Aiden's P.O.V
It had been quite a few days since all that drama of Noah's confession and Arianna's clipping of her parents.
Honestly, I still get shivers imagining that video, seeing the cold look in his eyes when he actually destroyed a whole family. Arianna had warned me that it was going to be way too gruesome but I don't regret doing it.
If this is her fight, then I want to be there beside her.
While we were in college, it felt so hilariously weird to call her Olivia. It was more difficult for Noah actually since he often blurted out Ari instead of his regular Olives and had to literally bite his tongue around Sienna.
No problem for me since she was my princess!
Even Austin was getting like a bit of problem one time. He had once suddenly facetimed us when we were at the headquarters. I still remember running inside some empty rooms to find one which looked like ours.
Then Noah waltzed in as an angel for the both of us as he set up a virtual background for the video. We were almost caught that day!
But the biggest news was something entirely different. My mom had called a few days ago, demanding to know what we both were up to.
She said and I quote, "I thought you were allowed a call if you were thrown in the jails so why didn't I get one for so long?"
Arianna had somehow heard our conversation from behind. I told her that somewhere deep inside my heart I wanted to tell my mom everything about the two of us but I knew I couldn't.
But my princess shocked me as always.
She said that we might be able to tell her. She just needed validation from James who would run through his sources to check that nobody from my family can anyways recognize Arianna as a Romano or even connect her to the Reine.
James was going to tell us right now if all was clear or not. I was waiting for Arianna to show up when suddenly the door burst open.
"Hey guys- or only guy in this case... Where is Anna?" James asked as he noticed me alone.
"I don't know. She was supposed to be here around half an hour ago." I shrugged as James gave me a knowing smile.
"She is getting cold feet." He mumbled as he shook his head.
"Cold feet? But about what?" I asked in confused state as he sighed loudly, gesturing me inside his office as he shut the door behind me.
I sat down on the couch as he pulled over a chair right in front of me as he sat down.
"When you first met or talked with Arianna, what was your first impression about her?" He asked as he crossed his arms as I recalled our first talk under the tree.
"Rude to put it politely." I snorted as he nodded his head.
"What about now?" He asked as I grinned at him.
"Now... Now she is this beautiful and lovely person I had never seen. One moment she is serious about mafia stuff and the next moment we both are laughing and bickering about something absolutely ridiculous. She might be the most genuine and understanding person in my life after my mom and Noah. Now... She is everything I never expected her to be but she still is."
My eyes went wide as I realized what I had just spoken out while James just smiled at me.
"That was one hell of a confession!" He teased as I narrowed my eyes at him.
"We shall never speak of it again!" I said in warning tone as he gestured the zipping of his mouth.
"But this is what I wanted to show you. She doesn't have the best track record in first impressions. When we had seen your file, I remember her cringing at your first conversation. I have a feeling she is having second thoughts about meeting your mom. By the way they are clear, so you can talk with her about your relationship." He explained as I thought about it.
"I need to talk with her. Where can she be?" I asked as James gave me a mischievous look.
"She is at her secret spot. But I am not allowed to tell you that her secret spot is the roof. So I don't know how you are going to find her." He said it in a fake guilty tone as I smirked at him.
"Thanks James. You are the best!" I gave him a two fingered salute as I rushed out towards the elevator.
Once I reached the roof, I looked around for her. I spotted a flash of hair near the railings.
"Mafia leader having a secret hideout? And I thought you were not the cliché type!" I spoke out loud causing her to twirl around immediately, her look of alarm quickly turn into a soft one.
"Who told you about this place?" She questioned, crossing her arms.
"Nobody. I am smart like that baby!" I shrugged as I stated cockily causing her to give me a bored look.
"I know James told you Aiden. Only he knows I come here and that also because he had me tracked." She sighed, turning around.
"Well he didn't 'tell' tell me, he just didn't tell me." I chuckled as I stood beside her looking at the scenery in front of us.
"That makes so much sense." She sarcastically replied back.
"My family is cleared by the way! I guess we can tell my mom." I piped in again as I stared at her intensely.
"Wow that's really great!" She replied in a happy tone as she continued to stare in front if her, her eyes flashing up with fear.
I smiled lightly as I just stared in front like her as I said, "You are rubbing your thumbs again."
She looked down immediately as she shook her head.
"You scared of meeting my mom?" I finally said as she turned fully towards me.
"Pfft no! Why would you say that? Of course not!" She said way too quickly.
"Well I am." I said truthfully causing the smile on her face to fall off.
"You are the first girl I am ever going to introduce to my mom. She knew I had shut down myself completely off relationships after what happened with her and dad. I am not sure how she would react on knowing I finally have one, she might not even trust me on it." I chuckled harshly as Arianna quietly placed her hand on mine.
"I have never ever done something like this before, opening up to other people. I thought a relationship was overbearing but it seemed so easy with you. But then reality struck to me like lightening. It is not only between you and me, it has to be real to my reality too.
Wh- what if she doesn't like me Aiden? What if she thinks I am not worth you? Like I know I am totally not worth you but I don't want to let you go Aiden but neither do I want to have a bad impression on your mom. Now when it is finally all cleared, I can't help but feel... scared." She breathed out.
"I can tell you this princess that I feel the same. I can't promise that it is going to be all flowers and rainbows and lollipops every time. I can't promise bright times all the time but I can tell you this with certainty, my mom can never be a problem. Trust me on this that she is gonna absolutely adore you!" I exclaimed as she let out a heavy breath.
"You didn't like me the first time we met. She is your mom. How can you be sure she is gonna like me?" She spoke breathlessly as I turned her body towards me.
"If I hadn't liked you the first time we met then I don't think I would have ever followed you back like a stalker." I chuckled as she let out a short laugh.
"Well you were a stalker." She commented as I made a fake look of shock and hurt.
"How dare you!" I said in a high pitched tone as I crossed my arms posing like I have been personally attacked. She burst out laughing as she saw my pose.
"Well, I guess I have to meet your mom then. Think I should dress up?" She asked pointing towards herself as I quickly raked my eyes over her body.
"Just a second." I said as my hand flew at the back of her head as I pulled out the rubber band holding her hair together causing them to fall around her shoulders.
"Now it is perfect. You look even more cute with your hair open." I grinned as she smoothened down her hair with her fingers.
"Come on." She said as she intertwined our fingers and led us back to the elevator. We rushed to her room as she quickly shut the door while I logged in my laptop.
"Ready?" I asked as she twiddled her fingers nervously.
"Now or never." She whispered as I snorted at her.
"We are not going to a war." I chuckled.
"Trust me, this feels worse than that!" She laughed nervously as I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her a bit closer to me.
I hit the call button as she moved away immediately. The screen flashed up as I saw my mom grinning at the camera widely with a spatula in her hand.
"Aiden! My honeybun finally video calls me back! You haven't called in ages! Even Noah had been ignoring my calls lately! I was so worried about you two? Are you both still wandering around and acting like those idiot teenagers who consider pasting pink sticky notes all over a car as funny? Mrs. Thomas still doesn't talk to me because of you two's prank you know? Oh yeah about that, I heard from Austin you both were skipping a few days of college? I told you this should not happen again Aiden! You are not a baby anymore, why do I have to tell you this-" I face palmed myself at her constant chattering the second she picked up the call.
"MOM! I called to tell you something!" I screamed out as she went quiet immediately, staring at me with wide eyes. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Arianna pressing her lips tightly in quite a failed attempt to stop laughing.
I rolled my eyes at her as I continued, "So as I was going to say before you burst out on me, I needed to tell you something really important. You see... I- I sort of met someone in college. I know you think I am not really the type... Actually I think I am- well was not the type for this but life happens I guess!" I babbled as she cut me short.
"Aiden Blake, what are you trying to say?" My mom asked me bluntly as I took a deep breath.
"I am dating someone!" I blurted out as her eyes went wide immediately.
"Y-you are?!" She stuttered as I shrugged awkwardly at her.
"Mom please don't freak out!" I warned her beforehand as I stared at her for her reaction.
Suddenly she let out a scream. A really loud one.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! AIDEN YOU ARE FINALLY DATING! Oh god I must be dreaming! My player son is finally dating! Who is the girl? How is she? Do you treat her well? Aiden Blake, I swear to god if you treat her wrong I will smack you with- with this spatula only!" She threatened as she directed her spatula at the screen as I heard a short laugh from beside me.
"MOM! I am treating her well only! In fact, I want you to meet her. That is why I called!" I said as her mouth turned into a full blown grin.
"She is here? Oh I would love to meet her!" She squealed loudly as I chuckled at her overexcited behavior.
"Here." I said as Arianna scooted closer to me. I positioned the laptop a bit away from the both of us.
"Hey... Aiden's mom? Ma'am?" Arianna awkwardly waved as I saw her cheeks go pink. I bit my inside cheek to stop laughing.
"Oh dear call me Sylvia! You are..." My mom asked politely.
"Arianna Walker ma- I mean Sylvia!" She said as I smiled at her widely as she gave me a secret wink.
"Arianna! That is such a beautiful name, just like you! I don't understand how my dumb son managed to woo you!" She chuckled as I groaned in annoyance.
"To be honest I also have no idea how he managed to do it but he still did." Arianna sighed dramatically as I made a hurt face while mom just laughed from behind.
"I love her already! You are exactly the kind of girl who can keep my son in proper check! He is a wild case I tell you, but I have a feeling you can actually keep him in hold!" She teased as Arianna gave me a side look.
"Well he can sometimes be a little too hard to manage but nothing I can't handle!" She said cockily.
"You both are actually talking about me as if I am a puppy or something!" I scoffed.
"Oh you can never be a puppy Aiden! Puppies are supposed to be cute!" Arianna sarcastically smiled at me as I narrowed my eyes at her.
"That was the best comeback! Arianna is cooler than my own son! I am now seriously wondering how did you ever manage to have a girl as fun and great as your girlfriend! Yours!" My mom snickered as I covered my face with my hand while Arianna patted my back comfortingly.
"But Arianna I want to tell you something seriously. I know my son can be real handful. He can be stubborn and irritating and completely irrational at several moments. Take it from someone who knows. But I see it in him right now Arianna, you make him happier than I have ever seen him. I know he doesn't want me to know this, but I know he is hurting and alone inside but not now. I just want you to be with him and just support him. I have a feeling you are the only one who can understand and see him truly but still stand with him. Promise me you will not leave him alone at his most vulnerable." She said sincerely, her eyes watering up.
I was speechless after this. My mom had always been the joyful kind, never the serious one. Arianna tightly held my hand as my eyes darted to hers.
She smiled at me softly as she turned towards my mom as she said, "I promise you Sylvia, I will put him before me every time. I will always protect him from everything, I will never leave him alone."
"Thank you dear." My mom smiled, wiping her eyes a little as she let out a short laugh, "Look at me, crying at absolutely nothing. I am turning into those wimpy moms, shit! Aiden! I want you to do something."
"Ye- Yeah?" I said, clearing my throat.
"Take her on a date. Today. For dinner preferably at some nice restaurant, not the tacky joints or any bar. I order you to do that!" She said bossily as I snorted.
"Okay I will! Love you." I said.
"Love you too honeybun- Oh no my food! I forgot that on the stove! Goodbye Arianna and honeybun!" She said quickly as she disconnected the call.
"Honeybun?" Arianna choked out as she burst out laughing while I just rolled my eyes at her.
"Not everyone can have the best nicknames." I mumbled as she continued to laugh.
"But why honeybun?" She asked as I shrugged lightly.
"Guess she really loved honeybuns." I said as she chuckled lightly.
"But she was lovely." Arianna said smiling.
"Well she is my mom, what do you expect?" I stated cockily as she gave me a sarcastic smile.
"Just one thing. She maybe like, uhm talks a little much?" She said, pinching her fingers together in a gesture.
"A little? Princess she talks a little too much!" I snickered as she laughed along.
"But at least she likes me, more than even you honeybun!" She giggled as I struck my tongue out at her.
"Whatever, I told you she would. Anyways, I have got a date to plan so if you will pick up your lovely ass and get out of here." I said sweetly as I quite rudely shoved her out of my room.
"Wait are you serious?! We actually having a date?" She asked bewildered as I winked at her.
"I don't disobey my mom Arianna, I am not that bad a person." I chuckled as I shut the door behind her.
Hey guys! Wassup???
*runs behind the door and hides*
I KNOW I AM LATE OKAY? I AM REALLY SORRY ABOUT IT! WHAT CAN I SAY, SCHOOL IS BEING A BITCH!
Anyways, I was still about to take a few days more in uploading this one since it was nearly 5500 words chapter but realized it's better not to keep people waiting and update in two parts!
I am already working on the second part as to speak and will be done ASAP!
Soooooo....
Her mom seems sweet! :)
Also I realized it would seem a bit awkward if Arianna was completely comfortable with allowing new people in her life, as to think from her point of view...
So I guess I am kinda happy with this chapter!
Anyways.................
Meet you in the next chapter!
Until then, PLZZZ VOTE AND COMMENT!
Goodbye till then!
Love you strangers!
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