You tap gently on the window using your nails, fearful of waking the rest of the house. You wonder what Abbie and Thommo would say if they saw you back here again so soon after you left, but this was the first place you thought of to go.
"Ari!" you whisper, tapping a little louder this time. It only takes a few minutes before a shadow moves behind the curtains, the figure moving sluggishly to the window.
"Y/n?" he whispers after pulling across the curtain and his slightly closed eyes catch on you. It's clear he's been to sleep already, probably planning to wake up early to surf. "What are you doing here? Or...back here?"
"My mum locked me out!" you whisper urgently, then in a slightly pleading tone. "Can I stay here tonight? Please?" you ask, hoping Ari isn't going to make you beg.
"What? Y/n, if my mum catches you here..."
"I know. I know." you cut him off. "But I don't know where else to go." you whisper softly.
Ari sighs. "Come round the back, i'll open the door for you." he nods his head to the right, and you sneak round the side of the house until you reach the wooden door. You hear a click in the lock and the door opens to reveal a tired-looking Ari, in his pyjamas, his hair a mess. "Come in." he sighs, and you follow him down the corridor, wood creaking under your feet as you try and navigate your way through the dark.
Suddenly, you stumble and hit your foot on the bookcase, which in turn makes you fall into the back of Ari, who laughs under his breath - it's muffled, like he's trying to hide it, but it's obvious.
"You okay?" he asks, in between laughing. You feel a pair of hands reach out for you, brushing your fingertips and you grab his wrists.
"I'm fine, Ari. Stop laughing!" you say, and you can still hear him in front of you, trying to stifle his as he leads you along the corridor and into his room, where he swiftly switches on the bedside light.
"If my parents find out about this, Y/n..." he starts in a warning tone, but there's a hint of something behind his eyes, like something about going against his parents is making him feel...rebellious.
"I'll be gone in the morning. I swear." you plead, scared he's going to suddenly change his mind.
But he just sighs, grabs a spare pillow and blanket from the closet and throws it on the floor next to his bed.
"Sorry about the sleeping situation. Wasn't expecting visitors tonight." he says bluntly, a hint of humour in his tone but he just seems too tired to laugh now, his mind probably loaded with thoughts of sleep.
"It's fine. Better than sleeping outside, I suppose." you laugh awkwardly, as Ari climbs back into bed. You get settled on your makeshift bed, trying to shake the strange feeling of sleeping with clothes on that you've been wearing all day. Ari flicks off the bedside light and pulls his covers nearly completely over his head.
"Night, Y/n." he says.
"Goodnight." you reply, your head sinking into the pillow, but you know that it'll be a while before you get to sleep - the events of the day are still too fresh in your mind, so you lie there for a little while, letting your eyes adjust to the darkness.
You hate being alone in the dark.
Especially when you're the only one awake at night. At home, you never have to worry because you never have trouble sleeping, besides, Marlon's light is always glowing from under his door, illuminating the hallway slightly so a dim light weaves its way into your room. It's comforting to have a little light and to also know you're not the only one awake. But now, you look around the room and see nothing. Just pitch-black darkness.
"Ari?" you whisper, hoping he's still awake. It takes a second, but eventually you hear a sound from Ari's direction.
"What?" he murmurs in reply, his voice muffled and tired.
"Are you awake?" you ask.
"No." he answers, and you smile.
"D'you think we should tell our parents about us?" you ask - you know it's random, but it's been on your mind for a while now.
"What?"
You can't explain, so decide to swiftly change topic. "Also what was going on with you and your parent's earlier, that was-"
"Wait, wait, wait. Let's go back to the first question." He sighs, becoming more alert. "Telling our parents about us? You sure you want to? I mean, my parents think I have enough going on already..."
"That's what I was going to ask! What the hell was going on earlier? I thought you and your parents were cool now with you surfing." you say, once again changing the subject.
"They are. Well, they say they are, but...I don't know. They obviously want me to stop."
"How d'you know?" you ask.
"I hear them talking some nights. About me. And Summer. And how they think I'm leading her astray or whatever." he says dismissively and you laugh.
"I doubt anyone could lead Summer astray. She knows her own mind."
"That's true." Ari pauses. "Sometimes I wish I could be like her. She knows what she wants, or she acts like she does, anyway."
"Yeah. But I heard her say to Bodhi once that it must be nice to know what you want to do with your life. I guess she's not got it all figured out yet."
"Yeah, especially with her mum and everything. I don't think they have a very good relationship." Ari trails off slightly, probably worried about what Summer would say if she knew what he was telling you about her. "Must be hard." he adds.
"Yeah. Especially when she sends you half way across the world to live with virtual strangers." you say. "I'm not sure I could do that."
"Really? I'd love to get out of here at some point."
"Oh yeah? Where?"
"I wanna go on a surf trip. Everywhere. Indonesia, Hawaii, the Outer Banks - I think it would be amazing. I mean, I've never been out of the country, so it could be exciting."
"What about the state team?" you whisper back.
He sighs. "Well, the only way I can make a career out of surfing is if I make the team, so...I guess I've got to do that first if my parents let me. Then a surf trip." he adds quickly; you can tell he's smiling, even now that the room has been plunged into darkness after Ari turned off the light.
"Are you ever going to get bored of surfing?" you ask.
"Nah. You?"
"I don't know. I love it, but it's not all there is in life."
Ari pauses for a moment. "Okay, new plan: if we both make the state team, i'm taking you on a surf trip. All around the world. No arguments."
"And with what money?" you wonder aloud, smiling at Ari's wishful thinking. It was a long shot that you'd both get enough money to go anyway, without the added issue of both of you making the state team.
"I'll...get a job." Ari explains. "And if I make the team I can start making my own money too. So...are you in?"
"Yes, Ari I'm in." you laugh, and there's a slight silence between you, but you can tell there's something he still wants to say.
Eventually he speaks up, quieter. "About Marlon and Anchor Cove, Y/n...I won't tell Manu yet. Maybe not ever. We just have to hope Marlon doesn't get in, and we can go back to normal."
"I bet he'll get in though." you say quickly.
"Not necessarily." Ari offers, but it's wishful thinking, and he knows it.
"He will. And it's not just about him being a good surfer, either. They're a competitive team. Taking one of our surfers gives them an advantage and us a disadvantage. It's tactics."
"I know it is, but..."
"Let's not talk about it now." you say, cutting him off. "Tomorrow morning."
"Okay. See you in the morning." he replies, and now you seem more tired than him. He obviously wants to keep the conversation going, and you almost wish you hadn't started it in the first place. At least you got a promised surf trip out of it, though.
"Goodnight."