𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐀 ||The Sequel||

CHAPTER 16

Tristan

"Alright, people, we've got only ten minutes here. Let's make this quick, shall we?" All four pairs of eyes locked onto me, and everyone gave a nod of agreement.

Joanna, Shay, Jacob, Josh, and I had arranged this secret meetup behind the school just after the lunch bell rang. We hadn't clued in Ari, as it was our only chance to discuss our plans for her 18th birthday surprise. Her big day was tomorrow, and we aimed to make it unforgettable.

"Her parents are taking care of all the prep and food. So far, so good. Ari's completely clueless about the big birthday prep at home. She's under the impression it's going to be a small celebration with just a few close friends and family," Joanna shared, earning a satisfied grin from us.

"Great! Let's keep her fully distracted today. Right, Shay?"

Shay's mission was to shadow Ari, keeping her occupied with schoolwork and cheerleading stuff to divert her from birthday thoughts, allowing us to work on our grand surprise. Thanks to the girls, the entire cheerleading team and their coach were in on the scheme.

"I'm on it," Shay replied with a sly wink, and I shot her a grin in return.

Ari's absence from social media was a great thing. If she were still active, her 150k-something followers would have already been bombarding her with early birthday wishes and posts, overtaking the hype on purpose.

"How's the guest list shaping up, Jacob?" He immediately checked his phone before reporting back.

"Almost everyone's invited. Just need to inform the basketball team, and we're set."

We exchanged a quick fist bump, and just as we were about to head to the cafeteria, my phone buzzed with a message from Ari.

"Shit, we'd better get going; she's waiting in the cafeteria. Everyone, act normal, okay?"

They all flashed smiles, nodded in agreement, and started chatting and laughing as we made our way to the cafeteria. However, Josh pulled me aside before we entered.

"What's up?" I inquired curiously.

"I got a message from the jewelry shop guy. He said your gift is ready for pickup by the end of today."

My heart swelled with delight at the news. Josh was referring to the gift I'd prepared for Ari, and he had kindly overseen its collection to ensure I wouldn't forget amidst all the birthday preparations and surprises. I'd assigned him for this very reason.

"Awesome. Thanks, buddy," I said with a grin, offering a quick hug before we rejoined the group and entered the cafeteria.

Ariana

I glanced up from my phone and found my friends gathering around the table one by one, all wearing big smiles and sharing laughter. A sudden feeling of missing out on something exciting washed over me.

Tristan, the last one to join us, took the seat beside me and planted a kiss on my cheek. 

"Where did you guys come from?" I asked, trying to catch up with the conversation. 

Shay's eyes widened slightly, and she replied, "Nowhere."

"Yeah, we took a different route," added Jo, with Josh nodding in agreement.

"I didn't even notice them until now," Jacob chimed in, deepening my confusion.

"We all met at the door and came in together," Tristan explained, his eyes meeting mine.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Took you guys forever. I was getting bored all by myself," I complained, earning laughs from Jacob and Joanna.

"Want to hang out after school today?" Tristan asked.

"I can't. Coach and I need to prepare the new cheerleading uniforms and bring them back to school. The review might take the whole afternoon. I'll call you when I'm done," I explained. He nodded, understanding the situation, and I gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Oh, and you'll be busy after school tomorrow too, right?" Shay interjected. 

I frowned at her. "What do you mean 'me'? We all need to get the girls to try on the new uniforms and make adjustments if needed. I'll need both of your help. Coach is leaving for home early straight after practice."

Jo and Shay exchanged sympathetic glances, then nodded in unison. It seemed like they were oddly okay with the busy schedule. Well, we often stayed late after cheer practice anyway. They even looked somewhat glad about it, which struck me as odd.

"So, no hanging out after school tomorrow either. I'm sorry," I said to Tristan, and he just shrugged, casually draping his arm over my shoulder.

Tomorrow was my 18th birthday, but I wasn't particularly excited about it. I knew my parents would throw a party, probably with close family and friends. I didn't mind if it was a small get-together. I was happy about stepping into this new chapter of my life, especially with the people I cared about around me. Maybe Tristan and I could go on a date to celebrate, but I'd see how things went tomorrow.

But more than anything, I was eager to see the girls' reactions after school when they saw our new cheer uniform designs. I hoped they'd love the change as much as I did. That anticipation was what truly excited me for tomorrow.