Ariella ran as fast as she could. She had to get away from there. She had to get away from him.

She was five feet from her dressing room when she started to collaspe. Luckyily, Travis caught her.

A Little Back Story...

Raymond Travis Anderson, Travis for short, was from a rich and successful family. The Andersons owned several automotive companies throughout Europe. Everyone was driving something from Anderson Motors.

Since the business was so successful, Travis had to marry a girl who was from a successful family as well. His father, George Anderson, had been friends with Ariella's father since they were younger. In fact, when they were fifteen they agreed that their children would marry each other.

Back to Ariella...

She felt his large arms around her. She was used to them, but in this moment they felt foriegn.

"What happened? Are you okay?" A worried Travis asked.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine." She reassured him as she wiped tears from her green eyes.

"Hey, Ari," Eliza entered the room, "are you alright? The crowd is going nuts!"

"Well I guess I better get back out there," she replied, "hey, Liz."

"Yes?"

"Could I sing "The Hardest Thing" instead of "This Time" please?" She asked kindly trying to hide the sadness in her voice.

"Sure, sounds good," Liz told her.

"Thank you," she got up and gave Eliza a hug,"I guess I should get back out there now." With that she wiped her eyes and headed back toward the stage.

In the Crowd...

"Why did I come here?" Tora muttered to himself, "I only brought her pain." He balled his hand into a fist about ready to punch something. He was turning around to leave when he heard her voice.

"Sorry guys," she apologized,"I'm just going through something."

The crowd gave her a sympanthic "Awh."

"Yeah, but it is fine," she said with a laugh,"I do have something else to tell you though. It is that we are going to change the set list a little bit. I was originally going to do a cover of "This Time" by Pia Toscano, but I now going to sing "The Hardest Thing" by Julia Sheer. Is that okay?" The crowd grew louder with approval. "Alright, well here we go." As she began to sing her eyes once again locked with his.

"Still frame photographs of you and me together

It's all I have of you and me anymore

We were so in love

Thought it would last forever

But in the storm, we were torn

And I won't forget you

I don't regret you

But the hardest thing I have had to do is live without you

And I wonder why

We both walked away

I've tried without you

Cried about you.."

She continued to sing, but Tora drowned out the words. It hit way to close to home for him. He turned his back to her and sprinted toward the exit. All he wanted to do was to hide before anyone could see the tears forming in his topaz eyes.

Ariella...

She watched him leave, but continued singing. She knew her words probably hurt him, but figured he would bounce back, he always does.