They Can't Protect Me From Loving You

Eloise glanced over the calendar on the desk in front of her. Four years. Just over four years to be exact. Four years of being Eloise Benson. Four years since she’d seen Brian. There wasn’t a day on those four years where she hadn’t thought about him but she’d moved on. She’d had to. Deep down she still loved him, but she’d come to terms with the fact that she probably never see him again. She was happy with Joel, had been for almost two years and she knew Brian was happy too. She’d seen him with his new girlfriend in a magazine clipping about the band. Avenged Sevenfold had been signed not long after Eloise left her old life and were finally beginning to make it big and preparing to release their second album “Waking the Fallen”.

After finishing high school Eloise started work in a record store, where she was now assistant manager and that’s where she met Joel. He came in one day and asked Eloise about the new Linkin Park album. The pair got to talking and soon Joel was coming into the store two or three times a week. The two soon started dating and moved in together. They were happy together but she still thought about Brian every day, she couldn’t help it.

To look at Eloise was nothing like Katie. Instead of Katie’s long, light brown hair, Eloise had shorter, shoulder-length, auburn hair. In her last year of high school she had grown another inch and a half and become curvier. She had added a few more piercings, adding a second to each of her ears as well as piercing the top of her right ear. She had her lip pierced on her left side as well as a small barbell on her right eyebrow. She’s also got a few tattoos since leaving school. She had a black and gray Tinkerbell on her right shoulder blade; a heart slightly above her left breast; butterflies on her stomach and a Deathbat tattoo on the back of her neck.

Looking at her, it wasn’t until you looked into her emerald green eyes that you even caught the slightest hint that she was in fact Katie Mitchell. When she had moved in with Joel she had even been able to convince him that Katie was one of her cousins when he found a photo of her and Leana together.

“Excuse me?” a voice brought Eloise out of her trance.

“Oh, sorry how can I help?” she smiled at the young girl.

“I’m wondering when “Waking the Fallen” by Avenged Sevenfold is out?” the girl asked.

“Um, August 26th. Would you like to pre-order?” Eloise said with a smile, she always smiled when some asked about or bought an Avenged Sevenfold album.

“Yes please.” The girl said with a growing smile.

“Ok, let me take a few details and then all you’ll have to do is come in anytime after the release with the receipt and pick up your copy.”

As she handed the receipt to the girl she noticed Joel come into the shop.

“That time already hey?” she asked knowing it must have almost been time to shut shop for the day. Joel worked in the music store the other side of the shopping mall, selling musical instruments and band gear. He loved working there as it gave him the opportunity to play on the different instruments. He was a good guitar player but nowhere near as good as Brian. His shop closed half an hour before the record store so he would always come by and wait for her to finish so they could walk home together.

“Yeah, time flies when you’re having fun hey?” he said wandering over to the counter, leaning across and kissing her with a smile on his face.

“Need any help?” he asked.

“Just switch the sign over.” she said.

“Eloise can you just sign this and then you can go, I’ll be kind and let you start your vacation ten minutes early.” Abigail, Eloise’s manager and best friend said coming out of the office. She placed an invoice on the counter and Eloise signed her name.

“Ok, go and enjoy Hawaii missy and I’ll see you when you get back.” She ordered. Eloise beamed at her and gave her a hug.

“Thank you babes, I’ll send you a post card.” She said grabbing her purse from under the counter.

“Spoil her rotten mind Joel!” Abi called over to Joel who was waiting besides the door beaming.

“I always do.” Joel said placing his arm around her shoulder and kissing her temple.

Joel was taking Eloise on holiday as a late birthday present. A week in Hawaii, just the two of them. He’d arranged it with Abigail over a month ago and had given her the tickets on her birthday. She’d been ecstatic and counted down the days and hours. She’d hadn’t been on a holiday since she’d been to Disney Land with her family back in 7th grade.

**

Eloise added just one word to the picture message she was sending to Abigail. “Thanks”. It was a picture of her and Joel sat on the beach watching the sunset with a cocktail.

“This is one of the best presents I’ve ever had!” Eloise said happily leaning back into Joel as she looked out into the ocean.
“One of the best?” he questioned.

“Ok, the best.” She altered tilting her head as he kissed her temple. She was suddenly taken back four years to when she was sat on the beach in Huntington with Brian and the others and sighed heavily remembering how happy she’d been. She was happy now, but it wasn’t the same.

“You ok babe?” Joel asked hearing her sigh.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She said smiling and turned around to face him.

“Thank you for the best birthday present I could ever have wished for.” She said and crashed her lips against his and spilling the remainder of her cocktail onto the sand as they fell backwards. They began to kiss passionately until they remembered where they were.

“Let’s go back to the hotel” Eloise suggested pulling out of the kiss and looking lustfully into Joel’s eyes. He needed no persuading and quickly lifted her up off the sand and began to carry her bridal style up the beach.