˗ˏˋ A R D E N ˎˊ
Everyone has a certain chapter
in their life that they aren't willing to share out loud to an audience. It may take decades to earn some trust and have a person read every single line of their experienced soul.
Silas had things locked up until I earned his respect and trust. Personally, I only let the cat out of the bag about my darker days when Silas earned my own trust.
I can see my dear little Valencia also has quite a few stories that she is keeping a tight lid on. Her honey brown eyes tell more than words could ever say.
She tasted sweet.
The way her luscious lips felt on mine was addictive. Her warmth, her lips, and her scent is what I am craving more of.
After the last movie ended she retreated to her room for some sleep, leaving me to own naughty thoughts.
I adjust my ridiculous hard-on in my pants and make my way to Silas' lair. The man loves to sit in the dark, blast loud music, stare at a wall and contemplate his life.
He is such a drama queen.
My knuckles rasps gently on the door as curtesy before pushing it open. Usually, he would ignore a knock anyways.
His door is rarely locked, although I wouldn't be surprised if he started locking it after Valencia joined our residence.
"How did things go?" I ask, closing the door behind me. The last thing we need is Valencia to hear the atrocious acts that could have gone down tonight. I don't want her running for hills thinking that we are horrible people.
I don't want her running away from us. She is way too pretty not to want to keep.
Silas sits at his desk across from his bed. His hands are in his dark hair, eyes locked onto what seems to be an endless amount of paperwork.
"The Lotus" is officially property of Silas Graves and Arden Fairchild." He glances my way briefly before scribbling words on paper. "This fucking bar better be a moneymaker."
After Silas called to inform me about the mishaps of all that went down, I suggested taking over the place and giving Valencia a much more rewarding position.
Silas is acting like the place would have been nothing but a thorn in his side, yet he was the one to go through with the idea. It seems he has a soft spot for our beloved Valencia.
"No inconveniences in the process?" I quirk an eyebrow at the grumpy bastard. Getting information out of him is always tricky when he's in a sour mood. He shakes his head as if he's disappointed that blood wasn't shed today.
"All this just to put a smile on Valencia's face," I taunt him, knowing that his short-fused temper could be amusing at times. All the teasing is apart of my brotherly charm, he's aware of that.
"Don't start with me, jackass. This was simply a business opportunity."
He's in denial.
"Oh, that's rubbish and you know it. Come on, admit it." I perch on his bedside, rolling up my sleeves. "You like her. Wait. No. You want her."
"I seriously hope you get struck by lightning and your body dust evaporates," he retorts.
"Not scientifically possible."
I watch his back tense before tossing his pen aside. He faces me with a raised eyebrow, his lips pulled into a scowl. "You're a hypocrite you royal asshole. You two looked more than a little comfortable a couple hours ago."
I nod, fixing him with a pointed look, "She has incredible lips, and you would be able to experience them too if you changed your attitude. You need to stop treating her so badly."
I wasn't sure if he was jealous, which he has no need to be. Silas is well aware the two of us are a packaged deal. A woman must fancy the both of us.
Not just one of us.
I know Valencia has eyes for Silas too. I saw that clear as day when she batted those pretty eyes at him last night. If Silas wasn't such an asshole, maybe he and Valencia could have already achieved first base.
He clenches his jaw, staring at the ground as if it will save him from this conversation. Sorry to break the news to you Silas, but the earth won't save you from talking about your feelings.
"Hilary really did a number on you, didn't she?"
Silas' eyes quickly meet mine, abandoning the floor where they once were fixated on. Now I really have his full attention. I brought out the big guns, but it was necessary.
That name always seems to light a fire within him. I can never tell what that fire wants to do though. Burn down everything in its path, or just burn him...
Hilary was our roommate and shared girlfriend until six months ago. She truly favored Silas and had a way of making sure he was wrapped around her vile finger.
She was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Going behind our backs to make connections with high-social class friends. Which one of her newly-founded friends turned out to be a guy she ran away with, tossing aside poor Silas and I like we never meant anything to her.
Then she proceeded to create animosity between the two of us, inventing venomous lies to separate us. Luckily, Silas and myself were smart enough to see right through her fibs.
The only goodbye we got was a text message sent straight to Silas' number. It was a paragraph of foolishness—explaining that I was at fault for not being present enough in the relationship, and Silas was at fault for being "unlovable."
I understand why Hilary's words were so impactful to Silas' plummeted mental state months ago. I also have a feeling that Silas still believes he is "unlovable."
Which is obviously not true.
Hilary knew about Silas' childhood and vulnerability. She used his weakness against him, knowing it would scar him forever.
We shared plenty of women. Many were one-time affairs while others were semi-permanent, but no one ever matched with what we had with Hilary.
"I am over her, Arden." He responds through clenched teeth. "She means nothing to me."
"I know that," I affirm. I take a deep breath before rubbing my face, not liking the way Silas internally beats himself up. "You are over her, but you are not over her words."
"I don't want to talk about this..."
He always pushes aside his feelings like they do not matter, yet they do! Keeping them bottled up will only lead to more resentment and anger.
"She is a liar, Silas." I point out to him. "You know that, so don't let her get to you. Valencia fancies you, I can see that, but she wants you to acknowledge her. Bloody hell man, she might even want to give the two of us a shot!"
I can tell he's getting frustrated. Maybe more at himself than at me, but I do back off a little.
"Fine, man." He throws his hands up in surrender. "All three of us will have dinner tomorrow night. I'll be on my best fucking behavior. We will get to know her better than the back of our goddamn hands! Happy!?"
A dinner sounds nice.
"Yes—-" I'm cut off by my hospital pager's blaring noise. I silently curse, silencing the device. I just got off a twelve-hour shift, but they need me because there are too many patients in an understaffed hospital.
Sometimes sleep is not an option for a doctor.
"You should inform her about the dinner tomorrow morning. It will mean something coming from you."
He gives one stiff nod which is enough for me to put on some medical scrubs, a coat, and head over to the hospital.
The hospital is busy as ever once I arrive. I'm immediately bombarded with a nurses and staff ushering me towards a patient's room in the neurology ward.
Whatever happens in my personal life stays there. It can not carry over to the hospital. The last thing I need is to make a mistake due to my high emotions. Risking an innocence life is not acceptable in my eyes.
"Sloane Rodriguez?" I walk inside the cold room, my eyes glueing onto a young girl with vibrant purple hair. She rests on the bed with a hospital gown while surrounded by two other girls looking at their cell phones. They must be in college, they look around that age.
She nods, rubbing her sweaty forehead with the back of her hand. I grab the clipboard with her full medical history to quickly gather information.
"I'm Dr. Fairchild, what brings you to the emergency room today, Ms. Rodriguez?"
"I have been like totally dizzy and lightheaded." Sloane sighs, closing her eyes for a couple seconds before continuing, "I happen to have a tennis match later today, so I need this cured."
"Is the dizziness a recent occurrence or has it been ongoing?" I question, moving closer to place the stethoscope against her chest to hear her heartbeat.
"Um...it started a month ago, but it has gotten a lot more intense these past couple of days."
I take out a mini flashlight from the coat pocket and have her eyes follow the light. Her pupils look fine, no dilation, which means there is no concussion. Her eyes also followed the light flawlessly which concludes there is no neurological damage.
"Your medical history says you have taken buspirone in the past for anxiety. Have you been under any stress recently? Maybe feeling anxious about a few things in your life?"
"Well yeah, I guess so." Sloane responds with a frown. "There's the stress of midterms and tennis. Oh, and, I am stressing my ass off, because my mom is getting married to our mailman. It totally gives me the ick," She gags in repulsion, shuddering as she does so.
"That's quite unfortunate," I mumble, not sure how to react to her last sentence. I make a few notes on her charts before finding her diagnosis.
"Alright Ms. Rodriguez, have you ever heard of vertigo?" I cross my arms and move to stand at the foot of her bed.
"Nah man, she's an Aquarius..."
"What?" I knit my eyebrows together, snapping my head over to one of her friends in confusion.
"Wait, I thought she was a Libra!" Her second friend with bright pink hair pitches in.
"Britney. Layla. Shut up!" Sloane groans, face palming herself. "Sorry Dr. Fairchild, please continue."
I chuckle at the three girls bickering before saying, "Vertigo is a sickness that causes a head-spinning sensation. The sickness can be brought on by anxiety, which is what I believe is happening to you."
A lot of time, I am diagnosing people without actual neurological problems. Just like Sloane here. Being a neurosurgeon requires me to do surgery and evaluations.
I will admit, performing surgery is a lot more entertaining than diagnosing a teenager.
"Makes sense," Sloane states. "This only started happening after I joined the tennis team. Now my life is full of anxiety."
"Your old medication, buspirone, is known to have side effects of dizziness, therefore I am going to prescribe a more mild medication."
"Thank you, Doctor."
"Of course, somebody will be with you soon to escort you out."
"Hold it right there Dr. Sexy!" My eyes widen as her blonde friend suddenly stands from her chair. "I'm starting to feel sick and the only cure is your phone number—-"
"Oh my God, Britney!" Sloane yells, throwing a pillow at her friend's head. "Stop it, you're embarrassing yourself!"
I quickly make my way out of the room as soon as the two girls start to bicker again. I agreed to three hours at the hospital before going home.
I can make it through two more hours and eight minutes.
Two more hours until I can go home, sleep, then wake up to see Valencia's beautiful face at breakfast in the morning.
I can do this.
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A/N: Here is the first of many Arden POVs.
Pls pls pls vote if you enjoyed the story!
Thank you for reading!
Until next time...
(word count: 2010)