Chapter 32: ♤Chapter 24♤

♤ARIANA♤

School was dismissed early because it was snowing like a bitch.

I guess we're having a storm today and they still had us come to school. It makes no sense really. Now people are gonna have to walk through it, wait for someone to pick them up or do what I have to do—wait the next half hour for the busses to get here.

Before I left class I was talking to one of my classmates and she was saying why I don't get ‘the boy that I'm talking to' to take me home.

Thing is, Chris has been taking me home often, but it's a fricken storm. I'm not gonna make him take me home and drive through all that to get back to his house. And no doubt there's gonna be a shitload of traffic too.

So I did what any respectful daughter would do; I called my mom.

I leaned against the railing that overlooked the main hall on the first first floor, my head turned away from the crowd and my fingers pressed over my other ear to drown out the noisy hallway.

“If he doesn't mind taking you home, then it's not a problem,” she said.

And I protested, “But it's a storm. He can't drive back home through that. I'll just wait for the bus.”

“Yes, but then you'll be walking fifteen minutes through the storm. You don't know what could be flying around out there. He can wait a bit and see if the storm dies down.”

I doubted that, but I said, “Okay.”

She could've picked me up, and she suggested that until I mentioned Chris. I didn't want her driving thirty minutes from work just to drop me home. It was either the bus or my very annoying friend. And I didn't want it to be my annoying friend. I wanted him to be home and comfortable, not driving me home and probably getting stuck at my place.

And I'm pretty sure he's gonna get stuck at my place. It was a really bad storm.

The music in my earbuds cut off a couple minutes later and I looked at my phone. I groaned, sliding my finger against the answer icon.

“Yeah?” I answered, focusing on his voice and turning up my volume.

“Where are you?” He asked.

I shook my head, “You can leave without me. I'm taking the bus.”

“Okay, but where are you?” He asked again.

“History wing at the top of the staircase,” I replied.

“Cool, see you in a minute,” he replied, then hung up.

“I shouldn't have told him where I was,” I muttered to myself.

Knowing him, he would drag me to his truck. But I'll deal with it when he gets here.

In the meantime, I stared out at the front of the school through the thin rectangle window embedded in the wall. It was snowing really heavy. The lines on the light poles were swaying and I don't doubt a couple of the trees are gonna uproot some time tonight.

I could almost hear the wind. If there wasn't so much noise coming from the crowded halls and the music in my ears, I probably could've.

There's definitely no way I can walk home through that. A simple strong breeze is enough to shift me, I'd be flying through this unwillingly.

When he got to me, he didn't say anything at first. Just gave me a look with his arms crossed.

Eventually, I initiated the talk after sighing heavily, “Okay, so I was against it at first since I didn't want you driving me home through this, but… you're gonna have to drive me home.”

He nodded, seeming satisfied, “Oh, I had my argument ready in case you wanted to be stubborn.”

I blinked at him and my jaw dropped, appalled, “I'm being considerate,” I gesture to outside through the window, “I couldn't have you drive me home through this and drive all the way back to your house.”

“I know,” he said mockingly but in a soft way as he stepped forward, “But I'm going to. It's not a choice.”

I shook my head, crossing my arms, “I don't appreciate your controlling tone.”

“Wh-” he stopped, his lips parted as he stared at me wordlessly, “I didn't mean it like th-” he stuttered and I blinked at him, unamused. He lets out a breath, his hands falling limply by his sides, almost whining when he said, “Ariana,” he got closer, looking down at me and I averted my eyes, knowing what's coming next, “I'm sorry. I'm not being serious about it, you're just so stubborn sometimes.” He said teasingly.

“Okay, I get it, I'm stubborn,” I retorted, getting slightly irritated that he keeps saying that, “Can we leave?”

He stepped closer, his chest brushing against my folded arms, “Are you really mad?” he asked lowly, reaching up and pulling my arms away.

I rolled my eyes when he moved my hands to my sides, “You're really irritating,” I voiced.

And he was, but it's these irritating traits that make my heart beat out of time like it was doing right now. And make my hands become clammy and my breathing shallow.

“Really?” He retorted and I could hear his grin, “I like pissing you off.”

I laughed nervously but sarcastically, nodding and keeping my eyes away from him, “Yeah, I can tell,” his fingers slid against mine, holding them gently. I swallowed hardly but didn't pull away, “You're probably one of those people who make out in hallways.” I said to play off the painful thumping in my body.

“If the time's right…” He trails off.

I made a face, tilting my head back to finally meet his gaze and almost gasped at how close he was. I pulled myself together quickly, “Are you really?”

He shrugged, his lips pulling up on one side, “Never done it. I'm not a PDA person per se, but… I’m not averse to it with the right person…” he drawls, giving one of those looks that made my body light up.

I couldn't help but grin, “Get away from me.”

I pulled my hand out of his and stepped back, filling my lungs with unintoxicated air. Which quickly left me when I saw his breathtaking grin.

He smirked, stepping back and nodding to his right—to the staircase that leads downstairs to the main entrance.

“C'mon,” he said and I don't know if he noticed that his voice came out deeper than it normally is, but I did.

And it did things.

Like make my breathing stutter.

When he turned around and pulled the door open, I breathed out, muttering, “Okay,” under my breath and walked by him when he held it open for me.

♤♠♤

The fifteen minute drive it usually takes for us to get to my house, took an hour. An hour of heavy snow and jammed traffic, but good music and a lot of laughs. It was kinda worth it.

Jess had dropped Nate home today because of the storm. Because Chris usually took Nate home and he wanted to drop me home, Jess took him instead since they all live in the same neighborhood. I learned that a couple weeks ago.

I also made him know that if he's dropping me home, he's staying, something that he managed to make really wrong. I'm kinda used to it, what I'm not used to is how it makes me feel. How he says things just completely ignites a buzz in me—a heat.

And then he touches me while he's saying them, and I completely become immobile because I know that if I move, I'll pull away and I like when he does that. But eventually I pull myself together and say the same thing, “get away from me”.

Even though I don't want him to. I never want him to.

When we parked in the parking lot at my apartment complex, we sat in the car for like five minutes, basking in the warmth before we had to go out. And also padding ourselves up to make sure that no part of our body would be exposed. It was that bad.

And when we did go out there, I screamed like I was getting killed because the wind knocked me so hard I had to hold on to the side of the truck. I did that until I met Chris by the front of the truck, who I could tell was either smiling or laughing even though half his face was covered by his coat that was zipped all the way up and a scarf. He'd took my hand before pulling me into his side and wrapping his arm around me tightly and we trudged through the snow that was almost knee high. At least, my knees.

I wondered how the hell people even live in the North Pole. Especially when I almost fell a couple times, almost bringing Chris with me, but his upper body strength was incredible and he caught us every time. I could hear him laughing every time that happened. I can't say I wasn't laughing either.

If it wasn't so cold, it would've been fun. Well… It was a little fun.

What I was dreading was the day after where we were gonna be shovelling.

I stomped the remaining snow off my boots at the door of the apartment and Chris did the same. Both of us taking our shoes off before I opened the door and we went in. Sighing at the warmth the greeted me inside.

It felt like we've been out there for centuries.

I set my boots down by the door and unzipped my coat.

It took us five minutes to get comfortable and get everything off that was still cold from outside. Soon enough, he was plopping down on the couch with a loud exhale and I was going to the bathroom.

When I got back, he was laying on the couch, the remote in his hand. He's been here a couple times. Not just him though, but he's comfortable here. At least, since my mom's at work. He's pretty scared of her sometimes. I don't wrong him, I'm scared of her sometimes too.

“I'll be right back, I'm gonna go change,” I told him, rubbing my cold hands together as I went into my room. I heard him hum lowly as I did. I pushed the door closed after me and reached for the button on my jeans.

I changed into my PJ's cause why not. They were fluffy and comfy and I felt so much better and warmer. I went back out and sat on the other couch, pulling my legs under me and looking at the TV.

“What are you looking for?” I asked, watching him skip through all the movies and shows, “Sorry we didn't get to go to the movies. I forgot we were having that storm.”

He stopped and looked over at me, his lips pulling up into a smile, “Why are you apologizing because of the weather?” He said and I shrugged with a smiled, embarrassed. He chuckled, “It's okay,” he said and I wonder if he knew how hot he sounded, combined with that smile on his face, “We can always look for something on here,” he said, then sat up, placing his socks-covered feet on the ground.

He patted the spot next to him and I shook my head, “No, you can look. I forgot to call my mom,” I told him, getting up, “I'll be right back, okay?”

He replied as I was making my way to my room to get my phone.

I didn't think I'd stay on the phone long with my mom. Just told her that we finally got in and we're about to watch something in the living room. Then she spent the rest of the time telling me I shouldn't take him in my room and both of us should be in the living room, doing something constructive when she gets home. I figured constructive meant, not close to each other and actually watching the movie, on separate couches.

And I rolled my eyes continuously all through it. Sighed a couple times, gave some irritated and embarrassed groans and shut up when she told me to stop whining and listen.

And I listened, pulling the phone away from my ear every couple of words.

We were on the phone for about fifteen minutes because of her parenting and when I went back out to the living room, I dropped down on the couch I was sitting on before I got up.

I groaned, pulling my legs up again and folding them in front of me, “What are we watching?” I asked, leaning back and holding onto my legs.

“Uuhhh…” He said, squinting at the TV, “Sabrina…” He said hesitantly, reading the show description.

I nodded, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina?” I asked.

He nodded, “Yeah. You've watched it?”

I shrugged, “I started it a couple days ago. I think I'm on the third episode?” I said, confused, “Doesn't matter. It was okay so far, start it from the beginning.” I told him, gesturing to the TV.

He did, “Sit next to me.”

I shook my head with a sheepish smile, “I can't. I'm not allowed.” I said teasingly but I was being serious, “I have to wait till my mom gets here then she'll decide how many feet I can be away from you.” I said sarcastically.

He laughed, “Okay,” he nodded, chuckling, “Sometimes I forget,” he voiced, then paused the show. I raised my eyebrows at him, “She's not that strict, y'know?”

I gave him a look, then laughed lowly, “Right.”

“She isn't,” she shrugged, “At least, I don't think so. I've seen parents who don't let their kids go out, at all. Your mom let's you go out and have fun.”

I shook my head, “That's cause she thinks my life is sad, Chris.”

He laughed loudly, “I doubt that,” he said after sobering up.

“Don't,” I laughed, “I never did anything before I met you. I'm not exaggerating. I just… went to school and came home. Did homework… read… eat and…” I shrugged, shaking my head, “Do the same thing everyday basically. She has a better social life than I do. I dunno, I feel like she feels sorry for me or something.”

I readjusted myself, turning and leaning back against the arm of the couch, “But I know she trusts me to do the right thing at the right time. Which is why you're actually here right now. Alone with me. She knows I'll tell you to get the hell out of my face if you get too close.”

Can't say that'll happen all the time though.

He grinned slowly, “So do I.”

I bit back a smile and got up, “I'll go get snacks.”