Leave Me Lonely | JB & AG

Chapter 7

– Ariana

Dear Journal,
February 15, 2012

They left. They're gone. Why did they leave? Yesterday, I was being a normal 14 year old girl eating chocolates and watching chick flicks with Selena. They were downstairs cooking dinner for Frankie, Sel, and I. Today, my room is filled with mascara stained tissues and me sniffling. February 14 was the last day I'll ever smile, laugh, or be happy.

     I closed my old journal and put it back under my bed, with tears forming in my eyes. It was the anniversary of my parents death.
     To make matters worse, it was Friday. Which meant school. I really didn't m want to go. I didn't need Selena's nasty words or Hailey's remarks about my clothes. I didn't know why they still bullied me. I mean we were seniors. I thought they would stop. I slowly walked to my closet and found my navy blue north face jacket and leggings. Definitely not wearing a skirt.

     I walked to my bathroom, grabbed a tissue, and wiped the tears that fell earlier. I decided to put my hair in a low ponytail today. I went downstairs and put my light pink ballet flats on and placed my backpack over my shoulders and walked out the front door. I couldn't care less about if I'm late or not.

     I made it to school at 8:25. School started at 8:15. Teachers at my school didn't really care if you're late, especially seniors. I tightened my ponytail and put my hand on the door, ready to face the stares everyone gets when you walk in late. I opened the door and all eyes are on me. The teacher continued to talk, completely ignoring me. I took a seat in the back and I glanced at Justin and he smiled. This time I didn't smile back. Tears flooded the rim of my eyes and I looked down. Mrs. Johnson is talking about some essay we have to do. I just want to get out of high school already. When is it going to get better? The bell finally rang and I got out of my seat so fast and I sped walk to my locker. I opened my locker and got out my folder and put it in my backpack.
     "Ariana," Justin came up to me, "What happened? Why were you late? You're never late." He chuckled at the end.
     "Long story that I don't want to tell." I texted him. He looked at his phone and squinted.
     "What do you mean you don't want to tell?"
     "I mean I don't want to tell why. Can you just leave me lonely like everyone else does?" I said quickly. My eyes widened. And so did Justin's. Completely ignoring that fact that I just told him to leave me alone.
     "Holy shit," Justin said, "Y-you talked." He smiled
     I looked to the left and looked at him, dumbfounded.
     "Can you speak ag-"
     "No!" I rolled my eyes but stopped suddenly.
     "You talked!" Justin said while bringing me into a hug. I hugged back. "So can you tell me what happened today?" He let go. Then I remembered.
     "U-um no." I stuttered.
     "Why not?" He asked.
     "Why do you ask so many questions!?" I snapped. His face softened. "Sorry, I just, um, don't want to talk about it here."
     "I get it," Justin said, "So tell me after school?"
     I nod again hesitantly as the bell rang.
     "Okay well bye Ari." He walked away. I didn't say anything.

I'm absolutely not prepared for after school...

     The 6th period bell rung. I literally ran to my locker hoping Justin would forget. But I was wrong.
     "Ari." Justin walked up to me.
     "Hi." He smiled.
     I gave him a very small smile.
    "Let's go." He said.
    I closed my locker, "We're going to, uh- actually it's a surprise."
     "Cool." He smiled even bigger. Why does he smile so much? I started walking to the place I call, the woods.
     "Where are we going? Are we lost?"
    "The woods." I said.
    "In LA?" He laughed.
    "You've only been in the parts of LA where the celebrities go. I didn't think you've actually explored the beautiful parts of this city."
     He sighed, "But where are we? This place looks sketchy." Justin said as we passed graffiti walls and trees slowly getting taller. I ignored him and keep walking. "Woah," Justin said, "Where did you find this place?"
     "Come on." I grabbed his wrist and started running towards the small lake.
    "Where- how did you find this place?"
    "Well that leads me to my story," I said, "Come sit." I patted a seat on the huge rock my brother and I used to sit on and, viciously, throw rocks in the lake. He sat down.
     "Spill." He said.
     "Well uh, today is the anniversary of my parents death."
     "Oh my god."
     "I-I'm so sorry." he adds.
     "It's okay." I say looking in the water.
     "How long have they been gone?" he asks.
     "4 years today. . . My brother, h-he has an addiction, to alcohol. He's always drunk."
     "Why is that?"
     "He started drinking a lot when my parents passed," I said as tears fell down my cheek, "And um, I don't, live in the house you think I do."
     "What do you mean?"
     "I gave you a fake address because I'm embarrassed of my house. I'm, embarrassed of my brother, I'm embarrassed of my whole life." I buried my face in my hands and crying more.
     "Everything's going to be alright." He said in a sympathetic tone.
     "And Selena." I sat up and looking at him.
     "What about her?" He asked.
     "She u-used to be my best friend."
     "Really?"
     "What happened?"
     "After my parents passed, she, um, I guess didn't like the 'attention' on me, and she basically made up rumors about me and made everyone hate me."
     "What?!" He shouted. I flinched. "What a selfish bitch." I looked at him then the water. "So is this why you don't smile anymore?"
     I looked at him with my ice-looking eyes with tears dropping out of them and nodded. He brung me into a hug. I cried hard into his sweater. "Thank you Justin. So much. I can't thank you enough."
      "What?"
     "You made me laugh and smile a little again. Thank you. So much." I said giving him a closed mouth smile.
     "You're welcome Ariana," He smiled, "Well we should get going."
     "Okay." I got up and grabbed my things.

I felt a weight lift off my shoulders when I told him. I needed to tell him. I needed to tell someone.

     We finally made it to my small house. It was a 2 story but very small and run down.
     "Wow that was pretty close. Do you go to 'the woods' often?" He made quotations around the woods.
     "Yeah I do. A lot actually. My mom, my brother, and I used to go there all the time. We used to live in the 'good' part of LA and actually near school but you know my brother and I couldn't live in that house anymore so we decided to move here. It's the least we could get. Now my brother spends all of his money on alcohol and cigarettes but still manages to pay the bills."
     "You're a strong girl."
     "Mom used to say that."
     "You really are. I admire that."
     "Thank you I guess." I blush.
     "Well I should get going." he says.
     "Are you going go back safe?" I say concerned.
     "Yeah, I am." he says.
     "Alright well bye Justin." I say waving and walking to my door.
     "Bye Ari." he says smiling.
     "Be safe!" I say and shut the door. I see Frankie drinking a beer on the couch. He looks at me and turns around back to the tv.
     "How was your day?" He slurred.
     "Good." I started to walk upstairs.
     "Ari! You talked to me?" He said while I was on the last stair.
     "Yup." I said as I walked to my room. I heard claps from downstairs.

I'm assuming that's his way of 'congratulating' me on speaking for the first time in years.

Ariana- are you home?
Justin- Yes mom
Ariana- :/
Justin- Lol wyd?
Ariana- about to shower hbu
Justin- Eating & watching tv with my dog
Ariana- i want a dog
Justin- What kind?
Ariana- idk but i really like the name Toulouse
Justin- Cute
Ariana- :)
Justin- What are your hobbies?
Ariana- well write, read, listen to music you?
Justin- Lame. Skateboard, hang out with friends, and hockey
Ariana- you're mean
Justin- KIDDING
Ariana- lol, what's your favorite song?
Justin- Any song by Drake and Kanye you?
Ariana- honeymoon by Lana Del Rey
Justin- Gotta go listen to that now
Ariana- gotta go listen to drake now
Justin- You wanna hang out tomorrow?
Ariana- sure
Justin- Alright goodnight Ari:)
Ariana- night Justin☁️

     I shut my phone off and I almost put my alarm clocks on but then I realized it's Friday. I wonder what Justin wanted to do. I closed my eyes and fall into a deep sleep, while singing honeymoon in my head.

//////

I hope you liked Chapter 7 of 'Leave Me Lonely'! This chapter literally made me cry lol. I'm really excited for the next few chapters! Stay tuned!
💜💜💜

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