"Your task is not to seek love, but merely to seek and find the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."

---Rumi
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Next day when I saw Ethan walking through the school corridor, I all but ran after him, and shouted, "Why have you been pursuing me?"

His lips stretched into a beautiful grin, before he leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Are you sure I'm the one who's doing the pursuing?"

I gave him a no-nonsense look, and he straightened up.

"Alright, where is this coming from?"

"Answer.", Narrowing my eyes, I tapped my foot in impatience, and he sighed.

"Oh come on, Hera. Look at you. Who wouldn't want to be with you? You are smart, pret-"

I cut him off.

"Pretty like Athena?"

I felt his breath hitch, and saw the colour fade from his face.

"You know about her.", He exclaimed, and I nodded.

"Take your time. Think. And then answer why you came after me. I'll see you after school."

As I walked away from him, I felt the weight of his gaze like shackles around my ankles, straining my movement. But my steps did not halt. I refused to be near him, as long long as I wasn't sure  that he saw me as something more than a ghost from his past.

***

I shivered as his finger tips brushed against my wrist, and travelled north, enlivening every cell in their wake. Another hand pressed flat against my stomach and drew me back to a strong chest. I sighed. And sighed again when those fingers trailed all the way from one of my shoulders to my arched neck; the little finger, cheating by treading a few inches lower than propriety allowed.

"And turn."

Moving my toe and right hand in a graceful semi circle, I turned towards the dark eyed angel, and placed my twirling hand on his shoulder. He blew a stray lock of hair away from my face, causing me to shiver. I glared at him, and gritted my teeth.

"This was not a part of the dance routine."

He grinned, and tugged me closer, pressing my chest to his, leaving no space in between. My lips parted in disbelief. This asshole!

"Leave me or you'll regret it.", I said softly. He laughed.

"You can try baby. I am not Ethan. The only blood on my body can come through your claws or your teeth. And you know how that can happen."

Sue you! Sue you Theodore, for putting the disturbing imagery in my head.

"Girls lean back, and slowly rise again."

I did as told, and when my eyes reconnected with my partner's, there was no humour in them.

"You are beautiful, Hera. I have told you that, haven't I?"

"Yes, and to a million other girls."

He chuckled, before lifting my hand in the air, and twirling me around.

"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I never saw beauty till this night."

Woah! Colour me impressed.

I cheekily replied, "These violent delights have violent ends. And in their triumphs die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss, consume."

The couples moved around as the instructor guided, but we stopped. Theo raised his hands and held my face delicately. His eyes peered deeply into mine, as he breathed,

"I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them. To make me die with a restorative."

"Mr. Wilkinson! Miss. Harrington! What kind of behaviour is this??? Leave your forplay out of my class!"

I choked on my breath. Foreplay!? Theo threw his head back and chuckled.

"As you say, Miss!", He shouted and pulled me out of the classroom.

"What the hell!", I cried. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Yes.", He replied after we reached a secluded corridor. "Yes, Hera, I've indeed lost my senses.", He said again, after pulling me into a vacant classroom.

"Let me go.", I struggled against his grip on my wrist.

"Not until you tell me why you are so against the idea of being with me?"

I started at him dumbfolded. Is he for real?

"Because I don't want to be with anyone! I am here to study, get good grades and do well in life."

"And that's all fine and dandy, but why do you think you can't do it all with me?"

"Maybe because Athena couldn't.", The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and his hands dropped from my body as if I'd burned them.

"Lucas told you.", He stated after a while.

Wow, what a guess. I nodded.

As if reading my mind, he added, "There's no scope of doubt. Ethan would never tell you. Evie is still grieving her loss. And you aren't as close to anyone else."

Saying this he leaned against the wall, and slowly slumped down, until he was sitting on the cold titled floor.

"I know you must have your doubts. Ask them away." He urged.

I asked him what I'd asked Ethan in the morning.

"First of all you don't look that alike. Your dimples, your smile, your big brown eyes, your habit of raising a mocking brow, the clenching of your jaw, the mole on your neck and the one just above your clevage, your beautiful hair, your long neck, your slender fingers and soft palms, your perfect height which compliments mine, the clenching of your stomach at my touch, the soft rise and fall of your glorious breasts, the suggestive curve of your rear, those endless legs and the torturous curl of your toes.  Everything is different. Your strength, your resolve, your aura, your magnetism, everything. Those lips are different. The words which leave them even more so. And I fucking love it. I am captivated with everything about you, and I'll be damned if I give up on you. You can try, Hera, but I am not going to leave you. I am not going to describe Athena, just so you can know how you two are different. I honour her memories. I cherish her love. But what matters is I never wanted her like I want you. Her proximity never set my nerves on fire, and I sure as hell didn't die everytime her eyes met mine. I can't explain the pull I feel towards you. It's impossible to put into words. But I can show you. I can have you drown into me, the moment you let me slip into you."

His fingers threaded through mine, and without any effort from his end, I sunk onto him, landing on his lap.