to your seat.

"You're companion is already seated, ma'm. Enjoy the show," she said to me.

I frowned. Companion? I shrugged. Someone must have bought a ticket and chose the seat in the same box.

As I was moving closer, I saw the back of the head of a man, sitting in the seat beside mine.

I don't know why, but my heart started pounding.

I shrug it off.

He's just a man who's here to watch the play, just like you are. No need to...

My thoughts were cut off when the man shifted as if sensing my presence.

He shifted and turned to my direction slowly, and recognition dawned on me. I'd know that masculine form anywhere.

I stood frozen in place, wishing I was wrong.

Oh god no!

Then he stood up and fully turned and I came face to face with the man I have been avoiding for the past year.

Jason...

To say he was shocked to see me was an understatement.

We both stared at each other for what feels like the longest time of my life. It's as if time stood still. All I can hear was the rapid beating of my heart.

Oh my god. This is not happening. This can't be happening. I chanted in my head...

Jason

I can feel someone standing behind me.

I shifted to try to see who it is, but the angle I was positioned in was making it hard to fully see who it was. So I stood up and turned towards the person standing behind me.

My breath caught in my throat.

Zarah...

The woman who has haunted my dreams and who's face I continue to see in my head, is standing before me looking as shocked as I am;but still managed to look so fucking beautiful.

Then it hit me. This must have been a set up.

Fuck!

Marco, I growled inwardly. I'm going to have to kill that guy when I see him.

Shit... But wait... Ellie... Shit. She's in this too. But why?

I swallowed hard. "Zarah," I rasped out.

"Jason," she echoed back.

Zarah

As I stood here looking back at Jason, my mind was full of the many possible things as to why Jason is here; about to watch the same show; sitting in the same box, next to me. One answer comes to mind. My sister, Ellie, I growled inwardly. I am going to kill her when I see her.

I have spent the last year trying to avoid the very man who has hurt me so deeply and irrevocably. I still remember that night so clearly. I could never forget his words. It still echoes in my head every single day. He said that, I was just a way of scratching an itch. A warm body available.

"Don't mistake lust for love, sweetheart," was what he said.

Pain washed through me, like it always does.

I will never forget the night Jason broke my heart. The night he ripped my heart out of my chest and crushed it in his mighty hands. I wish I was capable of doing the same thing to him. I wish I was capable of hurting him the way he hurt me... But how can you hurt someone who doesn't have a heart?

"Hello, Zarah," he said in a voice so calm, his body relaxed.

How does he do it? How can he stand there and sound so calm? Like nothing ever happened.

But, I will be lying if I said that he doesn't affect me the way he used to. The only difference now is that'd I'm not the same naive 21 year old girl, I was over a year ago. I know better than to fall for his charms.

Just hearing his voice now, was enough to make my legs start to buckle with the emotions that hit me so surprisingly. I bit the inside of my cheeks willing myself to stay and stand strong. To remain calm and not let my anger and pain get the best of me.

I can feel my tears threatening to spill.

God. It still hurts. So much. It still feels like it all happened yesterday. I want to walk up to him and hit him over and over again. I want to hurt him... But even that's not enough.

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat and will my voice to speak.

"Jason, I didn't expect to see you here," I said in a voice I hoped sounded as calm and collected.

He smiled slightly. "I didn't expect to see you here either, but it's still a pleasure," he said.

I nodded, trying not to act stiff.

"I think the play is about to start, we should take our seats," he said and motioned for me to take the seat next to him.

I clenched my jaw so tightly, I can feel my teeth rattling. My whole being wants to march up to him and smack him. I want him to feel even the slightest fraction of the pain I feel. The pain he put me through.

I can feel my tears welling up in my eyes and before I completely
lose it in front of him, I decided to excuse myself.

"I'll be just a minute, I need to use the ladies room," I said and turned around and walked away as collected as I could.

Jason

I looked at the woman in front of me. God if possible, she looks more and more beautiful every time I see her. I cannot help myself from admiring her perfection. Her skin glowed and I know that if I were to touch it, it will still be as soft and smooth as it was over a year ago - if not, even softer and smoother. And if I were to wrap my fingers around her hair and feel it, it will be as soft and silky as it was over a year ago. The only thing that was different about her, was her eyes. It doesn't hold the same spark it used to. It doesn't glow with the same joy, happiness, and excitement, like they used to. In fact, if I were to describe her eyes. I would say they were empty and cold... sad.

I watched as vulnerability washed through her. I watched as she fought for control. Her expression was one of completely stricken. She was fighting her tears, and I know it. It was the same look she has that night... Before she completely loses it, she excused herself and left me standing there as I watch her walk away from me.

Somehow, it feels all too familiar. I felt the same agony and pain, I did a year ago, when I broke her heart.