Leave me some comments, you beautiful people. Happy holidays!
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It turned out, the power did go out because when I woke up again, hours later in my initial seat, there was a candle sitting on the table. I didn't dwell on it then because I was too tired to. It's when I woke up the second time to something nudging me, that I did.
I looked down at myself when I felt something shift over me. It was a comforter. I snuggled into it even more, curling in on myself.
"What happen?" I yawned into the fluffy cover, my eyes barely opening all the way.
"Breakfast."
I didn't respond for a moment, slipping in and out of sleep in those couple of seconds.
"I told them we were up late, but they don't care. So, we have to go."
"Tell them I died," I grumbled, turning over on my other side.
"I say that, and I'll be the one dead. Come on, get up." He smacked my thigh gently.
"Five minutes." My voice came out muffled.
"I'm not supposed to tell you this but, you get to open presents in a little bit."
I sat up, blinking away the burning in my eyes, but not quite seeing anything yet. "I'm up, I'm up." I yawned again, my body swaying side to side slowly as I tried not to go back down.
There was a low chuckle. "You're so cute. Come on." He tried to pull the comforter away from around my tangled legs so I could get up. I didn't have the energy or brainpower to help, so he was doing all that by himself.
The door to the room opened and I could hear the sound of multiple people talking at once, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. My body felt limp, my eyes were closed and all I could think about was sleeping.
"Man, I thought y'all was on some freaky shit. I was shook for a second." I heard someone say.
The voice sounded familiar, but I wasn't sure who it was right now. It was a bunch of us here. Probably like 15 to 20 people maybe. It didn't really feel like it to be honest since we're all so used to seeing each other.
"How late were y'all up?"
"Yeah, we all went to bed around 1 or something."
"Four maybe," Chris said, still trying to get the comforter from around my legs. He made some weird sounds before he stopped. "Can you help me, please?" He said, sarcastically.
I started tilting back, but he held my arms and pulled me upright again. I whined.
"I'm not hungry."
"Never thought I'd hear you say those words," he said, amused. "But you can't sleep through half your birthday."
"Oh, yeah, happy birthday, girl." Someone said, followed by a couple others.
My eyes opened halfway. "That's still goin'?" There were some laughs. "Thought we did that shit yesterday, man."
Chris tried not to smile as my eyes fluttered, trying to stay open.
"Yeah, it's still going." He nodded, humoring me.
"My mom made a bunch of stuff for breakfast-"
I got up. "All right," I said exasperatedly. "Y'all don't see me getting' up? Damn." I ignored their series of amused sounds and leaned down, almost falling over until Chris gripped my arm again to steady me and pulled the covers from my legs fully. "I need to brush my teeth though."
"You brush your teeth before you eat?" That was Chris.
I let my eyes roam him from head to toe, once, then said, "I'm guessing you don't."
He shrugged. "My food tastes weird after."
I nodded. "That's it."
He looked around for a second. "What?"
"The disgusting trait you have that I didn't find out yet."
He made a face and shook his head.
I smiled. "I've been trying to find something about you that makes you less attractive. And finally!" I held my hands up dramatically, grinning when everyone laughed.
"Oh, so you find him attractive?"
I turned back to Nate and he was being all weird and moving his eyebrows up and down with a creepy smile on his face.
My eyebrows raised and I jutted my thumb at Chris standing next to me, "He doesn't look attractive to you?"
Nate's face fell. "Don't put me on the spot. I don't see him like that."
I grinned and everyone laughed. We all started filing out and I dragged my feet across the floor lazily.
"My feet are cold!" I whined.
Everything became a blur and I stopped breathing and clutched onto Chris when he swooped me up in his arms.
"What the hell are you doing?" I wondered loudly and heard some whistles.
I ignored them because that way I won't blush or feel embarrassed. This guy has a tendency to put me in uncomfortable situations.
"It's your birthday," he said simply, grinning.
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My dad was here. He didn't notice I was standing in the kitchen doorway because he was busy trying to get my mother's attention.
He was talking about something with Jess's dad, but he kept glancing at her. He should know better. If my mom is dead set on acting like someone's not in the room, there's a 99 percent chance she will succeed. And she was.
I pressed my lips together to stop smiling but I couldn't help it.
I wasn't obsessed about whether my parents got back together. I did go through that depressing stage when they broke up and we moved, but a couple of months later I came around. I didn't want them to be miserable with each other just to make me happy. And they both seem to be fine, so it was easy for me to accept what they were after a while.
If one day they sort out their differences and happen to make it work it would be great, but if they don't that was fine too.
"That's my dad," I muttered, smiling wider.
"Yeah. He snuck in sometime last night," Chris said lowly.
He and Jess annoyed me all throughout my morning routine because they didn't trust me not to find a bed and go pass out. Honestly, I wouldn't have put it past myself either, so it was a good thing they did. Only, Chris had to hold me up through half of what I was doing. I basically had him do everything. He brushed my teeth that's for sure and Jess is a pathetic sap for romance and awed through all of it because it was "so cute".
"Happy birthday." He nudged me gently and I grinned.
I giggled like a maniac and made my way over to my dad, accepting birthday wishes on my way, and wrapped my arms around his torso when I got to him.
"You found me," he mused, wrapping his arms around my back and squeezing me tightly. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Happy birthday, baby girl."
It took me a while to leave his side or let him go. I almost fell asleep like that and didn't move until he said something about pancakes and bacon.
"So, what's up with you and the white boy?"
I was literally five minutes into my food.
My cheeks got hot and my heart all but stopped beating, but I kept it together. My chewing slowed and I turned my gaze to my dad and said, "Which one?" I did have a lot of white, guy friends.
He gave me a look and his gaze moved to somewhere at the other end of the dining table. That's where Chris was.
"You know which one. You guys look close," he said, cutting his pancakes slowly. "You dating?"
"Dad." I stared at him blankly. "You know the rules."
He shook his head. "You ain't gotta listen to your momma all the time." He froze. "Did I say that out loud?"
I choked on a laugh before nodding. "Yeah."
He looked up at me. "Do not tell your mother I said that. I never said that you hear me?" He pointed his fork at me, and I snorted because of how hard I was trying not to laugh. I ended up leaning back and laughing loudly.
When I sobered up, I smiled as everyone stared at me. "Sorry."
My eyes went to Chris and he was smiling down at his plate, moving his fork over the scraps that were left from his breakfast. The pig.
I was about to look away when he looked up. He was smiling all sexy and I made a face at him to play off how it was twisting my insides around. He slipped a small grin and I looked away.
"I saw that shit."
"Dad," I groaned and lowered my head to hide my face.
"I don't know what y'all got going on-"
"Stop," I whined with a laugh, looking back at him. I lowered my voice. "That wasn't even nothin'. He smiled at me, so what?"
He drew back. "He was givin' you eyes."
My eyes went to the ceiling. "What does that mean?" I know what it means.
My dad nodded. "You know what it means."
"I really don't." I shook my head, fighting till the end.
"Listen," he said lowly. He leaned forward and gave me that serious look. I did not like where this was going. "You're free to like whoever-"
"Daddy-"
"Just listen to what I'm saying," he stopped me, and I pouted. I didn't want to. "You can like who you want. Just don't go making bad decisions and keeping things from your mom, you hear me?"
That feeling. Acid was swishing around in my stomach until it started crawling up my esophagus. I wanted to puke.
I nodded, swallowing the needles in my throat.
Eating wasn't easy after that. It was awkward and I felt like I was gonna cry. I excused myself, and it's a good thing I was already halfway through my plate, so it wasn't too suspicious. My friends probably noticed though, Chris in particular because I caught his worried gaze for a second and could feel his eyes on me as I left the room.
I went upstairs and threw myself onto the bed my mom spent the night in and tried to stop thinking. Still, the last thought I had was kissing Chris this morning and the guilt that ate at me for it.
A tickle on my nose made me turn my head into the pillow my head was on. Then it was in my ear, forcing me to turn the other way. Then in my nose.
I pressed my face back into the pillow, groaning. I already knew someone was doing it.
I turned my head slightly so I could peek at who it was.
"Why?" I groaned, but it came out muffled. I turned over on my back. "I just wanna sleep," I muttered gruffly.
"I wasn't trying to ruin your mood." My dad was sitting on the edge of the bed. It was quiet for a while. My eyes were closed, and I was trying my hardest not to doze off again.
"They sent me up here to get you."
I sighed and sat up before I fell asleep again. If that happened and someone came and woke me up again, I was seriously gonna start sobbing like a baby.
"It's nothing." I shook my head, rubbing my eyes. "It's just that we get that a lotâpeople saying we like each other and stuff. And if so many people are saying it, then it must be a sign, I guess." I shrugged, running my fingers over the duvet aimlessly.
"But at some point, it started feeling like I was obligated to like him just because everyone's saying it, and now, I'm not even sure if I do. And if I do, I won't be sure if it's me or because everyone drilled it in my head that I do." I pursed my lips and shook my head. "That doesn't even sound like it makes sense."
"It sure does." His tone made me laugh lowly.
"But I like our friendship more, y'know?" I came to the realization, remembering that this wouldn't work anyway. "I don't want that getting messed up. And he's about to leave anywayâfor college. I can't wait to go college shopping with him. Everything lavender."
My dad chuckled. "All right. Let's get down there before your mom finds another reason to hate me."
"She doesn't hate you," I snickered and pushed the cover off my legs, letting him help me up. "Not your biggest fan, but I wouldn't say hate." I stood on the edge of the bed with my arms held out to the sides. I grinned widely as he groaned.
"I'm too old for this."
"Aren't you like thirty?" I teased. But he does construction work, he can manage.
He grinned. "Say that again when we're close to your mom."
I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I already know what she'd say."
"Mhm," he hummed and wrapped his arms around me when my legs went around his torso. "His old ass ain't no damn thirty," he mocked in a voice that's nowhere close to how my mom sounds.
I laughed into his shoulder. I missed him.
When my dad and I got downstairs, there were decorations up everywhere, making me wonder how long I was sleeping. My favorite though were the balloons floating against the ceiling and dozens of them lying around on the ground.
I got another surprise when I went into the lounge. A red velvet cake with one candle that said '17'. I kinda wanted the individual ones but I didn't want to seem like a spoiled brat. Then it got to gifts and I have to say, I can't get enough of all this attention. If it was from random people, I would've been close to shitting bricks, but these are my people, so I want all of it.
But my favorite part quickly became presents. Everyone got me something, even Amanda. Yeah, I know!
Theon got me beats headphones and I'm contemplating having his kids.
"Marry me," I said seriously to Theon who was grinning widely at me.
"Told you." I heard Chris mutter.
I looked over at them and he was smirking while his mom glared at him and Nate laughed.
"What?"
Chris gestured to his mom. "She didn't know what to get you and I told her to get headphones, but she never listens to me, cause I don't know what I'm saying." His tone turned sarcastic by the end.
I nodded, chewing on some cake. This was my third slice. "I agree with the last part, one hundred percent."
He made a face at me, and I turned to Charlotte, bouncing excitedly. "Okay, you next!"
She smiled and Chris said, "Why are you so loud?"
I ignored him and kept my eyes on Charlotte. She smiled and reached for a bag on the table of presents in front of me and held it out for me. She wished me a happy birthday as I all but snatched the thing from her hand, still bouncing in my chair.
I get hype on my birthday. It's always been that way. No matter how much I try to tone it down, getting attention and gifts from the people I love always made me feel like a baby on crack. Bad analogy, I know, but it's the most accurate.
I grinned like a mad person as I ripped through the stuffing paper to get to my prize. When I finally did, a long, "ooooouuuuuu," left me. I reached into the bag and pulled out one of the books, gaping at it in wonder.
"Prettyyy." I awed at the glossy cover of the novel before flipping it over to the back.
"I know you're a big fan of vampire romances, and this one had some great reviews, so I figure I'd get you the trilogy," Charlotte said as I ran through the synopsis on the back cover. I was already a fan.
She added a second later, "You're a fast reader, so when you get through the first one let me know if you're keeping them. I can always ret-"
"No, no, no," I cut her off, holding up a hand. "This is promising. I like this." I nodded slowly, looking up with a huge grin. "Thank you!"
She smiled widely then pointed at the bag. "There's more."
"Ou, more," I said giddily. I placed the book on my lap and reached into the bag again and went for the other stuff besides the other two books. "Money."
"It's a gift card."
"Am I talking to you?" I pulled a face at Chris. All he does is try to suck happiness out of everything like a leech.
His eyes narrowed playfully, and it was Charlotte who eventually broke our intense staring contest.
"There's also a membership card in there."
I was back to being a giddy mess as I went into the bag again eagerly. I pulled out the golden card, staring at it as it glistened off the lights. It's like me in the sun.
"You're the best," I said with a pout, then got up. I sat the things down slowly and went over to her to get a hug, shoving Chris out of the way aggressively.
I saw him square up for a second before he dropped his hands, glaring at me. I laughed with everyone else.
"What did I say about manhandling each other?" Charlotte scolded as she hugged me back.
I pulled back and gave her a sheepish smile. "He was in the way."
"I wasn't even remotely close to you!" Chris said, his voice rising. "You almost had to stretch to get to me."
I laughed humorlessly, looking away. "There's no need for you to shout."
"Okay! My turn!" I heard. The person obviously just wanted to stop our bickering before it got worse.
I turned around and Carlos was walking over to me with something sparkly in his hands.
"So, I didn't know what to get you because all the good stuff were already taken-"
"Gimme, gimme, gimme," I ran over to him until my chest was almost touching his. If his hands weren't in front of him, it probably would've.
He stared at me in amusement before letting out a low laugh and bringing his hands above my head. I closed my eyes and I was in euphoria when he sat the tiara on my head.
I opened my eyes and was grinning so wide; my cheeks were hurting. "You think I'm a princess?"
He gave me a look. "The only reason why you're not wearing a crown is because my parents said it was too much."
I gasped dramatically. "Never."
"That's exactly what I said." He nodded.
We both laughed and he wrapped his arms around my shoulders in a warm embrace. I feel so loved.
The next couple of minutes and presents went by with me tearing up a little, smiling, laughing, feeling warm and fuzzy, and holding back from calling them all peasants.
I couldn't deny I was feeling a little sad too because come on... they're all about to leave me. I try not to think about it, but I can't not. There's literally about two months left in school and seniors get out of school a couple weeks before the rest of us do. I have no clue what my school life is gonna be after that. I'll probably end up going back to how I was before I met them.
I really don't want that.
"Okay, can it be my turn now?" Chris asked with his hands outstretched, waiting for me to give him the go.
"Thank you." I smiled, then turned away. "Next!"
Everyone laughed and I grinned at Chris as he said sarcastically, "You're so funny, really." Not even him could stop his smile though.
I clasped my hands under my chin dramatically with a huge smile. "Okay. Go."
He pointed at me. "Eyes closed for this one."
They narrowed instead. "Why?"
"That's usually what happened before a surprise," he said sarcastically. His sarcasm has been shooting out ten-fold today. No one can stop it.
I pursed my lips, messing with him.
He rolled his eyes with a sigh. "It's not in the room because it was a bit hard to wrap."
I smiled widely and clapped. "Oh, it's a big one," I said excitedly and closed my eyes.
"I swear, one of you spiked her," Theon said, eliciting some low snickers.
"She's excited. I think it's cute." That was Mariana.
I knew it was more than the name that made me like her.
I briefly heard Chris telling me to keep my eyes closed. If he got me a stupid shirt with his dumb face on it, I'm gonna be pissed.
"Okay, open."
Didn't have to tell me twice.
I squinted at the thing first. I already knew what it was, but I didn't know what to feel yet.
It was a huge frame with a lot of pictures. Pictures of me. Me with him, and Nate and Thion and... everybody.
My eyes stung and I pouted and my eyelashes fluttered as I blinked to hold back my tears.
I got up, dragging out a, "Noooooo." I touched the frame gently, then looked at him. What was on my face was probably giving away what I was actually feeling because he was smiling at me.
"I was planning on forgetting all of you when you left," I said, trying to lighten the tug on my heart.
He chuckled with the other sounds of amusement that flitted through the room, while I tried to keep it together.
"Not acceptable." Chris shook his head, slipping a small grin.
"Aww," I said lowly, taking in all the photos and how well they worked together. There were some with us from school, the movies, arcade... "Chrisandra..."
He ignored the name and said, "Do not start crying."
"If you didn't want me to cry, you wouldn't have gotten me this." I almost snapped at him.
He held up a hand, shaking his head. He placed it on my shoulder and pulled me in for a well-needed hug. "You're so pathetic," he muttered lowly.
"I heard that," Charlotte scolded.
I pulled away from him, wiping under my eyes and I shook my head at her. "He's mean to me all the time, it's okay. Imagine him at my funeral."
Chris snorted in amusement. "I get to snap on you and not get a snarky reply back? Heaven."
I looked over at my mom and said, "Kick him out if he does."
She'd already been glaring at us. "Stop talking like that."
I was about to make a joke about it, but I knew better. Instead, I stepped away from Chris, fixing my crown. "You're tilting my crown, white boy."
He shook his head at me. "You're irritating. I didn't even touch it."
I grinned at him and had to catch myself from puckering my lips for him to kiss me. I almost did it.
"And stop calling me white boy."
I giggled and turned back to my picture collage.
"I love that one." I pointed at one of the pictures at the top. It was a close-up of my lips. I was wearing a really nice lip gloss that day that I stole from my mom, so my lips were looking all luscious. I loved it.
He nodded. "Cause you took it."
"I did." I grinned. "But I like what you did with it." He added an orange flare to the picture that made my lips and skin stand out more. I'd definitely make out with myself if I could.
"I want this above my bed," I added, my eyes running over it again. I blinked out of it and turned to him, "Thanks."
He shook his head with a smile. "My pleasure."
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The day turned into night, and this was officially the best birthday I've ever had.
We sang, we danced, and ate a bunch of junkâmostly us teens though. My dad twirled me around a couple times until I was almost dizzy, and I laughed myself breathless all night.
Despite the wind howling outside and the threat of the light going out again, we all had a good time.
"As you can see, we take birthdays very serious."
I turned around and Chris was walking up to me. I was busy watching Julia murder Nate and Jess at 'Just Dance'. Usually, I wouldn't get involved because I suck at games like these, but I'm looking forward to losing.
"Yeah, you do," I agreed with a grin, turning back to the game. "Today was awesome. Thanks for not caring about what I want."
"You're welcome."
"Where's your mom?" I asked, looking around the room.
"Why?"
My gaze went back to him. "Um... mind your business?"
"That's my mom," he emphasized.
"Okay, and?"
He held up his hand to me and said, "I'm not doing this with you anymore tonight." Then he took my wrist and pulled me over to the game.
Long story short, I lost, but it was great. I loved every second of it. Chris ended up winning. He had some moves I didn't know about. But by the end of the second round, I was sweating and almost wheezing through my laughter and stumbled to the kitchen to get water.
That's where I spotted Charlotte. She was on the phone, so I immediately sobered up and quietly went over to the fridge and got a bottle of water, then gulped down three-quarters of it as I waited for her to finish up.
There were some things that I had to ask her and didn't know how she'd take it, but I was excited about it.
When she finally did, she immediately turned to me. "Need something?"
"Well," I cut myself short, but I started to stutter. "I wanted to ask you something actually."
She hummed, setting her phone down on the counter and leaned against it. Then she gave me that look. Must she look at me like that?
Charlotte had a blank stare that she gave. I don't think she notices, because that's probably the RBF syndrome, but it would scare the crap out of anyone who didn't know her. It used to scare me at one point but then she warmed up to me and all I have to do is grin wide enough and I get a smile from her.
"So," I paused and smiled. "I wanted to ask you this for a while." I paused again.
"You're not asking to date my son, are you?" My smile fell and I stared at her blankly. She raised her eyebrows as if to say 'so?'.
I shook my head exaggeratedly. "No, I'm not. Can you guys let me have a life outside of Chris?" I said sarcastically.
Her head titled slightly. "Can you?" My jaw dropped and she held back from smiling but failed.
"I was joking," she said with a chuckle.
I made a face mockingly and retorted, "Are you even capable?"
"Sometimes." She shrugged.
My smile came back full force and I made my way over and sat on one of the stools around the island, turning it so I could face her.
"With all this college talk around me, I've been thinking a lot about what I wanted to do," I started, getting comfortable on my seat, "and I really wanna do interior design."
Her lips twitched as she tried to control her expression.
"Yeah," I grinned. "And I was wondering... if you would... like to be my mentor... maybe..." I don't know why I thought she'd turn me down in the most horrible way imaginable, but I did. I knew she had a lot on her plate, so I wouldn't be mad she couldn't do it. Heartbroken maybe, but not mad.
"Ariana, you don't have to ask." She was smiling widely.
I let out a relieved breath and a laugh as I nodded. "I kinda do, cause if I didn't, then you wouldn't-"
"All right, smartass." She laughed and my face went back to hurting from smiling so wide all night.
"I am pretty booked right now, but-"
"We can start in the summer," I said. I didn't want her to feel like I wanted her to drop everything for me. I'm not that special. "If that's cool?"
"That's perfect."
"Great!"
"We can talk about details next time you come over."
I nodded like a bobblehead. "Thank you so much, you don't know how much this means to me, honestly." I had my hands clasped in front of me like I was praying, and I was already starting to tear up.
I'm crying too much these days.
Soon enough I was babbling.
"I've been thinking about college and stuff and I miss New York, so I started looking up places and after I found out that I really wanna design shit. But I had absolutely no experience, so I was... things weren't looking great for me. And with how our high school art classes are, that wasn't gonna help so I figured, why not ask you, y'know?" I gestured to her and she nodded slowly, smiling. "Cause you're like right here and you're awesome, and I need a whole portfolio to get into Parsons so, I was like, girl you need to start w-"
"Wait, wait, wait," Charlotte cut me off and I was relieved she did. I was talking too much. Wonder if this is how Chris feels...
"You said Parsons?" She asked.
I nodded hesitantly because the look on her face wasn't amused anymore. "What? Did you hear it was a bad school?"
She shook her head. "No, not that."
"Then what? It's a great art school and it's close to where I used to live. My dad still lives there, and since it's that good, I could always stay home instead of dorming, y'know? Those things are expensive."
I could see she was trying not to smile again. "I know."
"What?" I asked with a laugh when she kept staring at me.
Her head shook slowly. "Just a coincidence, I guess." She paused before she asked, "Did Christian tell you where he was going for college?"
I sighed dramatically. "Since we're back on him again... Yeah, isn't he going to the community college here?"
I had no clue what was going on, but I found myself wondering. Immediately, my thoughts went to him going somewhere else for college. Somewhere far, and I breathed deeply to calm my nerves and not jump to assumptions.
"What did I tell you about talking to my mom alone?" Came from behind me.
I rolled my eyes and didn't even look at him, even though I was dying to. There's no way he could be leaving.
"You didn't tell her you changed your mind about college?" Charlotte asked, not waiting for our banter to start like usual.
It got quiet for a moment, there was a thumping in my ears as those nerves went into overdrive. I spun around on my chair to see him. "What? You're not going to college?"
I don't think I could Chris not going to college. He's such a nerd that the concept itself was hard to fathom. He probably feels physical pain at the thought of staying home and not doing anything. He's really independent, and there's only so much he can depend on anyone for, for a long period of time.
He shook his head. "No- I mean yes, I am. I'm going. I just changed my mind about where I'm going. That's all." He shrugged and buried his hands in his pockets, dipping his head.
I could see his cheeks turning pink and he was trying to crawl into himself like an armadillo. He always did this when he was put on the spot and he got either shy or embarrassed, which was a lot. The back of my neck started getting hot and my heart picked up, but I didn't let it show. He were confirming my suspicions without even saying anything.
"Where are you going?"
His lips parted to answer but he looked over my shoulder at his mom before he looked back at me. "Parsons."
Despite how I felt before, I leaned back with my mouth hanging open. "Duuuuuuudddeee." I hopped off the stool to look back and forth between him and his mom. "That's crazy," I said to her.
She nodded. "It really is."
"What's crazy?"
I turned back to Chris and gestured between me and him. "There's no way you're a great mind."
He stared at me confused. "What?"
"They say great minds think alike. I just told your mom I wanted to go to Parsons."
He made a face. "You wanna go to Parsons? Why?"
"When did you change your mind? Why didn't you tell me? Am I the only one who doesn't know?" I was ready to rip him one if I was. I know I wasn't here since the beginning of their friend group, but I'm sure I'm close enough to him for me to be one of the first people he tells.
He shook his head. "No, only Nate knows, since he was there when I told mom," he said, his eye straying over my head again.
My anxiety started dropping. This wasn't so bad. He's going to the college, I was sure I'm going, and he was obviously doing it for photography since it's a design and arts school.
"Well, why aren't you telling anyone? You're going for photography, right?" I asked, already knowing he was.
He nodded. "Well, yeah, but I wanna get in first to be sure and not jinx it."
I pointed at him, nodding. "You right, you right."
"But you didn't answer my question. Why do you want to go? I didn't know you were looking. I would've helped."
"Well, my love for your house became unbearable so..." I shrugged. He laughed and I smiled. "I just really wanna be an interior designer."
I couldn't get past the fact that both of us just happen to want to go to the same college. I was trying to remember if I've ever heard him talk about going there but came up blank. The universe needed to stop fucking around. At the same time, I can't say I'm disappointed about it. As annoying as this frustratingly, handsome, blabbering 18-year-old was, I kinda can't see my life without him.
He grinned. "Nice."
I reached up to adjust my crown even though I didn't need to. "I know. And your mom just agreed to mentor me!" I almost jumped excitedly when I clapped.
His face dropped. "Nooooo," he drawled, turning his eyes to his mom as he made his way over. I glared at him with my eyes narrowed as he whispered loudly, "Now she's gonna be in our house all the time."
I pushed him away when he was walking by me and he laughed loudly.
"Yeah, go ahead and make fun, Chripple," he rolled his eyes at the new name, "but everyone knows I bring light to your dull life, okay?"
I expected him to counter that with something sarcastic and whitty, but he just shook his head with a smile. I did not need that response. I needed something rude and what won't cause speculation, like he's been doing all day.
So, to brush that off and not let Charlotte dwell on his lack of reply for too long, I turned to her and asked, "Be honest, if you had to choose between the two of us, who'd it be?"
"Oh please!" Chris said loudly, turning to me. "Really? Don't hurt yourself, Ari."
I laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, okay. Charlotte doesn't even like you." My attitude was up to 1000 watts. If that's how you even measure it.
"She's my mom! Are you crazy!"
"Once again, okay and?! That doesn't mean anything!"
I heard Charlotte mutter something, but I didn't pay attention to it until she started moving. She was leaving the kitchen.
"You're proving her right, mom!" Chris shouted when she was almost through the swing doors. "You're hurting me!" He added, all while I was laughing like a maniac.
When she was gone, I continued to laugh until I was crying.
"Why do you do this to me?" He retorted when I was almost down from my high and wiping my face.
I giggled and looked up at him. "It's so much fun."
He smiled humorously. "I can see that."
"I'm gonna miss you, man," I said honestly, my smile almost turning into a sad one. I think this was the first time I've ever told him.
He shook his head as my bottom lip started to tremble. "Please, Ari. Please don't do that."
But the tears were already falling, and my temper started to get out of hand.
This was it. That dread I was feeling at the thought of them leaving. They don't understand that I don't have anybody else after they leave, and I don't want anybody else. I predict depression and a lifelong supply of sadness and tears for my senior year. I should try to be optimistic, but I can't because I was already on my way before I met them, but they gave me all the love and happiness and memories I never thought I'd have in high school and in less than two months all of its gonna be gone and it's gonna fuck me up.
Chris already had his arms wrapped around me. "I know I seem like this manly-man, but you know I'm a big softy," he said, and I felt his breath on my hair. He pressed his lips to my forehead softly and as much as that helped, it didn't stop all my stupid tears and overflowing emotions.
I couldn't even laugh as I clutched him tightly as if that'll keep him here. I made it seem as if I was okay with him going to New York for school, but as much as I'm happy he's doing what he loves, I felt so much better before, knowing he was gonna be closer. But the fact that he's gonna be three hours away was finally getting to me.
I heard talking and Chris said something, but I didn't care to listen. I buried my face in his chest, heaving pathetically, and soon enough I felt more arms wrapping around me. I felt like I was in a sauna, but I didn't care.