Chapter 11: ♤Chapter 6♤

♤ARIANA♤

“So guess what I got today?” I grinned up at Chris.

We were in Barnes & Noble and while it was weird that we were at the same mall on the same day, I didn't think much about it. But my heart did stutter a couple beats when I saw him the first time and that smug grin he was wearing when I finally realized it was him.

He smiled, “What?”

“My permit!” I said excitedly, throwing my arms out dramatically with a grin causing him to laugh. I really didn't think it was that much of a big deal but I feel like it's just because I'm telling him.

“Congrats. You ready to start driving?”

“Not really,” I told him, “My mom wants to sign me up for classes but I don't want to. I at least want to have a decent amount of skill at driving before I start taking classes,” I shrugged before adding, “I dunno. I just don't see why pay for someone to teach me when you can do it, y’know?”

“I can teach you,” he said, leaning against the bookcase and shoving his hands in his front pockets.

I turned my attention away from the book in my hand and back to him, “Umm, I think not. I have to be in a car with someone of the age twenty-one or older. You are seventeen, sir.”

He shrugged, “So?”

“So?” I laughed, shaking my head, “Chris go to bed.” I placed the book back on the shelf and finally took up the one that I came here for. I turned to him, dancing excitedly with the book held up to me face.

When I lowered it a little so I could peek over the top at him, he was grinning widely and I giggled.

I walked by him, making my way down the aisle of bookcases, “So what were you wondering?” I asked over my shoulder, having just remembered.

When he didn't answer, I turned, facing him as I walked backwards. He had his hands shoved into his pockets and his shoulder scrunched up to his neck. He did that when he was nervous.

“Just forget about it.”

His cheeks were tainted a light pink, but that could just be because of his acne.

I eyed him, my walk slowing, “You sure?” he nodded, keeping his eyes on his shoes. I stopped walking and he didn't even realize until he was about to knock right into me. His feet planted and he let his eyes meet mine in shock. “Watch where you're going.” I said teasingly, “Now, what is it?”

He shook his head, biting down on his bottom lip lightly before letting it go, “Nothing.”

I narrowed my eyes, tilting my head back a little, “Christian Rich,” I said sternly and he groaned, dropping his head, “If you don't open your mouth and talk-”

“It's nothing,” his voice raised a little and he took his hands out of his pockets, “And can you not do that?” He retorts in exasperation.

I smirked, “Can I not do what?”

I was very aware that he hated when I said his full name but I loved it. Not only do I love seeing him slightly irritated, but it also gives me the upper hand whenever I need to get something out of him. He gets so shy and adorable when I do it. And I adore his name. When I found out his last name was actually Rich, I really didn't believe it. But I thought it was cool.

He stares at me blankly and my smirk stretched wider, “Oh you mean calling you by your name?” I said teasingly, fluttering my eyelashes, “Christian-”

I borderline shrieked when he took a large step toward me and dug his fingers into my sides unexpectedly. I laughed, wiggling in his grip until I got a good aim and started smacking his arm repeatedly with my book.

“Stop it!” I laughed, “Stop. It.” I continued smacking him and pushing at him until he stopped. He took a step away, both of us still laugh, “I'm not even ticklish. I told you that.”

“Why were you laughing then?” He retorts.

I rolled my eyes, “Because I laugh at everything remember,” I said in a ‘duh’ tone.

He lets out a breath, “It was worth a try.”

“Well I'll give you this. If you don't want to tell me, fine, I won't force you,” I shrugged, “But the truth cannot long be hidden.” I turned away from him.

“So dramatic,” he mutters.

♤♠♤

“Can you leave me alone so I can eat in peace,” I snapped at Chris with a look, but he just grinned at me.

“I'm just saying-”

“Well no one asked you,” I cut him off, stabbing my fork into my cinnamon roll and taking off a large piece then stuffing it in my mouth obnoxiously.

“My bad,” he raised his hands but I knew he was less than apologetic. He didn't care. His smug, lopsided, sexy grin was telling me that much.

Ignoring him, I continued to keep eating, only now I was ignoring his presence all together.

We stopped at Cinnabon after leaving Barnes & Noble and I got three cinnamon rolls and Chris hasn't shut up about it. As if I care. This is the only reason why I come to the mall anyway.

“Ari-”

I started humming to myself as I ate, blocking him out.

“Ariana-”

I swayed to the music playing lowly in my left ear from my earbud.

“Ariana-”

-seeing the pain- seeing the pleasure.

Nobody but you—body but me—body but us—bodies together-

The chair next to me screeched against the tiles and his scent almost knocked me off my chair as he sat down. He sat turned toward me, one of his arms on the back of my chair and his knee pressed against the side of my thigh. His other arm rested on the table and his hand closed in a fist.

And while I tried not to look, I couldn't help it and ended up peeking at his arm out of the side of my eye, following the light green color of his veins running up his arms under his skin.

Aw damn.

I quickly took another bite of my roll before I said something dumb.

“You know I'm just teasing you right?”

Of course I did. It wasn't that easy for me to be offended. But still, I wanted to get under his skin a little, so I bobbed my head to the music, acting unaffected. I was definitely affected by the way. If I didn't say it, my thumping heart was evidence.

“Can I have some?” He asked next.

That caught my attention because Chris doesn't eat junk. Maybe he'll eat chips every now and then but he doesn't eat a lot of sweet stuff. Or ‘anymore’ as he says.

I turn my head to him, my eyes meeting his—finally. He was leaned toward me in slight anticipation. His eyebrows raised when I just kept staring at him, then his gaze fell and I watched him lick his lips slowly and bit down, his teeth sinking into the soft flesh so easily it was giving me visions. He quickly brought his eyes back to mine as if he didn't realize he'd looked away.

I held his gaze for a second more, forcing oxygen back into my lungs before saying, “No,” and turning away.

My face was burning and my hands were clammy now. Good thing they weren't shaking. Yet. Worse that I just remembered we were sitting in the open mall.

He nudged me with his knee.

“What?” I laughed out nervously, not looking at him.

“I know you're not actually irritated at me,” he said, but I could hear the slight uncertainty in his voice.

I shook my head, “I'm not. But that doesn't mean you're getting any.”

He made a sound, “Come on, I would've shared with you.”

I smiled smugly, turning to him, “I know, but we're too different people.” In return he just stared at me.

I made a face, “Fine,” I said hardly and his lips pulled up, “But only once, because I asked you if you wanted one and you said no.” I twirled a portion of the roll on my plastic fork before handing it to him.

I watched him with a face as he took it and took my fork back when he was done.

“Thank you,” he chewed out with a smile and if I didn't hate him at the moment I would've found it adorable.

“Whatever,” I mumbled.

He chuckled, “Don't be like that,” he said, poking me in my side.

I smacked his hand away, “Watch it, this isn't Facebook.”

He laughed, poking me in the side again. Eventually, it got a laugh out if me and he cheered making me shake my head.

“You're a clown,” I shook my head with a grin, ignoring the feeling of him still poking my side.

“So you really aren't ticklish?” He said, reaching up to poke my neck.

I laughed, leaning away and smacking his arm, “Chill.”

“Is that where it is?” He grinned, reaching up again.

I leaned away, “Stop!” I laughed, “No it isn't. I'm not ticklish anywhere, you're just being annoying.”

“That's cause I haven't poked you everywhere,” he said.

My eyebrows probably disappeared into my hairline at that one statement. My mind is already muddy and he goes and say something like that.

He cleared his throat, averting his eyes to the table, “So…”

I choked on a laugh and all it took was for him to look at me and we were both laughing like maniacs.

“Stop,” I hissed through my laugh after two minutes of none of us sobering up. I could feel the eyes of the other crowded people around us eating and passing by to get to different stores.

He lifted his head from my shoulder and I laughed even harder seeing his expression and his red face.

“Chris it's not that funny,” I laughed, my chest feeling as if it's caving in from the lack of air, “Yo-you look like a tomato,” I stutter out, my hand cupping his face when he leaned forward again to rest his head on shoulder.

He snorted and I jumped which caused us to transition into another fit of laughter.

“Shit, my head hurts,” he said, clenching his eyes shut but he was still laughing.

I choked as I tried to breath and ended up leaning over and coughing violently. I clutched his shirt, feeling his body vibrating with his laughs.

“I'm dying,” I wheezed.

A throat cleared, but I was still busy trying to get air into my lungs.

Suddenly Chris was nudging my leg a little more forcefully than needed and that probably meant one thing.

I sat up quickly, turning around on my chair to put some space between us while Chris subtly tried to pull his chair away from mine, but the damage was already done. I was done for.

The abrupt movement left a pounding ache in my head and caused me to force my eyes close for a second. When I opened them I gave her a smile but it probably looked more like a grimace.

“Hi, Mommy,” I chirped.

In return she eyed me, then Chris. I reached up quickly to wipe away the wetness on my face.

She stood there for a while and I eyed her trying to look calm. She can smell guilt.

I looked at Chris briefly and he was adjusting his shirt and breathing as heavily as I was.

She dropped her pocket book on the table top loudly and I saw Chris flinch slightly. I pressed my lips together, looking down and telling myself that this is not the time to be laughing.

I looked back up, “Mom, this is Chris,” I told her. She's been wanting to meet him since the first time I brought him up.

Her attention moves to me and I could see death in her eyes, probably seeing how hot Chris is and me and him are ‘just friends’.

Though, her features were schooled and her voice smooth like a freshly paved road, “Oh, this is Chris?”

I nodded slowly and Chris got up, his hand outstretched, “Nice to meet you, miss…”

My mom took his hand hesitantly, still eyeing him, skeptical, “It's just Latoya.”

He nodded, “Latoya. Well, I'll just go-”

“No, no, don't let me stop the fun.”

I cringed, “Really Mom, he came here with his friends and stuff. He should probably be getting ba-”

“I wouldn't mind getting to know you a little better since your group of friends seem to be getting her out of the house more,” she completely ignores me.

Rude as shit.

She sits across from us and Chris looked down at me but I didn't meet his gaze. He eventually pulled his chair over—putting more space between us—and taking a seat again.

It was awkward for a bit with me back to stabbing my cinnamon roll, completely losing my appetite. That was until my Mom leaned over and peaked at it.

“Ew,” she said.

“I know right,” Chris backed her up.

I dropped my fork, looking between the both of them blankly, “Really? This again?” I deadpanned.

Chris was smirking and my Mom shrugged, taking out a small zip lock bag from her pocketbook that had slices of cucumber in it. Her favourite snack.

Yum.

I eyed the bag, then looked up at her, “Ew,” I mocked blankly.

She flipped me off discreetly and a slow grin took over my face as Chris laugh.