Casanova H.S

Chapter Ten

"I had fun tonight," I tell Harry as soon as we reach the door to my house.

"I did too. I am very glad you agreed to come with me." He smiles down at me, and I give him a big smile back. He takes a step closer. Now standing so close I can feel his breath fan over my face. It smells like mint, making his mouth even more attractive.

The door burst open, and he quickly steps away from me in surprise.

"Oh, Mira! I have wonderful news!" My sister Olivia screams out in excitement. She claps her hands looking extremely happy about whatever she is about to tell me.

"What?" I asked wanting her to get to the point.

"I met this very wealthy man at the market, and he has a son your age. I told him about our money problem, and he agreed to marry off his son, and share his money with us! You're engaged, Mira!" Olivia screams once again. "However we have to wait two days until he comes to town because he is on a business trip overseas." She almost jumps in joy finally being able to tell me the news. I, however, stand here with an open mouth, and a blank mind too shocked to do anything. My freedom, and chance to choose who I love has just been taken away from me without me having a say in the matter.

"No. I refuse." I tell her sternly, and her movements stop. She looks at me in confusion as if she was expecting me to go along with this, and be happy.

"Mira, you can't refuse. If you don't do this we will be broke." For the first time she was completely serious, and I knew this was about more than just getting me a husband. "Oh well, I think I should leave you alone to think this trough, but we need to give him an answer by tomorrow." She turns around, and disappears back into the house, closing the door behind her.

"You're not going to marry him, right?" Harry asks speaking up for the first time after the news. He doesn't look fazed by the news at all, but I can hear a small hint of desperation behind his words. I don't answer him. What am I supposed to say? I know I don't want to do this, but I also know that I don't have much choice. If I don't do this it will not only affect me but my family. "Right?" Harry says this time much louder with the desperation a lot clearer.

"I have to," I say quietly.

"Please don't." Is all he says as he places his hands on my cheeks cupping my face. I bring my eyes up to his for the first time since Olivia left, and for some reason, I can't read the emotion behind them. "Somehow you have done the impossible, you have captured my hearts interest, and that is something no woman has managed to do. Knowing you I know there is no bother telling you what to do, so all I can do is ask you not to marry him."

His face is so close. I open my lips to answer, but can't get a single word to leave my mouth. I want to tell him that I want to give what we have a chance and that he too has done the impossible. If someone had told me months ago that I would get feeling for a man who sees ladies as nothing but toys made for pleasure I would have laughed in their face, but here I am.

Harry starts to lean closer, and I'm not surprised or shocked. I know he needs this, I need this. If this is our goodbye at least we will have a kiss to remember. He captures my lips in a soft yet passionate kiss. I wrap my hands around his neck feeling his long hair resting on the back of it. My eyes close themselves because of the sensation. The taste of his lips is like a small taste of heaven, but when I remember I won't taste them again I pull away. I look up at Harry with a face filled with sorrow before I let him go, just as he lets me go.

I can't bear to look at him anymore, so I turn around and run. Run away from my sister, him, and all the responsibility of stealing what I hold dearest. My freedom, my right of choice, and now him. I know he doesn't love me, and that is not what he meant when he said I have stolen his heart, however, he did mean that I am the only one that has made it a possibility that he might eventually fall in love.

I don't know where I am running, I only know I want to get away. It is so typical of me. I have to strong opinions, and a stubborn mind, but when it comes down to it, I run. I come to a stop when I find myself by the shore. Boats are lined up, one more beautiful than the other. I take a deep breath now noticing how tired I am from running.

I take one more look around, but this time my eyes stop once I see a guy sitting on the edge of the street with his toes in the water. Whiteout even thinking twice I walk over and sit down beside him.

"What brings you here?" I ask as soon as I sit down, giving him a slight scare.

He looks over at me taking in my appearance. He takes a deep breath before shaking his head and turning his gaze back onto the water. "A girl, you?"

"A boy." I sigh in exhaustion not only physical exhaustion but also mentally.

"It always seems to come down to that, doesn't it?" He says still keeping his eyes on the water.

"Indeed," I answer, and take my time to fully look at him. His brown hair is short, but still long enough to cover his eyes, however, I did see them earlier so I already know they are as blue as the clearest ocean. He has some facial hair, but not a lot. "What is the problem with this girl?"

"Her father forbids her from marrying me because I am bloody poor." He says starting to get worked up, I, however, find this problem quite familiar. "How pathetic is that? I can't marry the one I love, because I wasn't born into a higher class." He tightens his fists but is quick to bring his hands up to his face instead to calm down. He rubs his face in frustration.

Suddenly I remember where I have heard this before. "This girl, her name wouldn't be Amber, would it?"

"Yes, do you know her?" He thankfully looks up at me this time with a curious look on his face.

"I have met her once, yes. That would make you Louis then." I tell him as I reach out my hand.

He takes his hand in mine giving it a shake "Nice to meet you..." He starts saying, but stop once he realizes I haven't told him my name yet.

"Mira." He nods, and let go of my hand. "Amber told me about you, and your problem, but she figured out a way to be with you no matter the consequences. Didn't she talk to you? She said she was on her way to you right after we talked." I was nothing but confused at the moment, and for some reason slightly concerned for Amber.

"We did talk and had everything planned, however, her father didn't like that very much. He said that if she left to be with me he would get me arrested. No, I haven't done anything illegal, but it doesn't take much for him to make something up, and who would believe me over him, right?" He looks devastated, and I can't help but feel sorry for him. Instead of showing sympathy I want to help him, but I don't know how.

"I would have believed you," I say with a smile trying to brighten his mood.

He lets out a chuckle before he says "Thank you, but enough about me. What is your problem with that boy?"

I let out a big sigh before my eyes drift off to the sky. "Let's just say I met this guy at a ball, and it turned out he was a well-known ladies man. I didn't like him very much seeing as he literally stands for everything I stand against, but he turned out to be.. different. We spent a lot of time together, and during that time I started to develop feelings for this guy." I look over to Louis with a weak smile remembering our time together. "Today I finally admitted to myself that I do indeed like him very much, however out of nowhere my sister comes out the door as I am talking to him, and tells me I am engaged, and that he comes here in two days. We barely have money as it is so I need to marry this man since he is very rich. When she left he admitted that he has feelings for me, and don't want me to marry this other man. Then he kissed me, and I ran, and now I am here." I take a deep breath from the mouthful I just said.

"I can't say I can relate to the exact situation, but the money part I understand completely," Louis says. We both let out a big sigh as we fall to our backs, turning our attention to the midnight sky. "The guy, do I know him?"

"You might not know him, but I am certain you know of a name he goes by. Casanova." I tell him and prepare for the judgment coming from the new information.

"You mean the Casanova?"

"Yes, unfortunately." Louis becomes quite after that which scares me a bit. "You're not going to come with a judgmental comment?"

"Why? I have no right to judge, besides love is love." He says turning his head to the side looking into my eyes.

"We have to let them go, won't we?" A frown falls forms his lips realizing what I meant. Sadness takes over me at the thought of letting go of the only person I have ever opened up to as much as I have.

"Yeah, we do." He says in a sad voice, the feeling of letting Amber go hitting him. "But!" He claps his hands, and sit back up. "We don't have to let them go just yet. Your fiancé doesn't come to town for another two days, and Amber's father hasn't found her a husband yet, so until then we can enjoy the time we have."

I don't say anything not knowing if Harry would let me have an entire day with him just for him to let me go the next.

I sit up beside Louis and give him a small smile.

"I need to get going, but it was nice meeting you, Mira." Louis stands up getting ready to leave.

"Nice meeting you too, Louis." He smiles down at me before turning around and walking away.

I lay back down, close my eyes, and take a breath, but when I open my eyes again a face is blocking my view. Harry's beautiful face is blocking my view of the sky.