Chapter III

Many suspected Ariel had a crush on Eric. Few knew that Ariel was actually head over heels for him. Even less knew that they already had a past together.

The first time Ariel had met Eric was not at school. She had just moved to town with her father and sisters about a year ago, just after she'd turned seventeen. They lived near the ocean as her family had an affinity for beaches and the water. They spent most of their free time lying on the warm sand, enjoying the sun, splashing in the frothy surf.

Sometimes Ariel liked to go alone. It was nice to just close her eyes and listen to the waves crash on the shore, hear the seagulls squawking at the sky. Lying on the shore at night was her favorite as it was the quietest. That was when she'd first met Eric.

He'd been running with his dog along the beach. The sound of barking was what had alerted Ariel that someone was approaching, and she'd lifted herself up just in time to get a face full of slobbery kisses.

Max smelled like brine and wet fur. Ariel had giggled pleasantly at the adorable attack, the sound escalating to a full on laugh when Max jumped on her, forcing her back onto the sand.

"Ow!" She'd exclaimed, still smiling.

And then there he was, huffing, kneeling in the sand beside her, pulling Max off of her and smiling apologetically. "Sorry. He gets excited around strangers." Their eyes met then, and his smile faltered, surprise and keen interest replacing all apology upon the sight of her. "Are you okay?"

She remembered her heartbeat being so fast at that moment, she couldn't discern one pulse from another. Her hands moved to fix her hair, hurried and panicked because it was suddenly very important that she looked nice in front of this handsome stranger. She smiled, and it was effortless, easy, everything a smile should be. "I'm fine. He just gave me a kiss."

Eric had laughed at that, and rubbed Max on the head playfully. "You're a little flirt, aren't 'ya, boy?" His attention moved back to the girl, his own heart beating erratically, his throat growing dry. "Hope he didn't come on too strong."

"I don't mind." Ariel's hand joined Eric's in petting Max, her eyes intent on his as she spoke. "He's very handsome."

"Yeah?" The man laughed, feeling his face warm pleasantly at the subtle compliment. "Thanks. He has good taste in women."

Her smile was contagious, and eventually they both found themselves just grinning goofily at each other.

Eric was the first to snap out of it, only because he realized with a rush of embarrassment that he was shirtless and sweaty and probably smelled horrible. He offered her his hand as he stood, her palm fitting in his snugly. He didn't let go once she was on her feet, and she didn't try to pull away.

"I'm Eric." At his feet, Max barked. "Oh, and this is Max." He looked at her expectantly.

"Ariel," she introduced.

"Ariel," he repeated, his smile beautiful. "That's kind of pretty."

Eventually he released her hand as they began to walk down the beach together, the moonlight paving their path on the sand, Max darting between them, making them laugh.

They talked about everything, and Ariel would tell anyone that asked that it was that night she knew she loved him.

A week later she found herself seated in his class and the look on his face reflected exactly how she felt: disbelieving. And then they both knew that the night they'd shared which had felt like the beginning of something special would become but a memory they'd each agonize over on nights when they wondered why reality had to always be so disappointing.

There were five years between them, a mere speed bump in comparison to the steel wall placed between them by his job and her station.

So here she was now pining after a man who would never see her again as a woman, but merely a student. A hormonal teenage girl.

It was all so—

"—unfair."

Belle glanced over at Ariel pityingly, Jasmine listening in quietly as she finished off her lunch. They were seated at a corner table in the lunchroom, taking turns venting their current frustrations. Belle had yet to mention the strange invitation from Adam and Jasmine felt no need to acknowledge that boy from yesterday, so instead they'd been sitting quietly listening to Ariel despair over Eric.

Belle settled a comforting hand on Ariel's shoulder. "Have you tried speaking to him?"

Ariel shook her head. "He keeps avoiding me. I've tried everything. He won't even look at me anymore."

"Even at swim practice?"

"Especially at swim practice!"

Belle and Jasmine exchanged a look, both knowing Ariel was a bit naïve about some things and that her self-awareness wasn't quite…the sharpest. She was the type that might sit with her legs wide open in a mini skirt. The sort that didn't understand why someone might stare at her if she didn't wear a bra beneath a t-shirt. She was adventurous, free, and daring. And that could be very, very intimidating. Especially to a man who might lose his career if he so much as dared hint his interest in one of his students.

The girl fell back into her seat, taking out her phone and texting furiously. Sometimes she just needed her best friend. Too bad Flounder was hundreds of miles away.

Jasmine stilled in her seat when a warm hand pressed over her shoulder. She looked up into an annoyingly familiar face. "How's it going?"

Belle and Ariel both glanced up at the tanned intruder, neither recognizing him but knowing by the look on Jasmine's face that he wasn't wanted. The dark-haired girl looked at them, excusing herself as she stood. "I'll see you both in class. I need to take care of something."

Aladdin followed behind her, watching her back appreciatively, a love-drunk smile on his face. "See ya, ladies."

Once out of the lunchroom, Jasmine did not stop until she'd lead them both to an empty hallway, entering into what she thought was an empty classroom but was actually a closet. She shrugged, closing the door behind them. Privacy was privacy.

"I thought you didn't like me. Now you're pullin' me into the janitor's closet?" Aladdin laughed, his gaze unsure as he looked down at her.

"I don't like you," she clarified. "I don't even know you. What do you want with me? A date?"

Her fingertip was pressed into his chest, pressing him back against the wall. His hand moved to the back of his head. He smiled, feeling a little awkward. "Well, yeah, sort of."

Jasmine blinked, surprised, somehow not expecting him to be nearly as straightforward as she was. She narrowed her eyes at him, suspicious. "Why?"

He shrugged, the motion saying he wasn't taking this seriously, the way he was looking at her saying otherwise. "You're pretty, I guess."

"Me?"

He smiled, chuckling. "Yeah."

They fell quiet, his honesty and warm gaze making the small closet feel even smaller, their bodies closer, warmer. Jasmine was painfully aware of her rising heartbeat.

"So, do you think I can have your real number this time?" He didn't sound as confident as he had yesterday, but the way in which he asked was unexpectedly sweet, as if he were shy, which Jasmine found endearing. "I promise I won't try and blackmail it out of you. If you aren't interested, I'll stop, even though it'll be hard."

"Why would it be?"

"'Cause you're kind of perfect."

The smile that was threatening to turn up died, her suspicions once again giving rise to doubt. "You mean I'm rich."

"No," he denied, and she could tell he meant it, had been lied to enough to detect when someone was telling the truth and wasn't. "Offer me any amount of money and I'll tell you I'd turn it down if it meant I could kiss you."

"Oh really?" She challenged, a smile finally curling her mouth. His fingers brushed the back of her hand before daring to grasp it, pulling it close against his hip as he leaned forward. "A thousand?"

"Nope."

She could smell him now, his scent a rich musk, warm and alluring. His hand was hot around hers, his skin smooth, his fingertips calloused.

Her eyes lifted to his. "A million."

"Pass."

Their noses brushed and she could feel his breath against her lips, his eyelashes nearly brushing hers. His forehead was warm as it pressed to hers, the weight heavy, pleasant.

Her throat was dry, her heart excited, her stomach warm. His other hand was sliding over her hip, fingers splaying across her lower back, pulling her forwards against him.

"Final offer?" He challenged. His voice was lowered, raspy and sensual.

"All the money in the world?"

"No way."

His mouth pressed over hers, the kiss immediately turning into something deep and needy before it ever had the opportunity to be sweet and experimental as a first kiss should be. And Jasmine welcomed it, her lips parting against his to allow his tongue to sweep inside her mouth, wet and warm. Her hand buried in his hair, clutching for his scalp and holding him closer, the taste of his tongue addictive.

Aladdin released her hand to slide his against her waist, his other moving lower against her back, arms encircling her until she was flush against him, one hand in his hair, her other curled into his shoulder.

As they broke apart, his teeth caught her lower lip gently, nipping it teasingly as he pulled away with a smile.

Jasmine was breathing unevenly, her heart hammering against her ribcage, her mind half disbelieving this was happening, the other half never wanting it to stop. "I think we're doing this backwards."

His smile widened. "But we're doing this?"

"Yes," she agreed, ignoring the voice in the back of her head telling her this was only going to cause problems in the future. She couldn't be bothered with thoughts right now. All she wanted was that taste again, his mouth against hers. "We are."