ARI
After climbing, what felt like a billion steps, we came up to a red glossy door.
Aaron opened it and I swear, my jaw dropped to the floor.
The biggest living room with the most beautiful looking couches stared back at me. Two sets of stairs were on both sides of the room that led upstairs. I gasped at the ceiling which was at least a couple of hundred feet high.
What I didn't notice were the twenty something people staring back at me. I blushed a tomato red and hid behind Aaron who laughed at my reaction.
He moved out of the way and I blocked everyone out by putting my hand on my forehead.
"Everyone, this is Ariana Peterson. Ariana Peterson, this is everyone." Aaron pointed behind his back.
I peaked through my hand to see that everyone was still staring at me. Many of them actually looked tense and kept smelling the air with confused faces for some reason.
"Ari! Over here!" I heard Anna's voice call me over.
"Oh thank the lord Jesus!" I said out loud when I spotted Ashley and Jen putting decorations up on the left staircase of the living room. Nate looked at me but gave me a smile and I actually smiled back. He watched intently over Jen as she put up decorations but Jen seemed to be oblivious to it or she was ignoring him.
Does he like her?
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN!" I hugged her and jumped up and down, excited for her.
"Thanks!"
Aaron joined our hug and squealed like a little girl. We all laughed at his ridiculousness.
I took off my backpack and tucked it under the stairs. "Okay, so what am I doing here!"
I regretted asking because I was thrown a bunch of streamers and forced up a ladder.
"Man." I grumbled to myself.
The hairs on my neck stood up and I looked across the room to see Alex staring up at me. My heart sped up at the sight of him. He was drinking a Capri Sun and I think looking at my butt. I wasn't sure until he looked up into my eyes.
He was looking at my butt! I felt uncomfortable and went to climb down the ladder.
I don't know how I missed a step from the ladder. I gasped and then felt nothing but air for a second until I hit the hard wood floor.
"Ari!" Aaron shouted and leaped over the stairs to help me.
Pain shot through my shoulder and I instantly knew I dislocated it.
I had to set it back before it healed itself into the position it was in now.
I looked around the room to see everyone looking at me. I can't fix it here. Shit!
Alex who was at least 30 feet away was now standing 2 feet away from me with a concerned look on his face. His arms were extended forward like he was going to catch something. He relaxed his arms, pinning them to his sides.
"Are you okay? Do you need to go to the doctor! How many fingers am I holding up?!" Aaron shoved three fingers into my face.
"I'm okay!" He helped me up by using my good arm. I tucked my bad arm under my good arm so it looked like I was crossing my arms.
Even though I was in pain, I laughed it off. "I'm okay everyone! Just missed a step off the ladder!"
They rolled their eyes and went back to decorating.
"Hey Jen, can I use your bathroom? I think my bladders about to explode." I faked laughed again.
"It's up the stairs, third room on the left, that's my room."
"Thanks." I grunted when I accidentally moved my shoulder.
"Do you want me to come with you? Are you sure you're not hurt? Cause I will force you into my car and drag you to the hospital." She wagged her finger at me.
"I'm good! I swear! Just need to pee!" I told her, running up the stairs.
I gasped when I stepped up the last step. The upstairs was even bigger! There was another living room up here that was littered with games and bean bag chairs and then on both sides, two large hallways and I swear at the end of each, I saw another set of stairs. How many floors does this house have!
Okay, third door on the left. I opened the door to a bright blue room with white accents. It looked magical with the canopy bed, a nice large white desk and a beautiful window seat that overlooked the forest. Even the carpet in the room looked so soft!
There were two doors in the room, I chose the closest one and turned the knob to an equally beautiful bathroom. I locked the door behind me and took off my jacket which hid my shoulder pretty well.
With one hand on my shoulder and the other gripping the counter, I pushed my shoulder back in place with a satisfying pop. "Fuck, shit!" I yelled out from the pain but as soon as the pain came, it was gone. I moved my shoulder around and smiled. Healed already. I admit, their were some perks to being a monster.
Taking my jacket, I opened the door and as soon as I did, I jumped in the air about a mile high. "What the hell!" My heart skipped a beat when I noticed a figure sitting in the bed.
"Alex?" I asked the shape when I peered through the thick net of the canopy.
Alex had his left arm behind his head as his right hand held a banana he was currently eating.
He was looking at my mid section and I looked down to see my tank top had ridden up to show the bare skin of my stomach. I turned my back to him, pulling my tank top down, putting my jacket on and quickly zipping it up.
Alex chuckled a deep laugh that seemed to hit deep into my stomach.
"Stupid perv." I said under my breath, which was impossible to hear with human ears.
"Yeah, I know." He said chuckling again. I turned around again to find him happily chewing, watching me with amusement in his eyes.
But what I couldn't believe is how he heard what I said. "What? How did you hear that?" I took a step forward and opened the net of the bed, pinning it to the side so I could look him in the eyes.
Did I say it louder than I thought?
He sat up all of a sudden and I stepped back, my heart hammering. I wasn't scared, just surprised.
He pointed to his ears. "With these magical things called ears! You should really use them." He laughed at his own joke and sat back comfortably again.
I scoffed and turned around to leave.
"How's the shoulder?"
My hand paused on the door knob and I started to stink with nervousness.
"My sh-shoulder?" I squeaked. How did he know?
"Yes, your sh-sh-shoulder." He mocked, smiling cruelly at me.
I straightened my back and crossed my arms, looking back at him again. "What about my shoulders? They're fine, you're just delusional." I turned around again about to leave.
"But I'm not." He whispered in my ear. I gasped, goosebumps formed from my head to my toes when his breath touched my neck.
Quickly turning around, I pushed him away but he was faster, he grabbed both of my wrists and pushed me up against the door, pinning my hands on either side of my head.
I gaped at him, my words getting stuck in my throat.
"Listen to me, Ariana." He breathed my name into my ear and I couldn't help the small groan that came out of my mouth.
To my horror, it wasn't out of pain.
He looked deep into my eyes. "Stay away from me. You understand?" His breath fanned over my face and I closed my eyes, drinking in his scent. I never noticed but it was a mahogany smell mixed with something else I couldn't place.
Something tugged at a memory in the back of my brain and then suddenly I was in a hospital room in the same position I was in now. Alex was looking at me with lustful black eyes and then he attacked my lips.
A shaky breath left my mouth when the image left my mind and I was brought back to reality with the blue eyed Alex looking at me with hardened eyes. "I don't know what it is, but when I look at you, or smell you or hear you, I go a little crazy in my mind, so do me a favor, and stay the fuck away from me. Understand?"
Tears filled my eyes and my bottom lip trembled. I was about to cry and I wasn't about to let it happen again with this ass right here. He looked at me, his face faltering. His eyes seemed to soften when he stared at the tears in my eyes. Why is he doing this to me?
I gathered my strength and pushed him off with all my might. He couldn't balance himself and fell to the floor. The shocked look on his face said I surprised him.
"How about you stay the hell away from me instead." I stepped closer and kept my voice steady and filled with rage. "How about next time, I see you looking at me, listening to me, or even smelling me, I kick your ass so hard, you'll be coughing up blood for a week. How about that? Do you understand?" I took his stunned silence as an agreement and stomped out the door. My hand shook from the anger and I closed my eyes and counted back to 10. An exercise my mom taught me to do.
10.
9.
8.
7.
The more I calmed down, the more my eyes spilled over with tears.
6.
5.
4.
3.
I took a deep breath and wiped my eyes with my jacket sleeve.
2.
I straightened my clothes and held my head up high.
1.
I walked back down the stairs, jumping over the last two steps and right into the middle of my group of friends.
"Ari! You're alive!" Aaron hugged me and checked my body. "Looks good!"
Jen pushed him out of the way and hugged me. "Glad you're okay!"
I smiled and looked around the room. "Wow, guys! This looks great!" There were balloons, streamers and banners hanging from every inch of the room. Someone moved the couches to another place and created a large dancing area in the middle.
"Right?!" Jen wiped a fake tear form her eye.
"Come on! Let's go to the kitchen to see if they need help!" Before I could even protest, she grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the back.
Maybe I shouldn't have offered my help for the party. I could have avoided Alex and his assholeness.
But whatever, if he's going to act like an ass then so was I.
***
A/N
Sorry Guys! I know it's really frustrating to see Alex and Ari getting nowhere but stay tuned, big things are coming!