The Urban Princesses: Ariel

Chapter 18

This chapter is dedicated to Meme, who never got to pursue her dream of being a journalist, may your dreams be as close as you are to my heart.

***

"Ariel, that's crazy!" I just told Eric the
idea if Ren and I.

"It would be such a good way to avoid the press."

"And me."

"I wouldn't be avoiding you."

"Yes you would. He will want to hang out with you, he will want to come over, he will want to kiss you."

He spoke a bit quieter at that last part.

"It sounds like you are coming up with an excuse to be with him and not me."

His sparkling blue eyes were tearing up.

"Eric, it's not like that-"

"What is it about then? The press finding out? They haven't found out yet and it's been over a week."

"But they will find ou-"

"I don't care if they find out! I really don't!" He yelled.

He lowered his voice, "The other day, I wanted to go to the top of a mountain and scream I love you. I don't care who knows or what they think. All I care about is if I'm with you." He took my hands.

"But if you don't want to be with me, I understand." He started to walk away.

"It's not that-"

"Than what is it?! Is there another reason?! Because please I'd like to hear it!" He yelled.

My eyes were tearing up. "I can't tell you." I whispered.

He scoffed.

He started to walk out the door.

"Where are you going?" I croaked.

"A hotel. I am catching the next flight to New York tonight. Tell your family they have been very hospitable. If you love someone you have to let them go. And have fun with Ren."

He closed the door.

I sobbed on the couch. How could I let him go?! This wasn't right! I thought he would be so understanding. I was stupid to think he would understand me wanting to date another boy.

This was all because of Vanessa.

I whipped out my cellphone and looked on my call history and found the number she called me from. I dialed it and it rang four times before there was a beeping sound over the phone.

"The number you have called is out of service."

I threw my phone on the floor and screamed.

This was not happening! I closed my eyes and tried to get it off my mind. I thought of the beach. I hadn't been there in weeks.

I ran upstairs and changed into my bathing suit. I grabbed my board and caught a bus to Venice.

The moment my feet hit the water I felt better already. I dove in and swam out as far as I wanted to go, but not too far. I learned my lesson with that one.

I was sitting on my board, waiting for a wave when I noticed a tanned body swimming my way, with a shark tooth hanging around their neck.

Ren.

The last person I wanted to see.

"Hey, Ariel." He smiled.

"Hey."

"Are you ok? You didn't text me back."

"I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind."

"Do you need to talk about it?"

"That's the last thing I want to do."

I didn't want to be rude but I couldn't take it.

"Can you just give me some space for a while?"

He looked shocked.

"Um sure. Did I do something wrong?"

I wanted to say yes.

"No, it's just me."

He paddled away on his board.

I surfed a few solid waves and decided I should go back to shore.

August greeted me when I got there. He bought me a smoothie and we talked for a while.

"So I have this new girlfriend, man she is wicked hot, and the other day she's saying she is leaving me and I'm like what? She says she has to set me free and I'm like dude, I'm already free. It just makes no sense you know?"

"Yeah, I know the feeling of a hard break up." I stirred my smoothie.

"But I realized something, we fighted. A lot, and at first I thought that is what broke us up but later I realized it brought us together. Every time we made up from our fight, it's like something inside us pushed past those troubles and saw the understanding. But when she left, she said if you love someone you have to let them go, and if they really love you, they will come back. That's what are fights were. Mini break ups. We always came back. You can't stay mad at someone forever. Relationships are like the tide. Always changing. And you can't control it. You have to deal with it. But just know, the tide always comes back in."

That was deep. I thought about what Eric said to me earlier, what he said about his love for me. And I realized something, who cares about everyone else. Who cares about Vanessa. All we need is each other, and if we don't learn to come back, we could lose what we have forever.

"So, find that guy and tell him you love him."