She woke in a different place now. She was no longer welcomed with the burning hot sun. The dry feeling of her skin was now smoother. She could walk. She could see.
She felt like a completely new being.
But the moment she reached over to the other side of the bed it was empty.
Somehow the joy she felt left her body. As though a part of her was gone. She smiled, reminding herself that she was in love.
In love with something or someone.
The thought broadened the smile on her face. She never thought a smile would ever reach her eyes but today it did. She refused to be fazed by the empty space beside her.
Maybe they had gone somewhere else. So she looked around. Her eyes searching everywhere.
Every minute spent searching made her heart beat fast. She was holding onto hope.
Hope.
Strange.
She never believed in such. "Where are you?" Her voice echoed.
Silence.
Then that's when she fell to her knees and the tears slowly poured out.
He was gone.
"Beside you." She gasped, until she realised who it was. But something was different -
she could see him
"H-How, I thought yo-" Her voice trailed off, shaken at the figure before her. Everything was perfect, his eyes, his hair, that smile he bared while looking at her as though she was the best thing he ever laid eyes on.
"Keep staring at me and I might have to do something about it Ariana."
She got up slowly. Her eyes never left his as she did so. If this was a dream she wanted to be in it for as long as she could. "You're real," She mused. Her hand slowly rose and without thinking, she made contact with his skin. He was warm.
Chills ran down her spine once she realized how close they were and what he had said.
"I could stare at you forever," She admitted. "You couldn't even stop me. Do whatever you like," she submitted with such innocence.
She inched closer to him, so close that one move would be lethal. "You sure about that? I don't even know your name." She added on, willing to play along with this.
" I am whatever you want me to be Ariana." She smirked, clearly amused at his statement and actions.
"Anything?" Her brow rose. Her innocence being questioned in the moment.
"Anything," He reassures her. She appreciated his verbal answer other than a simple nod. "Even if that's a slave?"
"I'll be your slave," He doesn't hesitate to say. "But first," He smirks. "Allow me to show you what I do to newcomers,"
"Newcomers? So there were before me?" She knew it was too good to be true. But instead he stood there, with a cocky grin.
"Well, your reaction clearly seems to be new given the situation." He mused.
"Oh is that so?" She glared.
She's cute when she's mad, he thought.
She balls up her fists, using them to hit his chest.
"Isn't it evident?" He arches his brow. She scoffs, staring at the gorgeous man with a perfectly sculpted jaw. She tries to walk away but he was fast enough to catch her.
"Too slow." he smirked and her glaree becomes piercing.
"Atlas!" She screamed, unaware of the name she just said. Covering her mouth with her hand. Why did she say that name she wondered.
"Yes Ariana." He answered back unfazed as though he told her his name before.
She frowned. Seeming to have forgotten why she even screamed that name.
His name rather.
She said nothing. She had betrayed herself. Now she didn't know what to say so she moved further away from him, keeping her mouth shut because she didn't trust herself to say another word.
He inched closer to her and his hand found her bare shoulder. She reacted so coldly to his touch, removing herself like he had set her on fire.
He himself was taken back. Although he didn't let it show.
"I- Atlas- whatever your name is," She struggled. "get away from me." Her tone was cold, pretentious and her eyes gave it away. They were glassy from the tears that were forming in her eyes.
She tried to get away from him as much as she could, her hands shaking due to her nerves. But he was beside her in a second.
Her brows came together at his fast speed.
"I meant what I said Ariana." She remembered his words. "Home." He intertwined his hand in hers. He somehow had that effect on her, even if she knew him for less than a day.
"I thought u were."
"I still am." His reassurance made her body heat up.
"I am your home. I am your shelter. Your provider and yours alone. Nothing will change that. Even your temper." He chuckled towards the end and gently nudged her head to rest on his shoulder. She dare not fight back for his words shocked her. "Ariana, I am yours."
She then wondered, what was all the fighting for? If all she ever wanted as a kid was standing right before her. Before her dreams were shattered.
How could she let her past win? How could she let it destroy her? She didn't deserve that.
He made her believe in things she thought solely belonged in books. In the movies. In fantasy worlds. In the mind.
She hated the way he made her say words she thought were lies before.
"I love you,"
But she loved it more.
He made her smile in a matter of a few weeks nd no one was ever able to do that.
He took care of her, he had seen her at her worst; where she almost looked like anything other than a human being.
The road was long and the obstacles would come. But it was time for her to let go and start living for a change.
Finally, everything was falling into place.
She met home.
She met love
She met peace.
She met Atlas.
Her Atlas,
His Ariana.
"I love you," They said to one another.
And together, they shared a kiss. So pure and loving. With their hands intertwined, they became one.