Princess

43

"Carson!" "Eric!" "Dude it's been forever!" I heard Eric, then Carson and then both of them yell together. I walked downstairs in a white long sleeve, green high-waisted skirt and black tights, giggling and my brother and my boyfriends reunion.

"You idiots saw each other yesterday." I pointed out on my way down the stairs. "That's not a nice way to greet your boyfriend on Christmas Ariel." Carson joked.

Today was Christmas Day and Carson we here to pick me up to take me to his Nana's house. I said bye to my family and got in the car with my gift for Carson in my purse and some poinsettias for his grandmother in my hands.

Once we arrived, he came around and opened my door. We walked up, and the second he opened the door, Carson's grandmother and two of his little cousins were gathered at the door. "Ariel! Ariel!" Molly and Ella cheered when they saw me. They ran up to me and each hugged one of my legs.

"Oh wow girls. Should I go tell your mommy that you don't love me?" Carson joked. The six-year-old twins let go of me immediately and jumped on him. "No Carson please we love you!" Molly screamed. "Ya Carson, you're our favourite boy in the world!" Ella added. "Okay, I won't tell your mommy." He told them with a smile. "Oh Uncle Jeff!" He called into the house, to freak out the girls. They both gasped and began to beg him not to tell their father.

"Carson Matthews. Quit messing with these girls minds." His Nana playfully scolded. "How are you Ariel? You look beautiful darling." She said, turning to me. "Oh thank you, I'm doing great, Ellen." I told her while I handed her the flowers.

Carson then grabbed my arm and took me to say hi to everyone. I was talking to Molly and Ella's mother, Diane, when the girls came over and each grabbed one of my arms. "Ari! Come play princess with us!" Ella cheered. "Girls, Ariel is a big girl. I don't think she wants to play princess with you." Diane told her daughters. "Then you obviously don't know my girlfriend Aunt Diane." I heard Carson laugh as he came behind the couch and wrapped his arms around my neck.

Diane laughed. "Okay then. Yes girls, Ariel will play princess with you." Ella pulled me up and dragged me down the stairs with her sister trailing quickly behind.

"Okay, so since you're the oldest and the prettiest, you can be the princess." Molly told me, handing me a crown. "I'm the prettiest? No both of you are prettier than me!" I retorted.

"Okay...well then since we're both prettier than you and we can't pick, you be the princess. Better?" Ella said to me with all the sass. Yes I'm talking hand on the hip, hand waving everywhere and the tone. I laughed and nodded. "Okay little miss sass."

I played with the twins for a bit until their father came down. "Okay princesses. It's present time!" Both girls gasped and Ella legitimately shoved me out of her way and raced to the stairs. Molly scampered after her sister and I took the crown off my head before following them up.

I wasn't expecting to get any presents so while everyone exchanged gifts I just sat by Carson's side and watched. Once everyone had received all of their gifts it was really late and everyone was heading home.

Carson and I said our goodbyes before heading out to his car. "Carson I really love your family. Especially Ella and Molly." I told him. "Haha ya. They're adorable. And surprisingly different." He said. "Ya. I noticed Molly's more shy and Ella's very out there." I laughed.

We continued to talk and while we did, all I could think about was, he's going to leave again. And it's going to be heartbreak every time I see him. Finally we got to my house. "Before you go, I still have you give you your present." Carson said, while he reached over me into his glovebox and handed me an envelope.

I opened it up and two plane tickets fell out. My heart dropped. "They're tickets to fly over for a weekend to visit me, where you can watch me play my first football game as a university student." He said to me. Tears started welling up in my eyes. "Umm, I have something for you too." I said.

I reached under the seat and grabbed the box. He opened it up and pulled out the key chain I got him. It was half a heart like one of those friendship necklaces from Justice, but I had them engrave No matter what... on my side. And on his I will always love you. I pulled out my necklace and connected it to show him my half.

"I love it baby, thank you." He smiled, leaning in for a kiss. I turned my head so he kissed my cheek and then I looked at him.

"Carson. I love you. I really love you more than anything. But I can't see you for a couple days and then repeatedly go through the heartbreak of letting you go again. I can't have a boyfriend that I don't see all the time. I think we need to take a break." I told him, with tears streaming down my face.

He sat there for a moment and then he burst out laughing. "Come on Ari. I fell for it once, but I won't do that twice." He said. "Carson. Look into my eyes. This time I'm not kidding." I cried. "Ari please don't do this. I love you more than anything!" He pleaded, finally believing me.

"I'm sorry Car. But right now I can't be with you. No matter how much I love you." I said. And with that, I kissed his cheek and got out of the car. I went straight up to my room and peeked through the tiny crack in between my curtains and for 10 minutes, the car did not budge. And that's what shattered the remaining pieces of my heart.