Blurry is the Line Between Love and Lust: A Tears of Shame Novel [EDITING]

Chapter 7: Blurring the Line

As always, comment & vote. Thanks for the support! This is short, but to the point. enjoy...

This is an important chapter... if you were wondering about the name of the story... you'll find it in this chapter :)

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Recap chap 6:

I cared about her. Now it was time to show her.

"Come on, let's get out of here." I held out my hand tentatively, she took it. I pulled her to me.

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Chapter 7: Blurring the Line

Arianna POV

I trailed along behind him. I didn't know where we were headed. I felt better, safe and secure. I wondered what he'd been thinking, wondered if he'd seen our exchange and misinterpreted it. I also wondered if he had feelings for Selene. I would've asked him, but I hadn't thought he would answer truthfully.

I resigned to revel in the moment. The two of us were alone and I hadn't wanted this time to end. He tugged on me gently, grabbed my hand now and again, in an effort to quicken my pace. He dropped it after a moment, I guessed not to make me feel uncomfortable.

"Where are we going?' I asked when we got into his sleek black sedan.

"I'm taking you to see your father. You've been here for two months and haven't seen him once." That was thoughtful.

We spent a nice afternoon. We lounged in the shade beneath the weeping willow in the back yard of my family's estate. We ate, laughed and enjoyed each other's company. It seemed real, easy, and so different than all the times before. We hadn't worked to keep up the appearance of civility. It had come so naturally, I wished everyday could have been like this one.

"It's been a pleasure to see you again Stefan, thank you for your hospitality. I will take good care of your daughter, no need to worry about that." His words seemed genuine. I wanted to believe them but I was still unsure.

"I'll wait for you in the car Aria." He nodded to my father, who showed the Prince his reverence, and left me to my private goodbye.

"Tell me something Aria, do you care for him?" I hadn't known what to say. I was a little confused. I supposed I felt some feelings for him, but we barely knew each other.I supposed I felt some feelings for him, but we barely knew each other. We hadn’t spoken more than a few words in months. Until recently, he had never paid me the faintest bit of attention. I only just discovered that he may have cared for me the way I had for him.

"I don't know." I shook my head and answered as truthfully as I could.

Even though our first meeting started out rocky, there was just something about Xavier that drew me in. Something powerful and undeniable that forced me to feel these painfully, unrequited feelings. I spent most of my effort as I brushed them aside and delved into other distractions, mainly Ronan.

"But are you happy?" That was the more important question. But happiness was a relative term. Could I have been happy in a loveless marriage? I hadn’t thought so. But could I have been happy to continue betraying my fiancé with his brother? I wasn’t overjoyed about this circumstance either.

"I honestly don't know." A tear fell from my eye. He'd seen that I'd been holding something back, but I wasn't strong enough to have shared it willingly. He paused thoughtfully.

"Is there someone else?" I looked to the floor, searched the pale blue carpet for the answers that weren't there. A traitor tear fell. There was the matter of Ronan.

"I don't know what to say." It was the only answer I could have given him. I just had no idea anymore. I was unsure of what I thought, what I felt, what was right and what was wrong.

Yes, there were two men I cared for, two men who were brothers. They were insanely different and I felt just as differently about the two. My thoughts and feelings were a muddled mass of confusion, pain and uncertainty. Would this have ever ended? I wasn’t so sure I could have continued to live this way.

"I wish your mother was here, she would know how to help you. She would know what to say." So had I. I missed her so much. She always had the answers. She always made things better. I looked up to her and loved her, until that day happened. Even though my feelings toward her were just as confused, I still loved her.

"Maybe I shouldn't have put this burden on you my dear." He held me tightly, comforted me as only he could.

"Tell me what to do. I don't know what to do." I begged him for the answer but I knew he couldn't have made my choices for me.

"There's a fine line between love and lust Arianna. You would do well to figure that out for yourself." His eyes conveyed his sympathy, but I knew he was right. There was a fine line, a very blurry, fine line that I had to walk alone.

We said our goodbyes and I returned to the palace with Xavier. The ride back was long and exhausting. I put on an air of civility due to the fact that in my head and in my heart, a war raged. Neither side had won or lost. This was not a decision I could have taken lightly. I knew Ronan and I had feelings for him, but I was just starting to know Xavier. There were feelings there too.

I couldn't move forward until I knew them both equally. It needed to start with the situation between Xavier and Selene. There was no going back. I needed to find the truth within myself.

He walked me to my room and hesitated at the door. I hadn't wanted to do this, but I knew I had no choice.There was no looking back, my future depended on it.

"Xavier, can you come in? I wanted to talk to you." I asked with hopeful eyes.

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There you have it... she has some feelings for X. What will come of it?

wait & see :) comment & vote!