Four

(Three weeks Later) Alina's POV

It's been 2 weeks since Zack left. He said that he had to go pick up a friend from Niblehiem. I've finally gotten enough courage to call him, so he doesn't have to be the one to do it.

We've talked every day since he first gave me his number. It's been real nice talking to someone other than my sister and the everyday-always-happy customers that walk through here. I've gotten to know him better, and vise versa. Finding out more about him, only makes me like him more. Esmeralda pesters me all the time, asking me to tell her what Zack and I talk about, the new things I learn about him, et cetera.

"Has he called you today?" my sister asked, coming in to stock up on the things we needed,

"No Esmeralda..." I sighed. A customer came in making both Esmeralda and I jump. Every time that door opens, I wait to see him pop through, perfect as always and smiling. I think Esmeralda hoped for that almost as much as I did.

Hearing the door fly open but not see him standing there gets old after a while. It makes you not want to look up at all anymore, but I did it each time anyway.

"Welcome to Ceres'." I greeted the customer. The black haired, hazel eyed woman looked familiar, but it didn't occur to me until she started to speak.

"Hiya, Alina. You don't remember me, do you?" she smiled.

"Um..." I looked around, trying to remember but it still wouldn't come to me. "No. I'm sorry."

"That makes me very sad." she grinned, and threw her head to the side. She looked as if she'd kill me if I didn't recognize her within the next 2 seconds.

Then it hit me. "Kian?! Kian Reinhart?!" I stood up to get a closer look at her.

"Finally. Geez, you make me feel real damn special 'Lina!" she threw her hands up on her hips.

"Oh my god, how have you been?" I asked.

"Ah. Kicking ass like always." she chuckled deviously.

"You never change do you?" I laughed.

"You know me too well. So, how's life treating you?" Kian asked.

I didn't want to answer her, because she- being herself, would want the 'juicy' details of my 'love' life. She was exactly right, 'I knew her too well'." She was like this when we went to school together. If I had a crush on someone she would want to know everything.

"Hm. It's... good." I answered in the simplest way I could think of. My life was never worth talking about, but now that I can actually say it's livened up a bit, I decided to go ahead and tell her. "It's changed in the last few weeks."

"Changed? How?"

"Well...I met this really great guy."

As soon as I said the word 'guy' she was all-ears and ready to pull up a chair to listen. "Really?! What's he like?"

I tried to find the one word I knew to use to describe him, without dragging it out too much. I didn't want to sound like I was bragging. "Perfect."

"Perfect? That's all you're going to tell me?!"

"Yep." I smiled.

"Not fair." Kian complained.

'Fair...' Zack's last name. I sighed. "Kian, would you think I was going completely insane if I told you he was like an angel sent from the heavens to... I don't know, make my life more interesting?" I laughed at the word 'interesting' because that seemed to be Zack's favorite word. 'It looked interesting.'

"Wow, um... no, you're not insane, but you act as if you really like him. That's a good thing. I'm happy for you."

There was a familiar ringing noise filling my ears. I suddenly realized it was the door opening. And, there, in the doorway, he stood. Kian looked at me and examined my face. I knew I was blushing, but I couldn't control it.

"Hey. Did you miss me?" the tune of his voice washing through the awkward silence made my heart rate go up.

Perfect timing. "Maybe. I'm glad you're back."

"Oh, my god. THIS is the boyfriend you told me about? I see what you mean by perfect." Kian blurted out.

I jumped across the counter, clasping my hand over her mouth. "Kian! He's not my boyfriend!"

"Aw, c'mon baby, don't be so cold, I just got back." Zack teased. I was hoping that he wouldn't catch on so quickly.

"ZACK! No... it's..."

Kian did her usual thing, asking a thousand questions. Only stopping when she got all the information she needed- or at least until she was satisfied.

"Finally..."I sighed, relieved after Kian left. Now I had to explain to Zack what happened.

"Perfect?" he asked grinning.

I looked down at the ground. "...Z-z-z-a-ack..." I couldn't speak clearly. "P-please... please don't run away." I fell to my knees.

"W-what?" Zack knelt down, and lifted my head to look at him. "Why would I run away Alina?"

"That's all anyone ever does when I try to show my true feelings. I didn't tell Kian that you were my boyfriend, I swear! She just assumed..." I felt like I was going to cry.

"Alina! What's the matter?! Zack, what the hell did you do?!" I heard Esmeralda's terrified voice from behind me.

"I didn't do anything...she's saying that she's afraid I'll run away." Zack said. I could hear panic in both of their voices.

Then everyone went quiet. "I'm sorry! Please excuse me!" I ran out the shop door, heading outside.

"Alina!" I heard Zack yell.

Zack's POV

"Let her go. She needs to b e alone when this happens." Esmeralda pulled on my shirt.

"You make it sound as if this happens more than once or twice." I said. She looked up at me, her big brown eyes looked empty.

"Okay. Pull up a chair, this might take a while." we got 2 chairs. Esmeralda switched the 'open' sign to 'closed' and sat down in her chair in front of me. She took a deep breath and began- what I guessed to be a painful- reminiscence.

"It starts off on Valentine's day. February 14th... a month from today. Alina's," she paused as if she couldn't speak. "Alina's birthday."

I looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"You've probably noticed, are parents aren't around?" she said. I nodded in response. "Well, that's because... they hate 'Lina. She always did the best she could. Protected anyone and anything she loves. She never complained about anything. When I came along they completely ignored her. Then, her 18th birthday, she asked for one thing, and one thing only. To take me to the beach. We went and had a great time, but as the day dragged on, I got sick of it all. The sand, the ocean, the seagulls.

"Alina, on the other hand, she loved the beach. She and I weren't really able to go outside much, so it surprised us both when our parents allowed us to go. As I said, I was ready to leave the beach. Alina begged me to allow her just one more hour, but I was selfish, I threw a fit. I would scream and kick dirt. "I WANT TO GO HOME!" so, without any hesitation we got in the car. As we were riding home she told me that she wanted to move out, to live near the beach. It was her dream, and I couldn't understand why she would want to leave me behind, so I went too far and started yelling at her. I told her that I hated her.

"She took her hands off of the wheel, hyperventilating. We started to run off the road, spinning out of control until we crashed. We hit a tree, but luckily we didn't hit it any harder than we did." Esmeralda closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Then, opening her eyes again, she started to speak once more. "Alina hit her head, gashing her forehead on the steering wheel. You can see the scar if you get close enough, but it's not that noticeable. I freaked out, but I came out with only a few scratches and bruises. When I looked at Alina, I fainted. I pass out at the sight of blood, and it was all over the steering wheel, running down her frightened face. Since she was so much stronger than me, she got out of the car like nothing happened. I knew because when I woke up just a few minutes later she was carrying me.

"The nearest hospital was about 10 miles back the other way, and home was only 5 miles ahead, and we didn't have a cell phone, so she did what came to mind. She's amazing, she walked all the way home carrying me without stopping, or falling out. As soon as our parents opened the door they took me away from her. Despite her injuries, my dad slapped her, and pushed her up against the wall asking her why she was so careless with me. 'YOUR SISTER COULD HAVE DIED!' I remember him yelling at her. She apologized. They never even tended to her wounds.

"She took care of herself, bandaging her head, cleaning up her bloodied face. She stayed by my bedside all night. She sung to me, telling me how sorry she was. She probably didn't even sleep, and all of that was my fault, because I was being a spoiled brat. the next day, my parents had packed some of my things- along with theirs. They told me that they were leaving, leaving our home, and my sister behind to go live with my aunt. I was too young to live alone, and I wasn't 18 so I had to listen to them.

"I begged them to let me stay with her. I remember it like it was yesterday. They picked me up because I kept trying to run back to Alina. 'NO! I WANT TO STAY WITH ALINA!' I screamed, but that did no good. I looked over at her and she fell to her knees like today, but she was smiling, only letting a few tears escape her eyes. She smiled saying, 'No, you must go with them sweetheart. Mom and dad will always take care of you. It would be dangerous for you to be here with me.' I was furious at her. I couldn't believe she'd say something so awful, something so untrue. She told me, 'I love you, little sister,' but I was angry.

"I recited those 3 hideous words once more. 'I hate you.' then, we left." Esmeralda took a long pause, never looking at me. "I'm ashamed of myself, but she forgives me."

"She loves you." I said softly.

"Yeah. I know. Well, I called her. Then, after 2 years had passed, I was able to move out. I begged Alina to let me stay with her, and she allowed it. We fixed things between us, and moved closer to town, to open up this shop. She's changed. She doesn't put up with my crap anymore." she laughed.

"Esmeralda..." I mumbled, but she stopped me from finishing.

"She probably feels like a screw-up, that's why she said what she did. She didn't want to fully trust you, but she ended up doing it anyways. She stared at that damn phone for hours until you called. So... even if you do decide to walk out on her, I want to say thank you for making her happy. Thanks for waltzing in like the 'perfect angel' she claims you to be." she laughed. "But, don't tell her I said that."

I organized my thoughts, taking it all in. I stood up. "I'm not the type of person who doesn't try. I won't walk away from something, or someone I care about. I like her, and I'm sorry all of that had to happen." I told her.

"Me too. Thanks again. Sorry I had to tell you about my selfish ways." she replied.

I laughed.

"Continue to be her friend, Zack." Esmeralda smiled.

"I plan to."