Bitter Sweet

Chapter 2- Awkward

"Mom I'm home" I announce as I walk into my house with Hailey by my side. We're gonna try to study a bit. I'm gonna need all the help I can get for calculus

"Oh honey, how was school today" she asks from the kitchen

"Stressful as always mum. I'll be in my room with Hailey" I say heading upstairs.

"Hailey, how are you doing darling" mum asks

"I'm okay Mrs stones" she says as she follows me upstairs.

My parents are divorced so I live with my mom while my brother, Jim lives with my dad in Chicago. I'm kinda use to living without my dad and bro though. It's been almost 10yrs since their divorce after they got tired of seeing each other everyday. Apparently, they got married out of necessity not by choice. They were never in love.

I do miss my dad sometimes though I go to Chicago to spend the summer holidays sometimes. And Jim, we never get along. It's like we aren't even related. So I tell most people I'm an only child, I have no valid reason except for the fact that we got separated when I was 6 and he was 8. And now I'm almost 17 so...

Sometimes I wonder if mum is seeing anyone cause she keeps late nights sometimes without any explanations. I don't know how I'm gonna react if I find out she's secretly dating again

"Ari" mum calls out from downstairs "I'm going out for lunch, there's some Mac and cheese in the kitchen, feel free to help yourself whenever you want okay?"

"Okay mum, but why don't you eat at home instead"

"Cuz I'm meeting up with a friend, later honey"

"Bye Hailey"

"Bye Mrs stones"

"Alright" I say turning to Hailey "wanna study or watch a movie"

"Study" she says giving me a pointed look

"Uggghhhh" I sigh not ready to argue

"You know Mr Allan never tells us when we should be ready for a test, that's why we have to keep studying Ari"

"Fine" I sigh in defeat and get my textbooks

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"See you tomorrow hails" I say as I shut my front door. We've been studying for 4 hours straight. I just wanna sleep.

As I'm about to climb up the stairs, I hear a knock on my front door. Did Hailey forget anything?

"Hailey what did you forget this time" I say as I open the door expecting to see a Blondie wit blue eyes but instead I see a brunette with hazel eye's holding a bouquet of flowers

"Hey" he says handing me the flowers

"Gerald?"

"So are you gonna stand there looking all pretty or are you gonna let me in" he says with his legendary smirk that'll leave any girl that isn't me breathless

"Uhm, come in" I say moving into my living room

"What are you doing here" I say breaking the awkward silence

"What? Can't a friend visit another friend" he asks playfully

"Off course. But you visiting me alone is a bit.. You know..."

"Awkward. I know" he says finishing my sentence for me "So I've been thinking. And I realised we're not as close as the rest of the group" he says making a cute puppy dog face
Ewwww

"Uhm, that's true. Aww, so you want us to be close?"
I ask almost teasing him

"Yep" he says without wasting time

"Well that's flattering" its actually true though.
We never really sit down to have a real conversation. I wonder why. Well maybe this isn't a bad idea.

"So let's fix a date for our first date" he says all too serious

"Date?"

"Yeah, date"

"Date as friends right?"

"Off course. What else" he says avoiding eye contact with me. Lately people tend to avoid eye contact with me. Are my brown eyes that intimidating

"Okay dude" I say trying to loosen the for seen tension "you're acting really nervous. Common, we're past that shy stage. Say what you want, after all we've been friends for over 3yrs now. Or are you scared of me" I say giving him a corky smile.

"Off course not Ari, I'm jus being careful"

"Oh pls" I roll my eyes "now come over to my room. This couch is really cranking my butt" I say getting up

"Uhm okay" he says following me upstairs
"I think this is the first time the two of us are alone in your bedroom" he says taking a sit on d little couch in my room while I seat on my very comfortable bed

"Yeah, it is. Wanna take a tour round my house?" I say getting up

"Ari" he says giving me an unbelievable look. "I've been to your house more than a thousand times and you wanna give me a tour?"

And suddenly, we both burst out into an uncontrollable laughter, for no certain reason

Maybe we can really be as close as we are to the rest of the group

So we spend the rest of the evening laughing and cracking jokes and I realise that we have a lot in common and he's not as bad as it seems. We're actually playing truth or dare right now

"Truth" I say hoping not to get asked a stupid question like he's being doing since

"Uhmm, How many girls do you think have a crush on me in Clifford high. Please name at least one" he says grinning like a baby

I just knew it, he was gonna ask me a dumb question

How am I supposed to know how many girls are crushing on him for crying out loud. Oh wait, I know one. Becca.

But I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone. Especially Gerald himself. But if I tell him, I'll be able to know if he's also interested in her. What do I do now

"you have 2secs to answer young Missy" he says giving me a pointed look

"Fine" I say making up my mind "I actually..."

"Ari I'm home" my mum yells entering the house.

"Ooops, looks like you've been saved by the bell literally" he says getting up from my bed. "I think I'll head home now" he says adjusting his shirt

"Alright" I say getting up also "I'll walk you out"

"Bye Gerry, thanks for coming" I say as he walks to his car

"Anytime b" he says as I'm about to shut my door.

"Ari, I'm going to bed. Goodnight honey"

"Goodnight mum" I say heading to my room to have a shower and sleep too

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