Everwood

- Before -

"So that's it? You're just going to give up? Thats not like you Ana." His voice hardened, with each word I winced. His hazel eyes penetrated into my own. We stood at the edge of the forest,

"You were supposed to fall in love with me, that was the deal I made with my father, you were supposed to be my wife."

He whispered, my eyes widened as I took a sharp breath, I turned to look at him, waiting for him to tell me that he was joking.

But I saw the raw emotion behind those eyes. I noticed as he let out a small breathe as he released that information, that seemed to have been eating away at his conscious.

"What did you just say?" My voice trembled as I mentally scolded myself for sounding so weak, but either Eric didn't notice or he didn't care.

"You deserved honesty, gosh you deserve so much more, we practically grew up together, I thought if I could just make my dad see... That it didn't matter that you were human. That you could marry me, you were supposed to be my wife."

He stared at me boldly, though tired, he stood tall with a proud heritage, a rich bloodline that had survived a lot of carnage, battles, and wars. A bloodline that he wanted to so desperately escape, I mean that's why he was here right? He was running from his own reality.

Wife?

The minutes stretched out as his eyes stared at me, I turned away not wanting to look back at him.

"No, enough!" I snapped. Eric rose an eyebrow in surprise,

"For crying out loud you're engaged! Don't you dare tell me that I was supposed to be your wife, it doesn't work like that! You're a liar Eric or is that even your real name your highness?"

I spat out at him. I saw his shoulders tense, I knew he was getting mad but I was trying to so hard to not lose my temper at him.

I wanted so badly to cry, how foolish I have been. I had been completely blindsided by a person I had come to trust a person I had called friend, a friend I had fallen in love with. And now that the awful truth came to light. I wanted nothing more to stop the excruciating pain that tore at my heart.

Eric remained silent, he was finally freed as he confessed the truth. He looked exhausted as if that secret had tormented him, causing sleepless nights.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "You should go, go home." I sighed.
"Not without you."
"Yes,without me." I sighed. "Without me. Go home Eric. Please, go home."

"We'll get through this, I'll help you get through this. It's always been us Ana, us against the world. Who was the one who helped you through your first break-up? Who was the one that went prom shopping with you your sophmore year?
Me. It's always been me Ana,
who was the one who helped me get my permit? You. Who was the one who helped me cook dinner when my mom left for the night? You. Who helped me ask the girl I had been crushing on for two years out? You. Ana don't you realize? It's always been you and me. It's always been us, us against the world."

I shook my head, closing my eyes. "Stop!" I shouted at him, I was shaking with fury I could not comprehend. "Yes, yes all those things have happened, I'm not denying that you have always been there for me. Eric, but now? Who are you? You've been lying to me since the first day. Since Kindergarten, I never even knew you back then. Thats twelve years Eric, twelve years of lies. Just don't. Just... Go."

My voice broke on the last word. I felt all the energy and adrenaline I had acquired wear off, leaving me lethargic and exhausted.

"If I leave you here, you'll never come back."
Eric said, "You'll run off, forever." I raised an eyebrow "Why would that be a bad thing?" I inquired.