New York, New Ariana (Ariana Grande, Nathan Sykes, & Jai Brooks)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

    Ariana’s Pov

On Friday morning, I rolled out of bed before my alarm. Partially because once I got through today I will have officially survived my first week of school in New York. It was probably because I was going to the movies with Jai this afternoon, though. I took a shower and was able to take longer this time since I’d woken up early, my alarm blaring when I reentered my room. Why hadn’t I switched it off? I dried my hair, curled the ends, and pulled it up in my half-ponytail as usual. For the day, I picked out a red sundress with little white-and-black flowers, black tights, and white ballet flats with black detailing. Before the movie, I could switch out the flats for heels and ta-da I was ready! I chose a little black bow from my vanity as well and fastened it to my half-ponytail.

In the kitchen, I dropped my bag next to my chair and poured some Cocoa Puffs into a bowl. I ate quickly actually not dreading school, as I did everyday in Boca. It was early-- so early that Frankie was only just then trudging out of his bedroom-- when I skipped back to my room, did my tiny makeup routine adding a bit of eyeliner since my outfit was a little fancier anyway, and threw on my coat before heading out to the bus stop. Jai wasn’t there yet, and I don’t know why I had thought he would be-- barely anyone was here. One girl, who I didn’t have a clue who she was, a guy who I think might be friends with Jai, and… Nathan were the only people there.

Barely any people meant barely anyone would see you talking to the person you were expected to hate with everyone else, right? I held my hair down against the picking up wind and came to a stop next to him by the curb. His head was; as was characteristic of Nathan; bent over a book balanced against his elbow. Everything about his posture read ‘don’t talk to me’-- bent head, hunched shoulders. His expression seemed to be blocking out everything as well, his eyebrows furrowed and his lips slightly mouthing whatever he was reading as he tried to decipher it. I decided he probably wanted to be left alone and started to walk away.

“Ariana?” He raised his eyes from the pages of his book. “Sorry, spacing out there; need something?”

“Oh! Erm, no. I was just going to say hi,” I explained, scuffing my shoe against the sidewalk’s pavement. “You’re busy though, so never mind.”

“I’m not busy,” He smiled, closing the book and letting it drop to his side. “So, hi.”

I laughed lightly and walked back over to stand next to him. “Hi!”

“Would you, maybe, wanna work on the song after school again?” He asked, prodding a pebble near the curb with his foot. It tumbled over the sidewalk’s edge and there was a short clang as it disappeared down the storm drain.

“Well, I’d love to, but I kind of already have plans. Sorry,” I mumbled and had to look down to avoid his eyes-- looking like they did the first day when I tried to disappear into the wall instead of defending him from Beau and Luke. It was for the best, that’s what I need to tell myself.

“Ah, it’s fine. We’re probably ahead anyway,” He said with a casual shrug. “Doing anything fun?”

“Uhm, just going to the movies with a friend,” I replied, giving only a tiny bit of the truth. He and Jai used to be friends, so mentioning him to Nathan probably wouldn’t be the best idea I’ve ever had.

“Cool,” He said quietly. The awkward was so thick in the air I could practically cut it with a knife. “Who are you going with?”

My eyes probably widened as my brain went into full alert. Do I lie and say it’s no one he would know? No, that’s a flat out lie of course he knows Jai. But do I tell him? Jai had never come up in conversation, so I didn’t know how he would react. It couldn’t be bursting with positive energy; I did know that. “No one you would know,” I blurted since it had been a suspiciously long time before I answered. Flat out lying, I guess. I can’t stand my brain sometimes.