♥Ariel & Eric 2008♥

Ariel Anderson sat quietly on her bed, listening to the melody of the dark sky outside and the television down stairs. Daddy was still awake. Staring out the rain streaked window, the young girl sighed and ran through her general daydreams, ones of cute cliche teen love. How she just wanted someone to hold her, kiss her. Her very first kiss. Eric Princing, her lab partner, her crush. Excited she'd found someone who gave her those very fluttering flighty feminine feelings! He seemed to like her too. The only thing that stood a problem was a few simple habits that they failed to share and a choice group of friends she'd yet to meet. Stereotyped the Boozers, the Druggies, the 'stay away from that group honey' kids. 1

Hearing the tv click off and her fathers heavy foot steps fade farther into the back of the house Ariel wrapped herself in a blanket and opened her window. 2

Clamoring out she tip toed across the roof to the old oak that bordered the house, pulling herself into it's branches and inside. She stumbled over to a shelf lighting the candle that sat on top of a secret secret chest. When lit the candle's little glow shown throughout the short yet very high (for being in an oak tree) room, illuminating shelf after rickety shelf of bottles and stickers, stamps and pictures. Things of all sorts that held memories and curiosity. Opening the chest she pulled out a novel of romantic seduction, one daddy said was to mature, and then books with pictures that's surely were far more mature. Wrapping herself in Eric's jacket [he'd forgotten it in the library she sat in a cozy corner and Ariel opened to her bookmark, which was Eric's freshman id card and began just where she'd left off. 3

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Feeling the house dropping in temperature, Kenneth Mars got out of bed and called up the stairs to the children. Kenneth was a sad man who was mourning the fresh lose of his wife Athena, a foster father of seven girls now left on his own. 4

'Ladies! Windows shut, doors open!' he called. No answer, must be asleep. He drug himself up the stairs following the draft... straight to the room of the youngest of them all and a 12 years veteran of the home. Ariel Anderson. The room was empty, window open, tree house lit. Angrily Kenneth shot down stairs.
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Immersed in her book Ariel didn't hear daddy approaching until he was at the opening. What a calamity it was. A question of why are you outside in the dark and rain turned to what is that which turned to what the hell. Concern to confusion to disappointment and anger all in a matter of seconds. And also in a matter of seconds Ariel's chest was flung to the soaking wet ground, it's contents scattered across the lawn. The crying in challenge of the screaming was useless and Ariel was forced to flee to her room. She flung herself into a sobbing heap onto her bed. The trials and tribulations of being a teenage girl compiled in her mind and shallow self centered thoughts swallowed her. Eric would never really notice her, not a good girl like her. This is the most she's ever been in trouble for was petty theft and, now, reading a book with a sex scene. Oh what a rebel she was. But
she knew exactly how to solve this dilemma. It was simply really.6

Monday at school Ariel silently trailed her dreams of love though the hallways and the courtyard at lunch. Straight to his fix. Well his supplier anyways. She clung tight to the money she had found in Daddies drawer, Christmas money she assumed. Stuck scared sitting at the base of the building she waited until they all left before slipping into the alley.
The dealer was a heavy set women who sat lazily between her set of dobermans, Flotsam & Jetsam and she eye'd Ariel with such an air of apprehension it was nauseating. Cecaelia told her that the first taste wouldn't go down smooth and that it would change her drastically, but fast talking on the fat witches behalf got Ariel 40 Mg's of injectable black tarred poison. Cecaelia showed her where to put the needle and a minute later she was flooded with feelings and colors she'd never known.7

Now Eric would notice her. She knew the rules, bring your own and welcome home she mumbled to herself as she fell up the steps to the old hotel. 8

She headed to the top floor where the 'high flyer's' resided. She knew that he and his friends hung there. She pushed open the door and walked up to him laughing, she grabbed his face and kissed him. Confused but willing he kissed the quiet attractive bookworm back. She took a step back and pirouetted in a showy fashion, revealing a girl he had never seen before. As she turned her world spun faster going dark and she felt her muscles begin to contort and she fell flat with an urge to vomit. 9

She woke up days later in a brightly sterile room filled with floral arrangements. She scanned the room, pausing at the tv she, satisfied, saw the loop for the arrest of the local drug leader and his lacky's which showed that evil woman from the alley being drug away.10

Groggy and sick she called out for her dad. Kenneth stirred from his chair and came up to the bed side. Ariel cried and begged to know what happened. He explained that she was carried to the hospital by a boy from school claiming you just showed up high on something and collapsed. He told her that she had her veins practically flushed and there was more saline then water. She had been out for 2 almost 3 days. Crying Ariel asked where the boy was, expecting to hear in custody or long gone. Her father stood up and walked out of the room and came back with Eric.11

'This boy hasn't left the waiting room' her father said quietly, then turned and left. 12

Eric walked up to the side of the hospital bed as Ariel hastily tried to cover her hospital gowned self. Reaching down Eric fixed her blanket and asked her plainly, 'What was this Ariel?'13

'I don't know... I can't talk about it.', she mumbled.14

'Please just tell me, do you remember anything out of it? Why did you come to the hotel? Why did you do this to yourself?'15

Ariel cried silently and whispered, '...so you'd notice me'16

Eric took her hand and kissed the top gently, 'You always had my attention. I'm just disappointed you tried to be someone your not.' moving closer he kissed her lips, 'You only needed to be yourself.'