003

Chapter 3

 Thalia's POV 

    

Varian took the news of me leaving much better than I had expected.

… almost a little too well. 

But I was glad that he was finally seeing things from my perspective. 

Along with Varian other Park members had complex feelings about me living at Crescent uni but at the end of the day they were all super supportive. 

As proof of that varian even arranged is send off party with me and all of our close friends came bearing gifts smiles congratulations and encouragement.

“We're going to be texting everyday, you hear me? Should we get matching tattoos or something? That way the other girls will know that you have an amazing, irreplaceable bestie!” Shelly, my best friend and the gamma's daughter said as she embraced me. 

“Maybe tattoos might be a little too much Shelly…but I will call them text as much as I can,”

We had been friends ever since we were in diapers. 

It was actually a trio with varian, our parents' relationships with each other making ours inevitable.

But after Varian and I naturally blossomed into a couple, I had noticed a distance between us. It was a sudden gap that had not appeared overnight but gradually. 

She had confessed not so long ago that she felt like a third wheel with us and I couldn't fault her for that, but I wish we had spent more time together. 

Honestly, I wished I didn't have to go. 

But as hard as it was right now I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't snatch up this opportunity.

“Can I steal her away from a moment?” Varian said to Shelly after an entire evening of her keeping me attached to the hip. 

“No way dummy” Shelly snapped back in a heartbeat, “can't you see what having fun by ourselves?” 

“Can't you see that you have been hugging her all to yourself, skunk breath?” 

Shelly tugged on my arm that she was holding on to.

“Make a choice, Thalia, your spectacular, amazing best friend or skunk breath?” 

Varian scoffed, hands crossed“Like she would pick you–”

“Guys, come on, can you get along tonight, just for my sake? This might be the last time we'll be able to get together like this. Let's make these last moments all fun memories to remember,”

Both of them backpedaled, the air became a bit melancholic as a side effect.

Shelly released me and Varian took me upstairs, stopping at the top of the stairs to put a blindfold on me.

“Ohh, Varian what's all this?” I asked with teasing expectancy.

I could feel his smile against the side of my cheek, “A surprise, don't worry you'll see this in a moment,” 

I followed him, heart pounding with each step, mind swirling as my imagination went wild.

“Are you ready?” He asked and I nodded enthusiastically, he pulled off the blindfold.

The velvet fabric fluttered to the ground touching it in time to match my gasp of surprise.

“What is all this?” 

The room in front of me looked like a honeymooner's getaway.

Fresh sheets littered with rose petals, scented candles on hold stands and even wine too set out for the two of us, I was still trapped in awe when Varian came from behind.

“Do ..do you like it?” 

“Like it?” I spluttered out, in my eighteen years of life I had never seen anything half as romantic and touching, “By goddess! I love it Varian …thank you,” my chest was hit with a pang of guilt, “you didn't have to do this,” 

“Why?”

“Well because…” 

We had never explicitly said we wouldn't try long distance relationship, but we both knew that wouldn't work out.

Varian was big on physical touch, it was his main love language.

I couldn't bear to imagine him physically craving for me till it hurt, and I would miss him terribly too. Perhaps it worked out for others, but definitely not us.

“It's nothing, thank you…” 

He pressed a kiss of the back of my head; “You're welcome,” 

And for the next few minutes, we came to an unspoken agreement not to talk about Crescent uni or the fact that I would be gone in the blink of an eye.

We spoke like we had all the time in the world, laughing and all that.

The in a moment the fantasy was shattered.

“Isn't it crazy that I already miss you so much even while you're still here?” he began and I heard the first crack on his voice, 

Suddenly I was wrenched with unspeakable volumes of guilt. 

“Me too,” i admitted.

He shifted closer to me on the bed, putting the wine glass aside, “Then prove it, stay here…for me-no for us. Prove that I mean something to you Thalia, show me that this pack means something to you,”

His eyes bore into mine; “Tell me the truth, did you love me??” 

His words pushed me into a corner.

I sighed 

My decision had been made.

“I love you, and I always will –”

His face was brightening up but I continued, chest clenched; “...but I love you enough to know that if I forfeit my lifelong dream, I'll become resentful towards you and maybe even our pups too and while it devastates me that we'll never truly be mates,” I cupped his cheek, “... There is always going to be a spot in my heart for you and you alone which No other man can take,” 

The silence that followed was so loud, then his eyes roamed from mine over to lips.

And in a split second we kissed.

He came first, bearing all his frustration and melting them in the embrace of our kiss. He kept going until he was groping my chest and I was about to stop him when he said; “If we're not going to be together at least let me have this, after all these years this is the least I deserve.

I didn't quite like the way he phrased it, but I thought if anyone had earned my first time it was him.

Three days later my period was late and I was hit with dizzy spell after dizzy spell.

I dialed Shelly, my heart shaking. How would I tell her that days away from my planned departure that I might be pregnant?