Chapter 19

*Graduation day*

I didn’t want to leave my room. My nerves were kicking in and I was so scared! I mean we were actually finished school and we were going to be on our own. I didn’t want to leave home...wait yes I did but I still wanted to lean on my parents for support.

"Man up, Arianna" I grumbled to myself in the mirror and Nate smirked behind me.

"Please don’t, then people will call me gay" he said jumping up to stand behind me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder.

"I’m nervous"

"About what? We’re finally graduating and leaving prison" he cried out and I rolled my eyes.

"It’s not a prison and I can’t believe you actually want to leave"

"Ugh man, I don’t even think I could put up with Mrs. Jenson ever again" he groaned and I laughed.

"She wasn’t really that bad"

"To you"

"Aren’t you going to miss seeing your friends all the time and your mum providing for you?"

"Ri, my mum is hardly ever home"

"Still...you basically spend all her money"

"Not lately" he smirked kissing my neck and tightened his arms around my waist.

"You two ready?" mum asked appearing in front of me. She had a big smile plastered on her face and a camera in her hand. Quickly she flashed it and I cursed while Nate laughed kissing my cheek. Flash again.

"Mum!" I whined and she pouted.

"It was just a picture"

"I quite liked it" Nate said standing up straight. He flattened his white button up shirt and I raised a brow. Mum gave him a high five and I rolled my eyes.

"Child" I grumbled running out the door.

"Ri, Ri, Ri!" someone cried behind me and I turned to see Declan running towards me. I bent down picking him and twirled him around.

"Sup baby" I greeted tickling his stomach. He giggled while he hugged me tightly.

"You can’t leave" he pouted as I walked down the steps. I noticed dad sitting on the couch waiting patiently.

"I’ll visit" I said but he shook his head giving me a stern look.

After being hugged a billion times but mum and then dad trying to pry her away we were seated and waiting. Well listening. The principal drooled on about how amazing it was to watch us grow up to the people we are now. I wasn’t really listening. The twins had given me this huge lecture before graduation started and I didn’t understand a thing. I think it was to do with using protection...I don’t really know.

The principal drooled on and on but finally it was time to go and get our certificates. When my time came I was worrying that I might trip but thankfully I didn’t. I took the certificate, shook many hands and then went off on the other side. I stood there and waited. Eventually we got through everyone and we returned to our seats in our lines. I sat down and looked up.

I froze.

What was Marcus doing here?

He walked up onto the stage causing a small commotion and I stayed frozen. He talked to the principal who nodded and Marcus walked over to the microphone. What the hell was he doing here? I hadn’t even heard from him since I told him to leave!

"Um...okay ladies and gentlemen I’m sorry for interrupting your graduation but I had to do this. Ah we all know who Arianna Bode is right? Yeah well she used to be my girlfriend until she broke up with me, I thought it was for space but no she was off running around with some other guy. Nate Williams. Man I would have confronted you but then I found the most precious information ever. Thought you should know but Arianna doesn’t like being lied to—"

"Marcus!" I called out moving out into the walkway. I slowly walked forward.

"What are you doing?" I asked and he blinked looking down at me.

"Why I’m telling you the truth"

"About what?" I hissed and he shook his head. He took the microphone and jumped off the stage walking towards me.

"About Nate Williams. You know the only reason he chased after you is because of a bet"

"What?" I asked looking up at him, he smirked down at me.

"Yep, you heard right. He made a bet with his friends to say he could sleep with you before graduation, and well ladies and gentlemen today’s graduation and he’s done the deed"

"Marcus" I hissed but he shook his head. I turned to see the twins standing up.

"Fuck, I couldn’t believe I just let you go, I miss you so much Arianna" Marcus drooled and before I could even think or blink Marcus kissed me.

I gasped trying to push him away but he held onto me. Why weren’t people stopping this? Then Marcus was pulled from me. The twins stood next to Marcus glaring at him and the Nate was in front of me.

"You don’t believe him right?" he asked looking scared.

"It’s true isn’t it?" I asked clearly reading it on his face.

"Arianna it changed, I got to know you—"

"That doesn’t mean anything. You still lied to me, why?"

"I didn’t lie to you"

"No, you just withheld the truth but Nate that means the exact same thing"

"Ri, you know I wouldn’t do this on purpose"

"Do I? Do I even know you?"

"Of course you do, I’ve told you things I’ve never told anyone before. Please you can’t just listen to him"

"And who do I listen to? You, when you lied to me I don’t think so"

"Ri, I never lied to you"

"Then what happened?"

"Okay so I made a bet but it cancelled out"

"That’s why you wanted to wait so long" I spoke as it all began to click in place.

"Ri, I never wanted to hurt you and frankly I had completely forgotten about it"

"You forgot about it? That’s why I was never informed, who else knew?"

"Just Kyle and Derek"

"The twins, too? That would explain a lot you know...why they helped me?"

"Ri, don’t let this come between us"

"What us? I can’t be with someone who lied to me"

"I never meant to" he said as I stepped back shaking my head.

"Like I never meant to fall for you" I said and his lip quivered. I wouldn’t to hold him but right now I was hurt. He lied to me? How could he just lie to me? Sure it was a stupid petty lie but what if he made another lie, a bigger one?

"Y-you did?"

"I’m not doing this here...I can’t" I cried turning around and running away. I heard several people shout out my name but I kept running. I ran past the cars and past the houses until I reached the lake. The tears were already running down my face.

I felt used, torn and horrible. He just lied to me...like that my world crashed into a thousand pieces. Everything I thought I had was slipped out from underneath me.

Nate’s POV:

"Y-you did?" I stuttered shocked. She fell for me?

"I’m not doing this here...I can’t" she muttered turning around and running away. I shouted out her name but she didn’t stop running. I was frozen on the spot until I remembered Marcus was behind me. I turned gritting my teeth. The twins looked at me scared.

"Nate..." Stacy whispered but I ignored her.

"What the fuck are you grinning for?" I asked as Marcus leaned against the stage, casually smirking like he was friggin' king of the world.

"She’s never going to come back to you now...I think my work here is done...time to go be the sympathetic one" he said standing up straight.

"Like she’d even go back to you"

"Boys" the principal warned but I ignored him too.

"I guess you took one privilege from me but...nah I can’t forgive you...fuck man you shouldn’t have slept with her" Marcus warned and then threw a punch at me. I didn’t expect it so my body twisted and I fell to the ground.

I groaned face in the grass. I wasn’t sure what happened next but Marcus was escorted away and people tried talking to me but I just couldn’t. I kept trying to get away to find Arianna but I couldn’t. People kept telling me to stop moving and I realised it was a doctor. How the...

He assessed my face and my day really did become a blur. I couldn’t remember doing much. I basically went out with my mum, completely emotionless, and then I went home. Mum locked me in my room and I just stared out my window at Arianna’s house.

How could the most perfect thing in my life just disappear? It was for the most stupid thing ever but I understood where she was coming from. I guess I should have told her about the bet, maybe then she would have stayed with me.

Yeah right, Nate! You’ve lost her; she probably would never trust me again. I know if someone I cared about lied to me I’d have difficulty trusting them again. I hoped she forgave me and I willed myself to make sure she forgave me.

I couldn’t let the best thing I had leave me for good...

Arianna’s POV:

I stumbled into the house completely lost. I ran straight for the stairs blinking back more tears. It felt like all my memories of him were yelling at me. I let out a scream falling to the ground on my knees.

"Go away!" I screamed, bawling my eyes out. All my memories rushing by in the blink of an eye. I gave my virginity to him, what the hell was I thinking? Of course I couldn’t trust a guy like him; I knew he was only in it for that.

I got inside my room and fell onto my bed. I bawled my eyes out, staring up at the ceiling. What was I going to do now? Mum came through the door quickly and ran to my side.

"Oh Ri, don’t cry" she whispered cuddling me to her chest instantly. I turned holding onto my mum crying harder. I sat there crying into her for some time to come. I had nothing else better to do so I just cried.

I could hear my mum’s heart slowing down. I knew she’d be asleep soon and that’s when I realised we’d been here for quite some time. I closed my eyes trying to ignore my big headache and fell asleep.

When I woke I was still cuddled up with mum but tucked underneath the blankets. I kept my eyes closed and just listened to the voices.

"Honey, can you get some pills? She’s gonna have a big headache when she wakes" mum asked and I heard dad cough.

"Sure thing, just tell my baby it’s alright" dad told mum before going to move.

"I can hear you" I told them not moving.

"Ri?" dad asked and I felt his hand on my arm.

"I’m awake," I told them, opening my eyes and moving so I could see them whilst resting my head on Mum's shoulder.

"Oh baby, it’s alright. Everything will be okay. I’ll make sure of it," Dad told me, glaring out the window at Nate's house. I smiled a little.

"Thanks daddy" I whispered and he smiled standing up straight.

"Well I’ll go get these pills and be back in a tick"

"Thanks" I whispered again and mum squeezed her arms around me.

"You alright? Good sleep?"

"It was okay. I was thinking last night…I…" I looked up at her and she smiled sweetly.

"You were wondering what sweetie?"

"Would I be able to go see granny in London?" I asked immediately and her mum sucks in a breath.

"You want to leave?"

"Mum I don’t want to see him ever again and besides it’s only for a little while. I haven’t seen granny in a while and I really do miss her"

"Where did this come from?"

"Mum I just want to get away. I know that if I stay here he’s going to come here and try to talk to me. I can’t handle that. I’ve never had my heart broken and I just want to escape it"

"Okay baby, I understand. I’ll get your father to look at flights—"

"I want to leave as soon as possible. Now even!" I told her and she nodded holding me tighter.

"I understand baby, I understand" she whispered and I knew she was crying.

I guess this isn’t exactly how she imagined letting her baby go off into the world. The day straight after graduation, the day after her little girl got her heart broken. And to another country, no mother wants that.

Dad returned quickly giving me the pills. Mum pulled him aside and explained to him what I wanted. I sat on the bed sipping the water. I glanced out the windows and noticed him pacing in his room across the lake. I let out a small sob and mum turned to make sure I was okay.

"Ri?" dad asked and I nodded telling them I was fine. I got up moving to my cupboard. I searched for my big suitcase and laid it on the ground. I stood letting out a deep breath. I grabbed random bits of clothing and began shoving them in my suitcase.

When I got halfway dad walked in and smiled. He sat down on the ground folding the clothes and putting them back into the suitcase much neater.

"Fold them neatly and you’ll fit more in there, Ri" he told me focused on folding.

"Thank you daddy"

"For what?"

"For understanding…and helping"

"You’re welcome, baby. I can see this is something you want and I know that I don’t want it but I can’t stop you doing this. It’s what you want"

"It’s only for a little while and I promise I’ll call everyday"

"Come now, you don’t have to do that"

"I want to" I told him as he smiled and I watched the tear slip down his face. I knelt down beside him and wiped it away.

"I’ll just miss you so much and Dekan"

"I’ll miss Dekan so much" I told him throwing my arms around him.

We sat there for a little while holding each other. Once we had been hugged out I returned to collecting clothes and dad returned to folding them and backing them away. Once that was done mum returned with a booked flight number and hugged me again.

I quickly went for a shower pulling on some comfortable jeans and a comfy shirt. I pulled my converses on coming out into my room. Mum and dad were gone, probably getting dressed. I moved grabbing out my duffle bag and decided to fill that will stuff too.

I put my laptop, iPod, and all my other electronics into it, along with some other clothes. I had just zipped it up when mum returned to my room.

"Your flight leaves in three hours but you need to go and check in now" she told me and I nodded.

"Thanks mum" I told her as she grabbed my suitcase carrying it downstairs for me. I held my duffle bag over my shoulder following behind her.

"Dekan isn’t awake yet but I think it’s best not for the big goodbye. You can video chat with him when you get there or something"

"Yeah" I agreed with her. Dad came around the corner taking the bag off mum and walked outside. Mum turned helping me walking out the door and took my bag to put it in the car. I climbed into the backseat and looked up at my big house. Just on the other side of that house was a guy I never wanted to see again. He would just hurt me again. I felt the car moving towards the airport in no time.

In no time I was standing at the airport waiting for my granny to pick me up. Mum had called her when I left to say I would be in soon. Yeah like hours later. I waited by the front door holding my duffle bag and my hand tightened on the suitcase handle.

I spotted my granny instantly. It had been a whole year since I had seen her but I knew my granny anywhere. She carried her handbag that matched her shirt. Her hair was pulled back like always and in no time she reached me. I dropped my duffle bag and moved opening my arms.

She hugged me tightly smoothing my hair down. I hugged her back tighter loving the smell of my granny. She always smelled like cookies and roses. By far the best combination, she always used to tell me.

"I missed your beautiful face so much" she told me holding my cheeks looking over my face.

"I missed you too granny" I told her smiling.

"Oh gosh, that boy is definitely going to regret what he did" she told me and my smile faltered a little bit. I grabbed my bags and began walking with granny to her car. She still had the green bug car and it looked so familiar, like home.

I threw my bags into the boot and climbed into the front seat buckling myself up. Granny started the car and in no time we were on our way to her house. I couldn’t wait to find out what granny had been up too. Apparently she still had her shop open too.

My granny owned a bakery. Granny was only about sixty but she didn’t want to retire yet. She always told my family she was still young and fit so therefore she could still work. Her bakery was only six years old but it was popular.

Last time I came here to visit her, three years ago; the place had been black, blue and white. I wondered if she had changed it, added things to the menu. We pulled up to granny’s small house and she helped me carry my bags inside.

She gave me a quick tour to prompt my memory. Everything looked almost the same. Granny had her small room and two spare rooms for when her families visited her. I took the room I usually did but it felt different. Usually I shared the room with Dekan but he wasn’t here now.

"Well dear, I have to go back to the bakery. I’m in the middle of a shift, but I took a break to come pick you up. Do you want to stay here or come help?" Granny asked, standing in the doorway. I heaved my duffle bag onto the bed and turned to smile at her.

"I’d love to come help but I just wanna changed out of these clothes"

"Sure thing sweetie, I’ll be downstairs when you’re ready. We leave in ten minutes" she told me closing the door for me.

"Thank you granny" I told her before the door closed. I turned opening my suitcase to find something to wear. I quickly changed into short denims and a tee. I left my converses on and grabbed my phone before jogging downstairs to see granny waiting patiently in the kitchen.

"I’m ready granny" I told her and she looked up from the paper. She nodded folding it up and grabbed her stuff. I walked out the door and quickly got into the car.

Here’s to some time to think, hopefully.