The Art of Knowing [Completed]

23. • trouble •

"It's not like I can stay with Elliot anyways, Ryan. I just thought that... even if what we have is in no way what we want, we can't afford to just go out and throw away everything we've ever been used to. I mean, I could never picture myself out of my parents grasp even if I tried."

"Oh, so you think that just because you're not willing to break out of this hell, you'll drag me along?" Ryan scoffed. "Do you ever think of anyone else besides yourself?"

"Ryan! I'm sorry, okay? But don't you want to at least for once be on good terms with your parents? I know I do."

"Because you can't think of the idea of actually providing for yourself, Jess."

The raven haired girl remained tightlipped at that, only to then look down at her hands with subtle shame. Despite the quick feeling of remorse, it wasn't enough for her to relent. Yes, she loved Elliot and wished in an ideal world to be with him, but the world was anything but ideal. She needed stability. And obviously, there was no greater representation of that than the man she had known for years. In earlier times, the socialite felt rebellion coursing through her veins, willingly undoing everything her parents had arranged for her. And that of course included the arranged relationship with Ryan Eckhardt. But the idea of having a small human growing inside of her changed her views. Stability was the way to go and there was no other choice in her plan of self-perseveration besides Ryan himself.

She took notice of Ryan's livid gaze as she lowered hers despondently, his stare following her own to the appointed destination. They lead to Jess' subtly trembling hands, where a familiar glistening engagement ring adorned her finger. It all happened so quickly, that she actually took a couple of seconds before realizing Ryan's rough and strong grip on her hand- utter disbelief now draping over him.

"You're kidding me. You're wearing the ring?!" He clenched his jaw as he shook his head incredulously, the young man's dark brows now furrowed. "How did you get it," Ryan demanded. The heavy silence was clearly a bad choice.

"Answer me!" he hissed through clenched teeth as his grip remained.

"It wasn't my idea, Ryan. Your mother forced me to wear it tonight," she begged.

"Do you understand how you're singlehandedly ruining my life right now?" His furious words caused her to drown in confusion, only to then wait for further explanation. It wasn't long before Ryan saw Jess' face softened as she heard the rest of his words. "The girl I care about is here. She's here on the same night you decided to pull this stunt."

"Ryan," Jess mumbled, shaking her head in shock and realization. "I didn't know. I... I didn't think you were serious about her."

"As serious as I'll ever be. When are you going to understand that everything you do affects other people around you?" He breathed heavily through his nose as he let his words weigh on her, finally satisfied when he saw, what he could've sworn to be, a small tear. He'd done everything to make her happy so many years ago, and now it was fortifying being on the other side. For once, he wasn't at fault.

"I'm so sorry."

Immediate shock draped over Jess as Ryan gripped her wrist passionately, evidently enraged at the sight of the ring he tried so hard to forget. It was a symbol of what he was forced to be, the dreadful socialite his parents wanted him to become. And now, Jess Carson herself was part of that symbol, openly wearing the Eckhardt's overall vision for his predestined future.