Phoenix. 100 F or 38 C. Capital of Arizona covered with mountains and bumpy slopes. It's summer so it makes it much more harder to travel in a big red truck. It has a trailer too. A huge one at that.
You see, this big red truck with trailer is a home all in itself. Population -5.I'm seated beside the driver. The hilly and barren landscape is the only thing in my view. It has been 45 days since I've been welcomed here.
Here I am, in a truck with four men going to god knows where with no destination in my mind. I'm a nomad and my home is the highway and the man seated next to me. His jaw set hard and hands clutching the wheel. His green eyes were unmoving fixated on the road.
"Have you ever been in love?" I asked him.
"What's love?" He asked me back without moving his gaze from the road. I was taken aback at that. Love. Such a simple feeling, to not be experienced is really a sin. At least to me it is.
"Well uh...love is..." I was surprised that I was at a loss for words. Because really, what was love? It couldn't be defined in simple worlds because it comprised so much more. "It's when you care for a person. When you care so deeply that you're willing to do anything for them. You love a person who's always been there for you." I finished not exactly content at my explaination but looked at him to see his reaction.
"Then I've never been in love." He said without a change of muscle on his face. I wondered if he's always been that way or was he just a former shell of himself.
"Never been in love?" I asked astonished. "Surely there must have been a girl you loved at some point in life."
He maintained his calm composure. Again no reaction. "Love is and will always be the bue skies and open highway."
And there it was again. His love for the roads. I never really understood how someone can love a non-living thing. It just goes out of the laws of science, but then again who am I to contradict his laws. My next question must have shocked him because it was the first time he took his eyes off the road and looked at me with his green eyes boring into mine.
"Could you ever love me?" It was a simple question really. I guess it was just my curiosity that led me to asking the question. I wasn't one to hold back before and so I didn't now. Despite my bravado my heart thumped against my chest waiting for his answer. A certain song played in my mind while I waited for him to reply.
The highway won't hold you tonight
The highway don't know you're alive
The highway don't care if you're all alone
But I do, I do.
The highway won't dry your tears
The highway don't need you here
The highway don't care if you're coming home
But I do, I do.
My life wasn't always like this you know. I had a family, parents and two annoying little brothers. A best friend. A fiancé .A real home. A life.
It was supposed to be my wedding the next day. 45 days ago. It would be my wedding day. I would be in a white dress, holding my dad's arm and walking down the aisle looking in the eyes of my lover.
I could still hear the cheering. The thrill of getting an award in front of millions of people who wish they were in my place. Having a glamourous life. All I ever wanted except that...I didn't know if I wanted it any more.
"Annabeth!" "Annabeth!" "Annabeth Chase, autograph please.!" "Annabeth Chase, how do you feel about your wedding with famous rockstar Luke Castellan?" "Annabeth! Which is your next movie?"
I ducked behind the cameras and reporters and got into my limo. "Oh gods they're so irritating." I said waving my perfectly manicured hand through the window.
"Well it's your life, queen bee." Thalia, my best friend said beside me. "Besides, you are quite popular you know. After your last movie you've topped the charts."
"Of ccourse I did. Did you expect anything less?" I said acting offended.
"Of course not." She said quickly. I rolled my eyes and checked my messages. There were three from Luke.
Hey babe, m at ur house. Waitin fr u to cme.
Hve a suprise. I no u'll lyk it
Can't wait 2 b married 2 u! Luv u!
"Hmph!" Thalia scoffed beside me reading the messages. "He probaby can't wait for the wedding night."
I rolled my eyes. "Put a sock in it Thals. It's not Luke's fault. It's what every guy probably wants at the age of 23."
"Yeah but it looks like he only wants that from you." Thalia said crossing her arms.
"Whatever. I know Luke loves me and I love him back. That's all that's needed." I said stubbornly while Thalia remained silent. I didn't know what her problem was. She always would find reason to crtitisize Luke. I don't know why she was so against me marrying him. Maybe she was jealous. Yeah that's right. She was jealous that I had already found someone who loved me while she was still single.
"I'm going to invite my stylist today. You want an appointment too?" I asked her fliiping my hair off the shoulder. It was honey blonde and straight. My original air was curled at the ends but it looked more hot straight according to Luke so I had it straightened.
"Sure." Thalia muttered looking out of the window. "We're here!" She said as we stopped in front of a huge white mansion A.K.A my house.
I walked inside following Thalia to be tackled by two little monsters. My brothers, Bobby and Mathew.
"Annabeth! We missed you a lot!""Could you play with us?" Both of them asked together as they hugged me. I winced. They were getting their dirty hands on my new Van Heusen clothes!
"Ugh guys? Please step back! You're getting dirt all over me!" I exclaimed pushing them away.
They pulled away and I could see they were a little upset but I could really care less. I sighed and bent down to there heights. "I'm busy guys. Maybe later okay?"
"Okay." They both murmured as I walked away with Thalia.
"You know the least you could do is hug them. Your parents don't give them a moment of their day and you don't too. They're kids you know." Thalia said crossing her arms.
"I know Thals, but I'm a busy woman! And anyways I grew up the same way! They can manage." I said waving her off.
"Whatever. I'll just go and check up with your mom for the wedding details." She said walking away.
I walked into my room throwing my purse on the bed when I heard someone say 'Ow!" I whirled around to find a blonde blue-eyed hottie sitting on my bed.
"Luke!" I exclaimed as I threw my arms around him. He quickly wrapped his arms around my waist as we he fell back.
"Babe, I missed you." He said looking into my eyes and then kissing me. Being in love never felt so great than coming back home to a fiance like Luke. He was everything a girl ever wanted. Charming, handsome. a gentleman, caring, loving and the list could go on.
"I missed you too." I said pulling away and then chuckling."Although I did just meet you yesterday." He chuckled and pecked my forehead.
"So where's my surprise?" I asked sitting up. I smirked placing my hands on my hips.
He pulled out his guitar from his case and smiled at me. "I made a song for you. And guess what? It's going in my album."
"Awww that's so sweet Luke. Thank you!" I said hugging him again.
"Nuh huh. You have to hear it first." he said pulling back and strumming the chords. I placed my hand on his wrist stopping him.
"Wait. I want it to be somewhere else, not in my room. After all it is such a romantic gesture." I explained.
"You and your cliches Annabeth." Luke said rolling his eyes.
"I know. I know. Now come on!" I said pulling him by the arm. He stumbled a bit and then fell into step. "Where are we going?" he asked.
"Somewhere away from here." I said wrinkling my nose. It wasn't like I didn't like my huge mansion. It was just that I always had to stay here except for any interviews or a movie premiere or something. My mom had made strict rules that I couldn't go outside the house. It was simply forbidden. She didn't want the paparazzi meddling in my life so whenever I needed something it was always ordered without me stepping a foot out of the house.
"Annabeth I'm not sure about this." Luke said in the car as we found ourselves in front of a park. It was dark of course because it was night time.
"Oh come on Luke. I just want some freedom. I practically live in a jail." I said getting out of the car, Luke doing the same. He raised his arms in surrender. "Okay. Okay. Just don't blame me when your mom blows off."
I tried to ignore what he said and made my way towards the park bench. I sat down on the bench with my legs crossed and an attentive look. "Okay, now you can sing."
Luke chuckled and kissed my jaw. "You're cute." He made himself comfortable on the bench and cleared his throat. he started strumming his guitar again.
Every part of my heart I'm giving out
Every song on my lips I'm singing out
Any fear in my soul I'm letting go
And anyone who asks I'll let him know
He looks me in the eyes was singing and I just can't pull away.I noticed that there's noone in the park which makes it a whole lot better.
She's the one, she's the one I say it loud
She's the one, she's the one I say it proud
Ring the bell, ring the bell for the whole crowd
Ring the bell, Ring the bell
He shifts a little closer to me as he starts singing the chorus.
I'm telling the world, that I found the girl
The one I can live for, the one who deserves...
At the end of the song I was in tears. I wasn't a really touchy-feely or emotional person but his lyrics were so beautiful. His lyrics were always beautiful, I realized but it was all the more because this time they were directed to me.
I pulled him into a kiss as soon as he finished his song. He tossed his guitar on the ground and immediately kissed back. I bent my neck to deepen the kiss and his arms tightened around me. He started to kiss my neck and jaw making a pattern as his hands crept under my shirt. I stiffened a bit but Luke didn't notice. My mind debated whether this was right or not. Just before I could make the right decision, we heard a twig snap.
We immediately pulled away and Luke and I looked at each other wide eyed. Luke nodded at me and let me go standing up. He put a finger to his lips indicating me to stay quiet. "I'll be right back." He whispered as he walked towards where the noise came from. Soon he dissapeared into the bushes and I started panicking. Who was it? Was it the paparazzi? Maybe it was some animals.
Just as I completed that thought I heard a loud groan and a thump. I recognized it as Luke's voice. "Luke!" I exclaimed standing up quickly.
I was about to run forward when I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. I winced at the pain as I stumbled and fell. I clutcched the back of my head and when I brought it back I could see they were red.
I wanted to get up and see what happened to Luke but black spots started dancing in my vision. Before I could comprehend what was happening I felt myself being picked up. The last thing I saw before slipping into unconsiousness were a pair of green eyes.
After a hundred years or what must have been ten minutes he finally answered leaning towards me. "I've never been love, but I think I'm starting to." He said and captured my lips with his. I didn't want to admit but it felt good. Really good. My mind scolded me. You can't kiss him? What happened to what he did to you? What about Luke?
But the most pressing thought was...How could something so wrong be so right?
Please review and tell me if I should continue. If you didn't like it then please check out my other stories. Hope you like them. Disclaimer - I got the idea for the plot line from a movie.
