"Yes. It was. You don't need his name, Xan. I know how you are. Don't blame him. Please." She said softly, watching him. She stood suddenly, swallowing and pacing to the other side of the room and crossing her arms, tears welling in her eyes.

Xander let out a sharp breath a bit annoyed that Ria was defending that boy. "Ria-..." Was all he got out when suddenly she paced to the other side of the room. He stood up quietly and walked up behind her. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, pressing up close against her back, not knowing exactly what to say as he did want to blame that boy but at the same time did not want to upset her anymore

"Xander..." She sighed as he pressed up against her, staying stiff. "Don't do this, Xan." She whined, gently unwrapping his arms from around her and pacing back to the bed. "You're confusing me, I- Don't, It-" She sighed, sitting on the bed again and burying her face in her hands.

He bit his lip slightly as he felt she was still stiff, as she unwrapped his arms from her, he took a step back with a sigh. He ran a hand through his hair feeling slightly frustrated and confused with Ria's strange behavior, ever since the banquet. He watched her pace back to the bed before quietly following her back over but keeping his distance "Ria... What's going on?... Is something wrong or bothering you?" He asked quietly before walking up to her and crouching in front of her.

AH WHY DID WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS CHARACTER SO LIKEABLE- I love it so much))

"I- Xan..." She sighed, looking at him and closing her eyes. "I can't be with you, Xander. I just can't." She sighed.

BECAUSE IT MAKES THE STORY SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE MERCY STURGGLE A LITTLE... I love it very much as well ^^))

~

He watched her with a sorrowful expression, hating to see her like this but also hated the words she was saying right now. At her comment he stood up and sorta through his hands in the air out of frustration and distress "And why can't you Ria? I have been dreaming of this day where we could finally be together and now you wanna throw it all away over, what? I simple commoner, what has he got to offer that I can't?" He slightly rose his voice at her as he furrowed his brows togther, as nothing she was doing or saying made any sense to him. After he spoke, he paced away from her with a heavy sigh as he rubbed his forehead "Look... Ria, I'm sorry..." He said quietly

"Because I just-" She sighed. "But he isn't simple, Xander. He's complicated, and he's wonderful. You- He doesn't have anything to offer that you don't, Xan, it isn't you. It's me, I promise you. I don't deserve you. Either of you, at that. You deserve someone so much better than me." She said, getting up and slowly walking over to him. "You don't have to be sorry. You have every right to be angry." She said softly, gently grabbing one of his hands and raising the other hand to hold his cheek. It was something she used to do, especially when he was upset. "I can't ask you to understand. I don't... I don't understand myself."

He glanced over at her as he started to speak about the commoner, only growing more upset by her words. "No, Ria... We deserve each other, you are the most kindest, out going and passionate girl I have ever met. You are so special to me and I'm not going to let you say those things." He said with his tone still full of frustration kind of just wanting to cry at that moment as feelings just swirled around his head like a tornado. "I shouldn't have raised my voice at you though so, I am sorry" He said quietly to her as she reached for both a hand and his face, he stayed stiff for a moment before finally accepting her touch, as for whatever reason he always felt calm whenever she did this. He leant into her hand and gave her other hand a small squeeze before looking at her "When will you understand though..." He whispered quietly

She winced at his words. "Please, yell at me. I would much prefer that over what you're doing now." She pleaded, looking up at him and locking gazes with him. "I dont- I don't know. You make it so hard to tell you no." She sighed, letting him lean into her hand with a stab of guilt.

He shook his head slightly as he ran a hand through her hair before bringing up to the front of her face to hold it. "No matter how much you plead, I will never raise my voice at you" He stated softly while brushing his thumb against her cheek. As they locked eyes he saw the guilt and sadness in her eyes which admittedly got him all teary eyed as he hated to see her so upset. "That's the way I want it to be. I don't want you to say no to me... But obviously this commonet must be very special to you if your so caught up on him." He continued to speak in a calm, gentle tone, as he kept their gazes locked. "Tell me Ria.. when you look in the future, how do you see your life?"