Choices

Part 6: Always Fight For What You Want

With a split second of luck, Bryce reaches out and happens to grab her arm just as she is about to descend the stairs. He pulls her to a stop, and the glare she gives him in return almost makes him let her go, but he is to set on getting to the bottom of what is scaring her. "Oh no you don't." Bryce gives a soft laugh, pulling her a step closer to him. She tries to pull her arm out of his grip, but he holds on. "You are not running from me. Not this time." The look Chelsea gives him is like a terrified deer in headlights. He wants and needs to understand what is making her feel this way. He knows she feels like he does, but for some reason she is trying her hardest to fight it, whereas he is fighting for it. He tugs on her arm again, pulling her back into the room. He looks to his parents. "Can you give us a minute?" They respond with a shared nod and quickly left the room without a word while shutting the door behind them. Only when the door is closed, does Bryce let her go. He steps in front of the only door to escape, blocking it from her. She takes a few steps away from him, only peeling her gaze from his to glance around, looking for another escape route but not having any luck. "Talk to me, Chelsea." He voice is soft, and it calls to her, not just in what he says but how he says it.

She hates what that feeling does to her, turning her to mush whenever he is near. She shrugs, her mind winning over again. "I don't know what you mean. There isn't anything to talk about." Her face, she knows, reveals otherwise.

Bryce knows she is terrified, but he can't understand why. He tries to take a step towards her but she flinches away from him, retreating a step. He tries again, only to receive the same response. "Something is wrong, Chelsea. I can see it. I am not an idiot."

"Which is why you should let me go." She replies, meeting him with a glare. She doesn't to. God help her, she doesn't want to, but she has to. She can't let him get close to her, otherwise she will give in.

"No." He declares clearly, causing her to look away from him in frustration. "Talk to me." He tries again.

She lets out a puff of anger. Her eyes dart back to his. "No." She tilts her head slightly, a glint of a challenge in her eyes. "You can't make me, either."

He lets out a long sigh, hanging his head as though he is defeated. She lets down her guard a little, sure he is about to let her go. Catching sight of a pretty cross on the wall, Chelsea's attention shifts. Bryce decides to act, discarded the knowledge of knowing she is afraid. She has to understand that he isn't going to give her up without a fight. She has to understand that he wants her and only her. He crosses the room so suddenly that it startles Chelsea. She jumps back and tries to retreat, but hits the chair his mother had been sitting in. She makes the mistake of shifting her attention to not tripping over the chair. She sees the chair, and the desk, but before she can maneuver herself around the optical, Bryce pulls her to him. Despite her struggling, he kisses her. Instantly she stills, taken by surprise. She wants to tell him to stop. Her head screams it at her, but this time, her mind doesn't win over her heart and body like it had before. She finds herself responding to him as if a fire is lit inside her. She clings to him for a second, but her mind continues to fight, telling her to run. As quickly as it starts, it stops. Chelsea begins to panic, and pushes him away, only half-heartedly. She runs to the door, but as her hand closes around the nob she hears him call out for her. "Chelsea, please don't." His voice stops her in her tracks, refusing to let her go any further. It would be easy to turn the nob and pull the door open to escape him, but his voice has spoken straight to her heart, and it drowns out the protests in her mind. "Just talk to me, please. I am begging you, Chelsea. Tell me what is wrong. What are you afraid of?"

She stands there for a few seconds, but she doesn't hear him move towards her. She isn't sure if she wants him to or not, but it seems he wouldn't try to physically try to stop her if she ran. So why isn't she running? She shakes her head to herself, knowing exactly why she can't seem to get away from him. "You." She admits quietly in defeat. "I'm afraid of you." She doesn't want to look at him, fearing he will misunderstand her.