a heartbeat away {Frankie}

[Ariella Rockwell]

Ariella

Ariella made a face at Frankie as he responded to her joke. ”No kiddin…” She looked up at him and sighed some. Still, though she smiled, elbowing his stomach. "I was kidding Frankie. You're perfect size too." They had reached the main hall by this time and just been intercepted by a teacher, who by the bug-eyed lookon her face, didn't expect to see Ariella Rockwell, the headmaster's daughter with Frankie Cuzco, the resident bad boy. She just smiled at the teacher and waved a small wave as they walked out the doors, Frankie holding it for her.

"Lady’s first,” The perfect gentlemen. She smiled and nodded as she walked past him. "Thank you." She said as she past. Outside the moon was full and high in the sky, illuminating the grounds. It was quite beautiful and though it was a bit cold, Ariella had her ankle length robes to keep her warm. She turned around and walked back wards to see Frankie walking behind her, his eyes gazing far off. She waved her arm high, trying to get his attention. "Back to earth Frankie." She laughed. The wind blew some, strands of her hair flying into her face until she smoothed them back, a smile still on her lips.


Frankie

When Ariella got outside the door she practically skipped off. How could she be so happy and full of energy? She was looking at the moon; her eyes looked brightly at it. What was she seeing in the vacant grey orb hanging in the sky? Frankie just saw dust and rock, maybe she saw more.

Absently he walked behind her wandering how someone could be so happy on the same planet where he was so not. Sighing he pushed the last thoughts of his father into the locked up corner of his head and noticed that Ariella’s arms were waving below him. She called him back to Earth. How funny it was how they were so similar to their surroundings. He was the vacant moon and she was the lush beautiful earth. Frankie wandered if it was possible to bring the moon down to Earth.

Tilting his head down he saw Ariella’s smile and he wind blowing her hair and all of a sudden he hoped that the moon could be brought to earth because even if it caused the world to end the two could be together. When she laughed Frankie sighed and wandered if he could laugh like that. Gently grabbing her chin with his large hand Frankie drawled, ”How is it tha’ your so happy and beautiful?”

[Ariella Rockwell]

She smiled when Frankie's eyes found her, as he pulled himself away from whatever memories or thought that were haunting him. She mimicked "Houston Control Center", cupping her hands over her mouth to muffle her words. "Houston, Frankie has returned. No need for the rescue ship." She pulled her hands away from her face and grinned, laughing at her own joke. She was still walking back wards, but the look that Frankie was giving her now made her smile slip away with the intensity of it. Her heartbeat speed up and she blinked, shoving at her hair again. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth again as her eyes searched his face. Then he did something she didn't expect. He grabbed her chin gently and tilted her head up as he looked down at her, his voice twanging softly, as soft as the wind blowing.

”How is it tha’ your so happy and beautiful?”

[/b] Ariella swallowed, her eyes staring into his deep chocolate eyes. She didn't know how to answer that, currently she was getting lost in those deep depths and she didn't want to be saved. Frankie was waiting for her to speak, so she blinked, breaking the spell his eyes were casting over her and swallowed some. "I don't know. Maybe its the person I'm with." She answered softly.[/font][/color][/blockquote]

[Frankie Cuzco]

FRANKIE CUZCO !!

The answer she gave was not the one he expected. He thought maybe she would say something deep and meaningful or something simple like she had a good day, but not that. Frankly it baffled Frankie that he could actually make a person happy. His first instinct was that she was lying but the look on her face and her personality in general; well Frankie knew she wasn’t one for lies.

Slowly Frankie took his hand from her face and ran it through his dark brown hair and sighed. This was just too good to be true. There was no way that a good, pretty girl like Ariella could possibly be happy to be near him. Usually Frankie frightened people or caused them trouble, but happiness? No, not in all of his life. He disappointed his family, he annoyed the teachers, he scared the students, but not this.

Looking down at Ariella he tried to find traces of a nonexistent lie but they weren’t there. Then it hit him. Sure maybe he was causing her to be happy now, just like the moon was making her happy from a distance in its vast emptiness. However if the moon got to close to he earth one of them would be destroyed or maybe even both.

Shaking his head Frankie looked back up to the moon and sighed again. Not looking down at her while he spoke Frankie drawled out, ”Darlin ya really shouldn’ be.” It wasn’t like Frankie was unsure that she shouldn’t be close to him, Frankie knew it. Actually he was told that several times in the past. All Frankie could cause was darkness. So it would be horrible to bring such darkness upon the light of the school. ”Ya really shouldn.” Frankie repeated this time more to himself then her.

[Ariella Rockwell]

Ariella watched the emotions on his face as she answered him. Surprise, followed by disbelief and finally a shut down. He didn't want her to see him. He dropped his hand and ran it through his hair, not meeting her eyes. Ariella looked down, bitting the inside of her cheek, her skin where he had held her tingiling. Why did he look like he was expecting her to run at the next possible second? It was like he was some distant star, blazing bright in the night sky, thriving in the darkness and she was the weak human, grasping at that brilliant light, wanting to hold something that couldn't be held.

She looked up as he glanced at the moon again, the light illuminating his eyes, a sigh escaping his lips and he looked away, still not looking at her. His soft southern twang sounded again as he spoke, something that made Ariella want to stay with him even more. ”Darlin ya really shouldn’ be.” He was so adament that she should not be around him, but Ariella had yet to find something, anything that would make her want to leave, nothing at all. She looked up at him and stared, wondering how she could make him trust her, make him believe that she wasn't going to run. Gently, slowly she moved next to him, her hand reaching out to touch his unbandaged one, her voice soft. "I think thats for me to decide, isn't it?" She asked , searching his face.

[Frankie Cuzco]

FRANKIE CUZCO !!

It was like she didn’t see what could happen if she got too close. Well maybe you’d have to know Frankie well to feel the need to run away. Sadly Frankie looked down at Ariella and all he saw was how kind, beautiful, and caring. How could she even want to be near him? Maybe she saw something Frankie didn’t, but Frankie knew who he was and he was someone Ariella Rockwell, the headmaster’s daughter and the good girl of the school, shouldn’t be involved with.

When she grabbed his hand he couldn’t help but flinch at the touch and look away from her. Frankie didn’t like being touched; the only way he made contact with another person was if he was in a fist fight. However he held his hand gently, not something he was used to. Sure his mother used to but as he got older she worked more and more, ignoring the family, probably running away and hiding from the obvious torments in her family’s life.

How could she care about someone that she barely knew? Ariella had her own problems for sure. Her own twin sister was practically her enemy and there was probably pressure in that situation that shouldn’t be put on anyone. So how could she care so much about so many people, especially someone that cared about nothing?

”Don’ worry, I know tha’. I’m the last person to tell someone wha’ to do.” Frankie drawled and smiled an emotionless smile. Truly Frankie wouldn’t tell anyone what to do because it would make him too much like his father. ”I’m not my daddy darlin. I’m jus’ givin ya some advice.”

[Ariella Rockwell]

Ariella let his hand drop slowly when he flinched at her touch. She sighed some and continued to walk next to him, noticing his stride was matched to hers. It was silent for a moment until she got a realization into maybe why Frankie was so guarded. Don’ worry, I know tha’. I’m the last person to tell someone wha’ to do.” Frankie drawled. ”I’m not my daddy darlin. I’m jus’ givin ya some advice.” She looked up at him as they walked and wondered if he truly thought he was as uncaring as he tried to act. "I know Frankie. And I will politely decline your advice." Her voice was soft and gentle, full of the truth. She wanted to be with Frankie, despite his many attempts to get her to leave. The wind blew more and Ariella looked around, seeing a bench she headed over to it and motioned for Frankie to follow her. "Lets sit here."

[Frankie Cuzco]

FRANKIE CUZCO !!

It confused Frankie as to why she didn’t care about his warnings and attempts to dissuade her helpful hand. She didn’t seem to not understand his warnings but yet she just kept walking and talking with him, trying to find out things that she didn’t need to know because frankly Frankie wouldn’t want to know them if he was her.

When Ariella motioned over to a bench for them to sit Frankie realized that this would be a great time to say no. To say no to her help and her attempts to find out what secrets lied within him. So if Frankie wanted to her to stay away so bad then why did he feel the need to follow her? Like his body was moving on its own, ignoring the directions from his mind, Frankie followed Ariella to the bench.

Now the bench wasn’t the biggest in the world and Frankie squeezed to the very side so she could sit without his well muscled arms smushing her. Maybe it wasn’t the brightest idea for them to sit on a bench because it took a lot of work for Frankie not to smash her no matter how tiny she was.

Looking over at her Frankie sighed and looked back up at the moon. Sure it had potential to be something beautiful but Frankie just couldn’t see it. Averting his gaze down to Ariella Frankie couldn’t help but wander what kind of potential she saw in him. Did she see him as caring and reparable? Confusion swimming in his chocolate brown eyes Frankie drawled to her. ”I don’ understand ya Darlin. Not a bit.”

[Ariella Rockwell]

Not looking behind her to see if Frankie was following, Ariella walked lightly over the random sized boulders scattered around, her eyes glancing over everything. She loved being outside at night, loved the freedom of it. And though she never felt threatened or scared outside at night, she definitely didn't now, Frankie saw to that. Ariella was trying to understand why he didn't want her to be around him, to even talk to him, but he was closed up tighter than anyone she knew. And she really didn't even know why she wanted to know herself. Just something inside her called out to Frankie, something reacted to the obvious pain he was in. Not just the pain, everything about him called out to her and she gladly responded, wanting to get to know him.

They had reached the bench, and as they sat, she noticed Frankie scooted over to the extreme edge of the seat, to make more room for her. That made her smile gently and she looked up at him, just as he looked down at her. ”I don’ understand ya Darlin. Not a bit.” She made a face, a small sigh escaping her lips. "Why do you have to understand anything? Is it so strange that I meet someone new and I want to spend time with them? Or is it just that I want to spend time with you?" Ariella was desperately trying to understand why he didn't want to be with her, why he was so adamant about shutting her out. Maybe it would be easier if he told her outright to mind her own business and go away. Her eyes searched his, looking for an answer.

[Frankie Cuzco]

FRANKIE CUZCO !!

The answer to her question seemed obvious. Didn’t she notice that he was trying to protect her from the demons with in himself? Wander if they came out and he ended up hurting her? Wander if Frankie was really just like his father? Wander if all of Frankie’s work to be uncaring and unbendable that he had just become his father anyway?

Running his hand through his hair yet again Frankie looked up at the moon and wandered how to tell her this without making her think that it was her fault. ”Darlin its obviously me. Don’ ya see?” Frankie drawled out ”I’ma not good for anyone. Not jus’ you but anyone Darlin.” Sadly he was repeating words that he had been fed for most of the past 6 years.

Looking down at her Frankie tried to see if she believed him. Maybe she would but Frankie had a sinking feeling that Ariella cared more about other people than she did herself. If she couldn’t see that then Frankie would only bring her to ruins then he hoped that she finally would see now. ”Don’ ya understan’?”

[Ariella Rockwell]

”Darlin its obviously me. Don’ ya see?” Frankie drawled out ”I’ma not good for anyone. Not jus’ you but anyone Darlin.” A sharp pain stabbed through Ariella's heart at Frankie's words. There was some much anguish in that simple statement, so much sadness. She wanted to comfort him, to tell him that he wasn't what everyone thought he was, that around her he could be himself. She hadn't realized a look of pain crossed her face until Frankie was looking down at her, a strange expression on his face. She swollowed the lump in her throat and spoke in a soft voice, still staring up at him. "I don't believe you. All I see in front of me is a person who's been told that everything he is is all wrong, and in reality he is perfect the way he should be." She said this in all honesty. She didn't believe for a second what Frankie kept insisting was true.

He just looked down at her sadly ”Don’ ya understan’?” She looked away. "I only understand that you are better than you think you are and that I want to get to know you." She stared at her hands, folded in her lap. "But if you want me to leave, just tell me straight." She folded her hands tightly, her eyes on her white knuckles, waiting for the final words.

[Frankie Cuzco]

FRANKIE CUZCO !!

How could she see that? How could she know that he wasn’t what he has known himself to be for so very long? She didn’t know him and Frankie decided finally what he wanted. He knew what would be good for the both of them and we was going to make sure it happened.

Apparently Ariella saw more in him than Frankie knew and wanted to fix it. It would probably make her happy to let her in, to let her fix him. However it could also cause he so much more pain and heartache then she needed. She had enough problems and didn’t need Frankie to add to them.

However there was part of Frankie that wanted that help. He wanted to be given a chance but knew that anything could be ripped away in a second. So without looking at Ariella he sighed and said, ”You’re wrong.” At that he got up and left her on the bench. It was so much easier being the one doing he leaving then being the one left behind.

[Ariella Rockwell]

”You’re wrong.” Frankie whispered as he stood, his profile against the light of the moon, shadowing his face. Ariella looked up, searching for his face, searching for something, and finding nothing. He turned and walked away, his face still unreadable. She held up a hand weakly, but was ignored. She could feel her heart speed up and her breath grow shallow. Ariella twisted on the bench, watching him as he walked away, his tall stature throwing shadows along the ground. She sat there, her hands limp in her lap and her eyes unseeing.

Ariella didn't believe in fate, didn't believe that her life was already set in stone and she could do nothing to change it, but the one chance encounter with Frankie Cuzco changed her mind. She watched him walk away, feeling that she had maybe found the one person who might be able to understand her own problems, who might want to hold her close and sooth her when the world wouldn't let up and reality came crashing down. The one who would provide warmth when all the life had to offer was cold and difficult choices. And she could feel him slipping through her fingers, like trying to capture starlight in her tiny mortal hands. She thought she had him, thought she had caught that bit of brightness for herself, but like all light, it slipped away, a being onto itself. She stood and started after him, stumbling and quickly falling behind, his long stride eating up the ground in no time. "Frankie." She whispered.

[Frankie Cuzco]

-- CLOSED !! --