The Way We Were

2.12

Chapter 12

Ariel's POV

I meet up with Piper, Maddie, and Emma a few days later for the first dress fitting. It goes great, and Piper's showing more now, so they have to work around the fact that by the time the wedding rolls around, she'll be six months pregnant.

After the appointment, Zoey and I grab lunch at a restaurant I've never been to but that she swears is amazing. She's right, as usual.

Ian called like he said he would, and we talked for a while before he finally asked me out on a real date. That goes great as well. He took me mini golfing, which may seem childish but we had a great time, and then out for ice cream. He even insisted on trying to show me how to properly swing the little blue golf club, arms around me and all. It was wonderful and I gushed to Zoey about it for hours on the couch.

And I haven't thought about Luke in almost a week. Well, not really thought about him. I hope he's happy with Aimee. Truly.

Okay, maybe not truly, but I'm doing my best to get over him. It's for the best, right? I keep Cam's words in my head like a mantra: I need to make up mind. I need to figure this out. I need to be happy again, to the full extent of the word. I need him out of my life.

But no matter how hard I try, he just keeps popping up. All the time.

I'm pushing a grocery cart down the frozen food aisle when a cart comes racing up next to me, a man perched on the little stand at the bottom and propelling himself forward. No, not a man, it's just Luke. He stops in front of me and spins around before hopping off. "Still playing on grocery carts are we? That's a little childish don't you think?" I say and roll my eyes before pushing my cart forward. "Sure, it's childish, but it's fun." he says and pushes farther past me.

"Whatcha buying?" he asks, peering into my cart. "Food." I say blankly and he laughs. "I love it when you're specific." he says and stops to grab a frozen pizza. I try to escape but he doesn't let me. "How's Aimee?" I inquire, even though I don't really care. "She's great." he says and I stop in my tracks. "You're really something, you know that?" I say, meaning every single drop of bitterness in my tone. "What?" he asks. "You know I don't want to hear about how great you and Aimee are." I say. "Then why did you ask?" he questions innocently.

I walk away from him, not wanting to have this conversation in the middle of the frozen food aisle. "Ariel, wait." he says, following me. He cuts me off with his cart and steps towards me. "Is everything alright? I thought you were with Derek..." he says and I see his hand twitch. "I'm not with Derek. I'm with someone else." I say, folding my arms across my chest. I'm afraid he'll take my hand again, like on the Ferris Wheel.

"Oh," he says, stepping back slightly. "And...everything's fine. I'm not something you need to be worried about anymore." I tell him. He laughs. "I'll always worry about you, Ariel. Hell, I'll worry about you all the time." he says. "I don't need to be looked after by you." I say. "That's not what I'm saying. You're not listening to me." he pursues. "I can hear you loud and clear." I retort.

"Hearing isn't the same as listening, remember?" he says, and I remember something else from the summer Luke and I spent together....