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●DYLAN POV●

Things in my life felt like a dream . I spent that final year focusing on finishing school all the while growing closer to Aria . Everytime she was near me she made my heart beat so fast that one would think I was having a heart attack.

I fell so deeply in love with her but I knew we both needed to finish this last semester strong . Graduation was only around the corner and I wanted us to keep that focus .

She went across first but she stood at the bottom waiting for me . I knew, that this was the moment I confess my feelings for her . I had it all planned out in my head . But of course when I reached the bottom of the steps , I fumbled onto her and we fell on the ground .

"You're so clumsy," she laughed as we pushed ourselves up.

"I'm sorry Ar, this is not how I envisioned this," I say.

"Envisioned what?"

"You know, I'm not a smooth talker . But I am a romantic at heart . I'm no casanova but I'll work hard to make you smile , Aria Lawson, will you be my girlfriend? Help me become a better man ?"

She blushed . Oh my God was it the cutest thing I had ever seen , "Took you long enough!" She said as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

I didn't want to waste another moment and I dipped her low and gave her a kiss . When I say I felt explosions , I mean it . It was like seeing fireworks burst all around us . When I lifted her back upright she was trying to catch her breath .

"Dylan Preacher , you're smoother than you think . Stealing away my first kiss ," she says with a giant smile that lit up her whole face.

"You're lying, you've never been kissed before?" I couldn't believe it.

"Your brother became my brother . Between him and my sister , they scared away all the guys . It's okay, I wanted my first kiss to be special anyway and I'm glad I shared it with you," Aria, tenderhearted and pure . I want to do everything I can to protect her.

《PRESENT DAY》

I stumbled away from Aria's apartment. Wondering how I could let 'The One' get away . She didn't just go away, I made her run away, and for what? Because I thought I was protecting her . All I did was hurt her, because of a bitter anger that someone else had for Aria's mother .

She should have been the focus of Brittany's wrath , not Aria. And now that she got what she wanted she skipped town . She ruined me and Aria thoroughly . Brittany, that vile woman , forced my hand and I had no one else to blame but myself . I should have told Aria a long time ago .

Now, my first and only love is being held by another man . A different man than the one she claimed was a her boyfriend . Who was he? It doesn't even matter, she asked me to leave . I should have fought harder . I should have done a lot of things and now here I am .

Trudging towards the bathroom I splash some water on my face . I'm so stupid . I shouldn't have gone over there in this state . Next week is another chance . Now that Brittany is out of the picture , maybe I can focus better on trying to at least get Aria to forgive me. I know that getting her back is not an option, but I need her in my life no matter what role she takes .

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●WARREN POV●

As soon as I heard Aria whisper that she needed help I rushed over to her place . I can hear the vague pleading of a man's voice and my first thought was that she was in trouble . This is one of those moments that I'm glad I picked this neighborhood, I was close enough to run to her building. Yes , it still took me a moment to get there but I figured this was the quickest way.

Once I arrived I tried to call her to let her know I was downstairs. If course I realized that she might not even be able to get to her phone so I tried to buzz different neighbors . It was like no one was home until I saw this couple walking up . They must've seen the panicked look on my face because the man stood in front of his woman , "I'm not here to hurt you but my friend is in trouble . She called me to tell me that she needed help and then I heard a man's voice."

Still not fully trusting me they asked me who my friend is . "Her name is Aria Lawson , she has a roommate named Sonja and she just got back from a work week in the country. She lives --"

"Okay okay, we believe you . They're good people , we'll come with you ," they said as they let me in. I didn't want to wait for them so I ran . When I got to her apartment her door was open and some man had a tight hold of her hands. She was standing in just a robe with a look of discomfort.

"Dylan, I need you to leave," she said in strained tones .

When he tried to argue I intervened , "She told you to leave," I said in a deep and measured voice . The same voice I use in the boardroom .

He turned around and I stood up straighter, so this is her ex . The one who broke her heart . I'm not going to let him bother her any longer, even if that means I'll stay the night on her couch .

When he left she ran right into my arms and I tried to soothe her. The couple that had helped me saw that the threat had left and I was here to take care of her now. After waving them good bye , I brought her to the couch .

"Thank you for coming, " she said through sobs.

"Aria, I will always come when you call . I told myself that now that we reconnected I'd do better at protecting you . No matter what," I say in a calming voice while her head rested on my chest .

"Will you stay with me tonight?" She asked while gripping onto my shirt.

"Of course, I wasn't planning on going anywhere ."

Once she was a bit more calm the pizza she ordered arrived . Aria was a little shaken up but I wasn't going to push her to share what Dylan said to her . All I know was that it was enough for her to breakdown.

"I'm sorry for disturbing your evening," she says to me .

"Don't for once think you are ."

She was still in her robe and once all the adrenaline wore off , I was much more aware of the lack of clothing she had . And me being a man my eyes wandered a little, "Maybe you should put on more clothes?" I suggested .

Her eyes went wide at the realization and she ran into her room . Her phone began to ring when she was still changing . I looked over and saw it was Alex but I wasn't going to pick it up . It rang again but she finally came out while he was still calling.

"Hello?"

"Hey, yeah something came up earlier and I got distracted- what? Right now? You're here? Okay"

She hangs up and tells me that Alex is standing in front of the building, "should I let him up?"

"Why not? It's not like we were doing anything inappropriate, " I say .

"But he might think-"

"He could think whatever he wants . We didn't do anything wrong."

A few minutes later Alex is walking through the door . As soon as his eyes land on me he takes a step further in , "why is he here?"

"Something happened earlier and since he lives close by I asked him to come over," she tells him.

I look over at Aria, I know she's trying to keep the peace but the wedding activities are only days away and Dylan will most likely try something then. So I had to speak up , "Dylan showed up here , unannounced. He had her cornered , gripping her hands."

"Warren!" She scolds .

"I'm sorry, but this is for your own good. Alex is playing your fake boyfriend and I'd feel a lot better with him knowing what went down tonight," I reason with her.

"Why was Dylan here?" Alex asked Aria while looking at me suspiciously.

That's when area decided to bring us all to the table and recount the whole thing . From Dylan being blackmailed to him wanting her back . At first she was scared but after some time she got annoyed with him . But the reason why she was crying was because of her mother's indiscretions.

"Well damn," was all Alex could say . Then he turned his attention to me, "I'm glad you came when you did."

"Of course , I'd do anything for her."