The Break
1238 Words
Ariana’ POV
As the door opened Lucas Ravencrest strolled into my room as though nothing in the world had changed.
My chest pained me a little. He looked exactly the same. The same black hair which had always been somewhat over his forehead. It was the same warm brown eyes, which would melt whenever he saw me. The same assertive stance which had previously given me a sense of security.
Had I not known the future, which is the falling of the blade and his voice in the council condemning me, I might have thought there was nothing amiss. But I remembered everything.
And that was a wall between us , that was a reason to hate him. Lucas smiled as he looked at me.
“You’re awake. I was concerned when the servants related to me that you had not yet appeared all the morning. Ive been here for like hours, some meeting with your father and the elders who he hosted. How’s my baby?” He asked.
His tone was gentle. Familiar. The affectionate tone which he had so many times before. Now it was weird to hear it. I was at the window, and my arms were loosely crossed in front of me, as I watched him coming.
My heart momentarily melted as I heard his voice. But I had a flash of the vision of my execution. Lucas was present at the time when the council condemned me.
Lucas claiming that the evidence was real. Lucas looking as Adrian lifted the blade. The warmth in me was killed at once. Lucas was slackening his pace as he approached. His smile faded a little.
“You look, you look different he said thoughtfully.
I said nothing.
Instead, I simply studied him. Lucas moved a little, evidently not used to my stare. I would have dashed off to him by this time. I would have embraced him, made fun of him and why he had not come earlier and asked for kisses.
But today I didn’t move. Lucas frowned faintly.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
I looked at him and tilted my head. The odd fact was that he really appeared to be bewildered. Which meant one thing. He hadn’t betrayed me yet. It was the same Lucas who thought that I had absolute faith in him. An ugly thought flashed through my mind. You have no idea what you did to me.
Lucas stepped closer.
Again, he said, Ariana. “Did something happen? Why are you quiet?”
I watched his face carefully.
Every detail.
Every expression.
I was looking, I was looking, I was trying to get some indication that the man before me was capable of such betrayal as I had recalled.
But all I saw was concern.
Lucas reached for my hand.
I instinctively moved away.
His hand froze mid-air.
This bewilderment in his eyes increased.
“Ariana?” he asked.
I gave a sigh and sat up a little.
“I think we need to talk,” I said.
Lucas blinked in surprise.
My tone of voice had evidently startled him.
When I had used those words I meant something little, a quarrel, a dispute, something we would laugh over afterwards.
The meaning was quite different this time.
Lucas dropped his hand gradually.
“Alright,” he said cautiously. “What about?”
I just stared at him, momentarily.
Memories flooded my mind.
The way he used to smile at me.
How he vowed that we should have a future together.
How he turned his back when the council charged me.
I crossed my hands at the back.
This time would be different.
“I do not want to see you any more,” I said. “Let us go our separate ways.”
Lucas blinked.
He did not reply at all at one moment.
“What?” he asked.
His voice was low, as though he believed he had not heard me but I said nothing.
The silence which succeeded was oppressive.
Lucas looked at me and was obviously attempting to digest what I had said.
Then he gave a little scornful laugh.
“Very funny,” he said. “What’s going on? Did someone upset you?”
I didn’t smile.
I didn’t react.
I just kept on staring at him.
The laughter of Lucas died away slowly.
His face grew a little harder.
“Ariana,” he said seriously. “Stop joking.”
“I’m not joking.”
The words hung between us.
Lucas jerked his hair in frustration.
“Did I do something?” he asked. “I’m sorry, ive been quite busy lately. I’m sorry if it made you feel I now love you less-“
“That’s not it,” I interrupted. “I do not want to be with you again.”
Lucas stopped talking.
His eyes re-examined my face.
“You’re serious,” he said slowly.
“Yes.”
His brows furrowed deeply.
“Why?” he demanded.
The question was more pointed than he most likely meant.
I remained silent.
Lucas made another step.
“Ariana,” he said firmly. “Look, I know lately ive been pretty busy, and I am sorry if I stopped giving you attention like I used to. But please, thats not enough reason for you to leave me, to end all we built and shared. Please tell me, what’s happening.”
I felt the worry of his voice.
The concern.
Still the Lucas I used to know.
It almost made this harder.
Almost but the new man hater in me far outweighs the lover girl I used to be.
I tilted my head slightly.
I even thought of telling him the truth, for a moment.
That I had already died once.
That he had appeared before the council and damned me.
He had seen me executed, and had not interfered.
But I was well aware that he would not trust me.
And even if he did…
It wouldn’t change anything.
Instead I picked something more basic.
“I’m bored,” I said.
Lucas blinked again.
“…What?”
“I lost interest,” I said to him.
The language was inhuman to my ears.
Lucas looked at me as though I had speaking a different language.
“Lost interest?” he repeated.
“Yes.”
His jaw tightened.
“You are breaking up with me because you are bored?
“That’s right.”
The silence stretched again.
The bewilderment of Lucas was gradually changing into anger.
“You want me to believe that?” he said.
“You have requested an explanation,” I curtly replied. “I gave you one.”
Lucas made a scornful laugh.
“This isn’t like you,” he said. “You wouldn’t just—”
“People change.”
Lucas’s eyes narrowed.
“Not overnight. Just last night we were cool!”
I shrugged slightly.
Lucas looked at me so hard, evidently seeking the Ariana he was familiar with.
But she wasn’t there anymore.
“Yeah, but one can find someone better from last night till now.” I said, dropping the bombshell.
Lucas’s expression darkened.
“I knew it,” he muttered.
His gaze snapped back to me.
“Who?”
I just stood and stared at him.
“Who?” he repeated. “Don’t give me that silent treatment! Who do you want!”
“Your brother.”
- Writer
