x_XOkay, so this here is for the Dynamite Writer's Contest. I'm lovestoryaddict. Hope you guys enjoy. X_x

So Easy

"I love you."

The words echoed in my ear. They were a soft whisper from the lips of the person I knew better than anyone. His lips brushed lightly against my ear. I smiled into his shoulder and closed my eyes. Tight in his arms I found perfect bliss. This was a feeling I never wanted to end. With a small nod, I murmured back to him, "I love you too."

That was a year ago. I find myself in the same old tiny memory. It replays in my head and I can't help but drown in it. I can feel myself going under. It's a good place for me, but I can feel my heart aching. The scars feel so brand new.

I rubbed my chest hoping to numb the pain. It didn't work much or help in the least. Unless I was knocked in the head, it would never go away. I'm always sitting in my porch thinking about him.

"Rikki!" A voice calls to me.

I turned around to find Cleo staring at me with worry. Her pretty purple dress complimented her eyes. She looked dressy, but the frown on her face said that I was forgetting something. I would've asked, but Emma answered my question for me.

"Have you completely forgotten? We were supposed to be going see the fireworks tonight." She said placing a hand on her hip.

I shook my head and scoffed. "No, of course not. I was just thinking that's all." I tried to play it off, but it was too late. Clair knew me too well. I wiped away the wrinkle in my brow and turned back to them.

They knew me. It was plain and simple. I had never really told them about my relationship with Zane, not really. I knew that they could see right through me. I was just too stubborn to admit it.

The nights I woke up at 2 am and just stared up at my ceiling was driving me insane. It was so long ago, my head cried out to me. I just didn't understand why I couldn't move on. Before long, I'd find myself drifting off with my thoughts and Emma once again snapped me back to reality, back to where I was without Zane.

"Rikki! Are you even listening?" Emma snapped. She didn't wait for an answer. She threw up her hands and looked at Cleo with her pursed lips. "She's not even listening."

"I can see that." Cleo nodded more passive than our friend.

Emma turned back to me in one swift movement making her words slow and drawn out. "Geeeetttttt drrrreeeeesssssseeeeedddd."

"Okay, okay. Mind not talking to me like I'm five years old." I scolded. I shook my head and scoffed before going to my closet and throwing a few clothes across my bed. I ignore the shock that went through my hand from touching that one particular red dress.

Instead, I settled for a white and red camouflage shirt with a black skirt. I threw on some black shoes and didn't even bother with my hair. It was too curly to do anything with it today. I didn't care. Why should I dress up when the one person that I care about most doesn't even want me?

I shook the thoughts out of my mind and slapped my hands against my sides. "Is this good enough?" I asked.

"It's fine." Cleo sighed and pulled me and Emma out of my small house. This should be so fun.

"You know, he's going to be there." Cleo murmured as we began to walk through the crowded park.

I turned to her and shook my head dumbly. "Who's going to be here?"

She rolled her eyes and exhaled. "You know who. It's okay if you're not over him you know. We're your friends. We're supposed to look out for you."

"Is that why you dragged me all the way out here to see some bombs going off? Because you're looking out for me?"

Cleo turned away shying away from my mood before Lewis found us and greeted Cleo with a kiss. I scoffed rolling my eyes. I could have thrown up. Instead, I focused on the first explosions.

They were small and unimpressive. I at least wanted to be able to drown out the sound of my own thinking. It didn't work though. I found my eyes wandering around, straying away from the sight of cuddly Lewis and Cleo and Emma and the bulky Ash.

It was too ironic to me. I didn't realize what I was looking for until I found it. There, standing in all his dark haired glory, was Zane. All I could see was his face. How he stood completely unchanged after all this time.

My mind should have strayed back to that good memory. Instead, it flooded with words that I tried to block out.

"It was fun, but I've got to focus on real life now. I've got a huge empire waiting for me, and I'm not going to give it up. I'm leaving for the States, tomorrow."

"What, so that means you're breaking up with me?"

"We never really got back together Rikki."

"Do you even hear yourself?"

He never said anything else. He turned and walked away from me. It was right after the closing at Rikki's. I'm glad to say that it's still going strong, but this Rikki isn't doing so well. I bit my lip and turned away. It wasn't easy. I ripped my eyes away from his gaze and began to push through the crowd. He would not follow. I thought he wouldn't. He was the one to leave me with this void in my heart.

When I finally did break free of the vast crowd, I ran. I ran all the way to the end of the park until the oohs and ahhs were just a murmur beneath the fireworks. I glanced up. They were becoming more extravagant. They shot into the sky like a mission and exploded. Then they all sizzled out and disappeared. I desperately didn't want to become this. I sighed and couldn't stop the tears from falling. Would this pain ever burn out? Would this heartache ever cease?

"I hate him so much." I said to the silence.

"You hate who?" A voice said from behind me. A hand touched the small of my back. It made me jump and turn around. Again, I was face to face with Zane. I pulled back and turned away from him. He just stepped forward, invading my space. "Why are you crying?"

"Shut up. Like you care." I spat with a laugh. I began to have an out of body experience. It was kind of like the rocket shooting up into the sky as the whistle of the wind grazed past it and it lifted further away from Earth.

"I do care. I've always cared about you/" He said. His face was so serious, it made me want to hit him.

Wiping the traitor tears away from my face, I turned back to him shaking my head. "That's funny, because if I recall correctly, you were the one to leave me."

"Rikki I-"

"No, I don't want to hear it."

"Just let me-"

Anger built up in me. Right along with every thought I've ever had. I just wanted to spill it all out. It was so much, I felt like I was about to burst. "No, you left me. We could have worked it out, but you decided to end it. It was a good thing, and you hung it up. I-I loved you….to the point where I kept secrets from my best friends. I think about you all the time. I'm so sick of it. I swear when I get over this feeling that I have right now- I swear I'll never love again. I hate what you did to me. I hate what you're doing to me. I hate it. I hate everything about you. I hate-"

Fireworks exploded all around, littering the sky with colors, shapes, and pictures. It didn't stop me. I spoke over the loud scenery. I was loud and furious, but something halted my words.

Suddenly, I felt arms wrap around me. Warm lips pressed against mine. It took a moment for me to adjust to the fact that it was Zane who was oblivious to the fact that I was screaming to the heavens about how much I hated him. He must have seen it as me telling him how much I hated to love him. It was all true, but would I burn out. The answer was so unclear because I gave in to the kiss. I leaned into him and pressed my lips to his. I felt that bliss that I had so long ago.

As he stepped back and stared into my face all I could see was his smile. "I told you that you were cute when you were angry." He laughed.

I rolled my eyes and tried to step out of his arms. He kept a firm hold on me though. Not that I was fighting to hard anyway, but that was beside the point. "Zane."

"I still love you." Zane stated simply. His idle tone spoke as if he were stating the obvious. Like I was supposed to know that. The time that passed and the way I felt. It broke me to the point where I actually felt like he never really loved me at all. He must have known that. "Rikki, you are everything to me. I just want to be with you. Nothing else."

"I promised myself I would never love anyone else." It was so obvious how weak I was getting. I was giving in so quickly. He placed his lips against my ear and began whispering. He pulled me in close. It felt like a dream. Did he even know what he was doing to me?

My knees got weak. My heart beat like a bull against my chest. There was nothing better. Then he whispered just the way he once had. "I love you."

Tears welled up in my eyes. I had to press my face into his collarbone. I was sure his shirt would be tear stained, but I had to hide my face because I knew that I was going to go back. It was so easy for him.

"I love you too."

I felt him smile against my cheek and kiss it. Suddenly, it felt like it was normal again. It was as if Zane had never broken my heart. Could I forget all of that so easily? No, but I could still promise to never love anyone but him. I could sizzle and settle back into the quiet sky. Surely I could.

I shook my head and leaned up placing my lips against Zane's once more forgetting everything in the world (including Cleo and Emma who were probably searching for me right about now.)

That's all. I hope you all liked it. Tell me how it was. Do you think I'll maybe win? I don't know myself. Some talented people are in this contest. Oh well. Love you all. See ya.

xoxo