The next few weeks went by in a blur. Ari and I started eating lunch in the Cafe to avoid Tyler and Brenna at Chew Chews. It was strange to me being in such a crowded space. The food wasn't awful but it wasn't Chew Chew's. I began bringing my lunch so that I could at least eat what I wanted. Ari and I talked about small moments in our lives sitting together in the corner of the Cafe away from the rest of the craziness. Everyone else seemed to have figured out their own tables to eat at with their own cliques. This one little corner of the world somehow hadn't been claimed so we took it as our own piece of sanity.
In English, Jake took Tyler's seat. Max, Reece, and Aaron sat on my other side, in front of and behind me creating a little force field of sorts around me. Tyler started sitting on the other side of the room, clearly taking the hint. As we had free time to work (talk) in each class I started getting to know small details about all the kids I had classes with from the Families. Miri wanted to join the Peace Corps one day. Danny wanted to own his own garage and be a lead mechanic. Aaron liked to read mystery novels. Elle hated K-Pop with a passion but Ryan loved it. Reese wanted to write a best selling novel before he was thirty. Max and Jake wanted to room together at Toronto University next fall and both had a scout looking at them for Hockey. Neither wanted to play professionally though. Jake currently had a crush on a girl in his Calculus class.
Ari though, I loved learning about the most. His birthday was February second. His middle name was Elijah. He loved that mine was Elizabeth which meant we had two initials in common. Ari started with photography as a form of therapy. His therapist got him into it after his mom passed away. I still hadn't asked how she died and I wasn't sure that I wanted to know. We discovered that we both loved Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and hated Twix. He loved the Maple Leafs and I was still a diehard Stars fan. We planned on going to the game the Stars were playing Toronto in February for Ari's birthday. I liked that we were planning that far in advance.
Ari loved 80s hair bands, the color green, and his Dad's Poutine. He hated anything to do with reality television, any kid of diet soda, or pop as he called it, and would only drink homo milk. I found out that's what Canadians called homogenized milk. He misguidedly loved Batman over the actual Superhero, Super Man.
All these little things made up the very sweet Ari I was falling for more and more.
I looked back at the blue eyes that had become so familiar to me and couldn't help but smile.
"What?"
"Nothing, I'm just happy."
"Yeah? You excited for this weekend?"
Ughhh that I could do without. Aunt Claire was insisting that I have a Sweet Sixteen. I wasn't really in the mood for celebrating my first birthday where I couldn't have Elyse and Jordan and Patrick there with me.
What made it worse was that I was supposed to invite all the Families, but couldn't invite my own.
Elle and Ari had been trying to keep my spirits up about it. Laura suggested we go shopping Saturday morning so that I could get a nice party dress for that nice. It was Friday now and I still wasn't excited.
Ari had asked me what I wanted and I told him nothing. That apparently was not an acceptable answer.
I told him anything with owls or giraffes were great, nothing with squirrels. I then had to explain to him the time a squirrel hit me in the head with an acorn, laughed and ran away.
I just wasn't in the present mood. All I wanted was my sister and I knew I wouldn't have that until Christmas.
The end of lunch bell brought me back to reality and out of my thoughts.
Ari looked kindly back at me. He never minded when I would slip away into my head. I appreciated that.
I needed it.
The rest of the day moved painfully slow. I just wanted the weekend to get here. By the time I got to English class I was not in a studious mood.
Mrs. Dershem was.
"Class, today will start a six week assignment. You will have the six weeks to create a presentation on the circle of hell I assign you and your partner."
We had been reading Dante's Inferno and I wondered what circle of hell I was about to be in for.
She started assigning the partners and the circles. I counted the students around me and saw that we had a perfect 18 in here.
"Alex Harrison and Tyler Mason you will have be Circle Five: Wrath and Sullenness."
Oh. Shit.
I looked over at Tyler.
Yeah you are the sullen to my wrath.
I could feel Jake's energy shift. I glanced over and he was glaring at Tyler. Tyler just looked meek.
Very unlike you.
Dershem dismissed us to break out into our pairings and I got up to sit by Tyler. Jake looked annoyed but I wasn't going to make Tyler cross enemy lines today.
I dated down quietly. Tyler held his head in his hands, rubbing his temples.
"Are you okay?"
Tyler looked slowly up at me. His eyes were slightly bloodshot. I couldn't tell if it was from lack of sleep, crying, or something else. He wiped his eyes like he was reading the concern from my thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm good birthday girl."
I frowned slightly, "That's not for a few days."
"I know. I was technically invited to the party. "
You wouldn't dare?
Aunt Claire had invited all of the kids from the families but I had assumed Tyler and Brenna knew better than to try and come. I played along anyways.
"Yeah, Saturday at seven. You planning on gracing us with your presence?"
His smirk saddened, "You don't want me there Lex."
Lex?
That was not an approved name for him to call me.
"I just don't want a repeat of Halloween."
"I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have mentioned that I wrote it for anyone. I knew only the Families would know who I meant but still."
"Ari shouldn't have pumbled you like that."
"I deserved it. It was a stupid song anyway. I'll let Bren stick to the writing."
I didn't like the way he was putting himself down like this.
And it wasn't a stupid song.
Not that I'd ever tell anyone that.
"When is your birthday?"
"September 15th."
I looked puzzled, "You didn't do anything for it?"
"I did. Seventeen isn't that big of a deal to a dude though. I just went out with my folks and Brenna."
"Well happy belated birthday."
"Thank you."
I didn't really know what to say at this point so I changed the subject. "I think we need to get going on this thing before Dershem hears us."
Tyler nodded and we started looking over what was expected for the project.
Class ended and we kept talking about the project on the way to Tyler's locker. I ignored Jake's glare. I was actually interested in this thing and I wasn't going to let this unfortunate pairing of partners stop me from doing my work.
We were finalizing plans to meet at the school library on Monday morning before school when I heard someone clearing their throat behind me. I turned and found Ari staring at us. He looked angry.
Shit.
I did not have time for the jealous boyfriend talk right now. I decided to try the ignore the elephant in the room approach.
"Alex?"
"Hey Ari. Tyler and I are making plans to work on a project Mrs. Dershem paired us for."
"Relax Munro, I wouldn't be talking to her in the middle of the hall if it wasn't for school."
Exactly. The boy didn't have a death wish.
Ari stayed planted where he was, twenty feet away. His expression didn't change. He wasn't about to show if this bothered him.
He just shrugged finally, "Ready to go, or is he giving you a ride after you work?"
Okay that was not what I expected to come out of Ari's mouth. I wasn't sure if this was a test or if he was trying to show he trusted me. I decided to just go with the trust option.
I turned back to Tyler, "We could work at my house if you want to get started on it? I know it's a Friday."
Tyler's eyes widened. He understood what game Ari and I were playing and a large smirk came across his face. "I have a few hours before I have to be at The Garage for tonight's show. I drove today if you're okay riding with me?"
I nodded and turned back to Ari. His face hadn't cracked. "Looks like I'll see you tomorrow?"
My throat felt dry. Ari started to turn and walk away then changed his mind and walked towards me instead. I closed the last few feet and felt his lips on mine.
Holy crap there was some fire behind this kiss. Ari pulled back and smiled over at Tyler, "Fuck with her and you know what I'll do to your face again." He looked back down to me, "I'll see you about six-forty-five to walk over to Claire's?"
I smiled, "Of course. Can't wait."
Ari let me go and walked away leaving me alone with Tyler again. I wasn't sure how to even respond. I turned back to Tyler and felt my cheeks blush a bit. He still had a smirk on his face. Ari's threat apparently had left him unfazed.
"You ready? Or was that just a dick measuring contest between you two?" Tyler looked like he expected me to agree and say that I would find my own way home.
"No, I want to get started on this. It means not having to get up early Monday too."
"Then away we go," Tyler said gesturing for me to lead the way. He closed his locker and I started to the parking lot unsure of what can of worms I had just opened.