<a class="postlink" href="http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb405/Mimi_Tsukiyomi7567/RPCs/AnimeOutfit1.jpg">[ img ]</a><br/>Aria<br/>19<br/><br/>Aria crumpled against the apartment wall, clutching at her side as she watched the dark figure of her boyfriend approach, his step slow.<br/><br/>"James...James, please." She begged softly, her words no more than a whisper.<br/>He didn't respond beyond raising the bottle, a dullness in his eyes from the alcohol.<br/><br/>Aria closed her eyes as she waited for the pain.<br/><br/>------------------------------<br/><br/>"Aria...Aria, look at me."<br/><br/>The eighteen-year-old woman opened her eyes, blinking furiously against the brightness of the lights. Her best friend, Jessica, hovered near her. Relief washed over her face as she saw Aria open her eyes. Aria figured out she was on the couch.<br/><br/>"God, girl. You scared me." Jessica murmured, touching Aria's hand gently.<br/><br/>"What happened, Jess?" Aria whispered.<br/><br/>Jessica's face turned somber.<br/><br/>"James told us. How that guy tried to rob you. He hit you with something and that knocked you out. I'll bet you're glad James was there." Jessica smiled and squeezed her hand.<br/><br/>Aria's lips curved in a false smile, and she said softly, "Yeah. I am pretty lucky I have him, huh?"<br/><br/>"You kidding? Tons of girls would kill to have him as their boyfriend." Jessica laughed and straightened up from the ground.<br/>"James wanted to come in and see you. I'll go get him."<br/>Aria started to protest, but pranced off before she could say anything. She settled back against the pillows and waited for her boyfriend.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Tons of girls would kill to have him as their boyfriend."</span><br/>Well, they could have him.<br/><br/>Ever since Aria had moved in with James, he had resumed drinking like a pig, and gambling<span style="font-style: italic">her</span>paycheck, instead of paying the apartment rent.<br/><br/>But no matter how many times she tried to leave him, he always charmed his way back into her favor, with flowers, chocolates, kisses, hugs, and promises that were never kept.<br/><br/>She knew the reason she had never followed through with her plans to leave him.<br/><br/>He was her first serious boyfriend and she still wanted to prove to her mother that James was an okay guy. He was a bit angry and frustrated, but all boyfriends were like him, right?<br/><br/>That he would eventually turn out to be Mr. Right.<br/><br/>They had never really talked about marriage, but she was sure he would extremely soon.<br/><br/>Because she would prove it to her mom.<br/>Even if the longer she stayed with him, the more difficult it was for her to keep believing that he was Mr. Right.