Can't Help but Love Him

This Complicates Things

      "We didn't get to talk much today." Aurora sighed, as she and the rest of the Lundborg's got ready to leave.

     "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. It was more of a meeting then catching up." I said, taking her to the door. "Oh, you know that one restaurant we used to go to as kids? I'll take you there sometime. To Corrigans Mayfair." I smiled. 

     She paused putting on her sweater, eyes immediately lighting up. "Really? You promise?"

     "Yeah, I promise." I said.   

     I waved goodbye to them as they left, standing as far away from my Uncle as possible. I waited until Aurora was seated in the black car she came in, before I dipped out and started running towards my room. I heard no one follow me, so I assumed it was okay to turn in for the night.

     When we had finally made it there, I peered inside to make sure it hadn't changed from the last time I was there. It looked untouched, it was exactly the way I'd left it. I even saw my phone laying on the bed where I'd thrown it.

     I took my phone, and immediately went to check my messages. It'd had blown up with missed calls, mostly from Charlie telling me about America.

     There were four texts from Axel, which were the only ones I paid attention to. 

     7:24PM

I just landed, it's the middle of the day here 

My mom's here so it's not all bad.

I haven't even seen my dad yet, he's locked up somewhere in his office.

     8:16PM

I miss you. 

     I stared at them for a while, letting the warm feeling return to my heart. I wanted to call him immediately, I needed to hear his voice. 

     Before I could even tail his number, I heard a knock on my door. I was sick and tired of these interruptions, but there was no way I could reveal who I was talking to. I'd tell whoever was at to go away.

     "Come in." I said, facing the opening door. I was surprised when it was my Uncle who stood there, and quickly turned off my phone showing Axel's contact.

     "Pretty girl, right?" He said, coming into my room. "Too bad she's not pretty enough for you."

     "How could you know that?" I didn't like how he'd phrased that. Aurora was way too pretty for me.

     "I know a lot more than you think." He laughed. "So you don't want to marry her, hm?" He asked, taking out a flask from inside his coat pocket. 

     "I'm sorry?" I was mad at his logic, how had he translated that? Well he was right, but too quick to assume things.

     "I take it you remember your childhood with her?" He mused, taking a swig of his drink. He seemed awfully relaxed, compared to how he'd acted all day.

     "Yes, sir." I said, sitting in one of the chairs in my room. He did the same, sitting across from me.

     "Aurora is a very strong and independent woman, because of you. You silently stand behind her lifting her up. Do you know how much it would break her to learn she wasn't enough for you?" He dictated.

     "That's not it, sir! Aurora's way to good for me; I'd only weigh her down. Isn't there someone else who can-" He snapped his head up, looking me dead in the eye.

     "There isn't anyone else. This responsibility rests on your shoulders, Jason. You're the one she must marry." He insisted.

     "I'm... I'm sorry, sir. I just don't love her like that. I have someone else." I said, looking down at the ground. He was silent for a while, staring at me with an undecided expression on his face.

     "Jason, can you look me in the eyes, and honestly tell me you love him more than your desire to make Aurora happy? More than your responsibility?" He retorted.

     "Of course I want her to be happy, but marriage shouldn't be a responsibility it should be with... with someone you..." My body went numb, and I felt the color drain from my face.

     "Ah, so it is a he." He sighs, taking another swig of his drink.

     I couldn't speak. I didn't think of anything to say. He knew, a family member knew about me and Axel. I couldn't make myself calm down, I could only heart beat in my ears. No thoughts, head empty.

     "How...?" I managed, watching the blank expression on his face. I needed some type of reaction, just something to know what he was thinking.

     "I told you, I know a lot more than you think." He said coldly, his face unchanging. "You have two choices; either abandon parents plan for you and run off with some man, or fulfill their wishes and marry a woman." 

     I was frozen in my chair, trying my hardest not to take in what he said. I didn't know how I expected things to go with Axel, marriage was something that had never crossed my mind until this moment. I wanted to be with him, but everything was suddenly so complicated. Now that my Uncle, the one man with some control left over my life knew, I didn't know what would happen to me.