Chapter VII.
Serena Metz' POV
I woke up the next morning with a head ache that was quickly fainting due to my returning elite abilities. I quickly gathered my dress off the floor of the room and after waiting a bit longer, I tested my telekinesis before flying out the window.
By the time I got back to my apartment I was shaking from the effort of flying. I packed a flew thing in a suitcase and threw a couple wads of cash into the bottom of my duffle bag. I threw on a scarf that covered my face a bit and some sun glasses before I grabbed my passport and called a cab.
I was just about to lock my apartment for the last time when I remember something. I went back in a grabbed the keys to my Porsche. I jumped into the elevator and went down to the lobby.
"Nolan, you have been wonderful. Thank you for your service at this building." I said smiling at the doorman.
"Miss Metz, were you going somewhere?" He asked taking in my luggage.
"Yes, somewhere far away. You have been very trustworthy and useful this past year so I would like you to do me one more favour." I handed him the keys to my car. "Keep her in shape while I'm away."
He stared at me completely shocked. "Do you know when you'll be back?"
"No idea! Until next time Nolan!" I walked out to my cab and drove away leaving him speechless on the sidewalk.
I arrived at the airport and studied a map of the world trying to decide where I wanted to go.
Enrique Mendez' POV.
I knocked on her door the next morning ready to apologize.
"Tina?" I asked knocking again. When there was no response I opened the door and found the room empty. "Crap!" I ran out of the room and hurried to the front entrance. I slipped on my shoes and ran out to my car. I drove like a mad man across the city to the address listed as Serena Metz' apartment. I ran into the building only to be stopped by a young doorman.
"Excuse me sir, you can't enter without permission from a tenant."
"I need Christine-I mean Serena Metz." I said quickly. "Do you know where she is?"
"I am sorry sir, she left this morning." He explained.
"Where did she go?" I asked panic creeping into my voice.
"I probably shouldn't tell you this sir, but it looked like she was leaving for a long time. She was packed and ready to go."
"Thank you!" I shouted already running back to my car. I drove instinctively to the airport and prayed that I would find her before she left the country and disappeared forever.
Serena Metz' POV.
Every time the line moved forwards I was reminded that I was taking a step away from the life I had always wanted.
But I can't have it.
I messed myself up and now I couldn't ever let myself go back to him. Even though he said he wanted me, I couldn't let myself give in, I was no good for him. He kept his record spotless and I messed everything up again and again.
"Wait! Ti-Serena, wait!" I heard someone yell. It was Edi, I knew before I turned around that it was him. He ran across the airport hollering as he drew attention to himself. He was proving yet again that he truly was my knight in shining armour and I didn't deserve him.
Lucky for me, I was almost in the middle of the accordion shaped line and had no chance of escape, I couldn't go to him.
"Go away," I told him in a raised voice. By now, just about the whole airport was listening to us, clearly knowing who we were and trying to figure out our connection. Trying figure out why the partying celebrity and the clean cut billionaire were yelling back and forth in an international airport.
"I can not." He said simply.
I hated being cruel to him, but he just needed to forget me. I needed to break it off fast. We needed a clean break. "Why not? Why can't you just leave me alone?"
"Because I keep my promises."
"I know and I don't, so you need to go." I kept my face blank and my voice steady, but I knew he would see through it. He always did.
"Will you just come over here for a minute and talk to me?" He pleaded holding out his hand, palm up, like he always does before we dance.
"No." I couldn't let myself get close to him because I would loose focus and give in to him.
"Why?" He asked daringly knowing the answer already.
"Stop it. Just let me go."
"No. Never again. You slipped away last time and I will not let you get away again. I love you." He almost whispered the last three words, but they still reached my ears and cut deep into my heart.
"No." It was the only thing I could think to say.
"I love you." He said again, but louder.
"Stop it." I wanted so badly to tell him that I loved him more, but that would only make it harder. It cut through my heart to point where I almost felt the need to look down to see if there was a blood spot forming.
"I. Love. You!" He yelled.
"Stop it!"
"Come here and I might stop shouting."
"No."
"I have loved you ever since you were sixteen, when you showed up on my doorstep with your family." He shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Shut up." I glared at him trying to burn the flesh off his back.
"Only you can make me quiet because I love you an I will not stop yelling until you come here!" I stiffened and glared at him. Now he was just trying to push my buttons, and it was working.
I took a step forward and he smirked. "I am only coming over there so you don't get detained for idiocy in an airport."
"You are coming over here because you love me and care what happens to me." He taunted.
"Shut up." I glared at him as I stomped passed the line of people and stood in front of him. There was still a movable nylon fence-designed to keep the dumb people in line-between us.
"Thank you. Now, tell me what's wrong." He said reaching out to take my hand in his.
I slapped his hand away and crossed my arm over my chest. "Nothing is wrong." I lied.
"Right, then why are you running away?"
"I'm going back to my messed up life, so you can go back to your perfect little life." I said avoiding his penetrating gaze.
"Oh, I see. You are jealous because I have better press control people then you do." He was trying to make me feel better, but it was just ticking me off.
"Do you even need press control?" I almost spat, "when was the last time you got so hammered you forgot two weeks of your life? When was the last time you danced on a table or made a complete fool of yourself? Never! Because you are perfect!" I threw my hands up in the air in frustration. He wanted to know what was wrong, so I was going to tell him. "You're like a fricken saint," I pulled out the sarcasm, "let's just hang your picture next to the virgin Mary or Mother Theresa-wait, what are you doing?" I said as he unhooked the the nylon fence between us. He stepped forward and grabbed my shoulders so I couldn't run away. I backed up, but he held tight and stepped with me.
"Stop." I said trying to sound strong even though I knew what was coming.
"Tina. Give up." He said before swooping in and kissing me. I stayed frozen and ridged for a few seconds before I breathed in his sweet scent and I melted in his arms. My hands moved up on their own accord and twisted into the hair at the back of his neck. It seemed like we had barely gotten started when he pulled away. "So, is everything ok now?" He asked.
I shook my head, my heart breaking a bit more with shake. "No, I'm still not good enough for you." I felt his arms loosen around me and drop to his sides. I untwisted my hand from his hair and stroked his cheek for what I knew to be the last time. "Goodbye Edi. I'll stop ruining your life now and you have to move on." I looked into his eyes not knowing what I would see. They were brown, cold and dead.
It just about killed me.
I turned away and headed back to my spot in line.
"No." I heard him whisper. Then louder, "No!"
I struggled to keep walking. Just one foot in front of the other.
"Damn it Tina! Marry me!"
I took one more step before the words clicked in my head. I froze for what seemed like the millionth time today. Never had I imagined this scenario in my head. I had prepared myself for every line in the book except this one. I almost laughed because this was typical Edi, always saving the curve ball for last. He never failed to catch me off guard, and I guess that was half the reason why I kept coming back to him.
I felt his fingers wrap around my arm and he pulled me around to face him. He leaned in for a second and I felt his breath blow over the stray hairs hanging around my face.
"Christine Marie Sterling," he whispered in my ear before he pulled away and got down on one knee. "I have loved you since our first dance and I want to keep my promise from that night in the middle of your field, when it was pouring rain, but we just danced. My love, will you marry me?" With that he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a ring. A diamond heart suspended between a band of silver. Embedded in the silver were small purple stones, Alexandrite, for our birthstone. The ring was beautiful and probably priceless, but that didn't matter, I was thinking of that night shortly before the week of chaos. That scorching hot night that it rained oceans, yet we just danced in the middle of my field without a care in the world. Then we layed down in the mud and talked. We talked about our future. I could still remember the feeling of ecstasy when he told me he wanted to marry me and terror that followed when I thought my heart had stopped beating. Suddenly, I knew Edi would never give up. He would pester me until I gave in. So, letting my worse judgement take over I decided to compromise with him.
"Not now Edi-" I started.
"Why not?" He half shouted obviously frustrated with me. He jumped up off his knee and stood up straight to try and tower over me. It would have worked, but I wasn't in the mood to be dominated.
"Shhh." I placed my index finger on his lips to quiet his rant that I knew was coming. "Not now, but in a couple months. I will ruin your company and family if we get engaged now, so I am giving myself two or four months to clean up my image and become the girl I used to be. Ok? Four months, maximum." I smiled and removed my finger from him lips.
"Three months." Edi said a massive smile on his face.
"Four months." I stated firmly. I wasn't moving on the timeline.
"Fine, but can we talk about it? How about I drive you back to your apartment?" Edi offered.
"No, I will see you in a couple months. When you see me next, I'll be yours forever." I promised with a wink before I turned on my heel and walked back to my spot in line.
Enrique Mendez' POV
This time as I waited for her to come back I had hope. I also had an approximate time frame in which I could expect her. And if she wasn't back in a year, I decided I would move on, I would look for another girl and completely devote myself to her.
Until then I waited.