ARI
For a couple of days now, Alex and I always met in my mother's office after school.
"Honey what are you thinking about?" My mother asked pulling out of the driveway and driving to school.
"Nothing." I said sadly. I wish Alex at least acknowledged me. He was straight up ignoring me again.
After the first day of detention, Alex never spoke to me again. He even leaves me alone now which is a good thing but deep down I wish he didn't.
I know it's crazy to think that after how he's treated me but something, to this day, pulls me to him. He obviously doesn't feel the same but I can't help it.
"Is this about Alex?" My mother asked me frowning.
"What! No!" I cried out, answering too quickly.
"Okay, listen to me honey. I'm not blind, I see the way you look at him and the way he looks at you. I want to say you're too young to be dating and whatever but I would be a hypocrite because I met your father in High School. Just...be careful. Alex doesn't seem to know what he feels and I don't want you to get hurt."
"Alex looks at me?" I asked slowly, slightly happy.
My mother slapped her forehead. "Of course you would hear that part only!"
I sobered up and straightened my back, slapping the star struck look off my face. "I get it Mom. I don't like him like that." I told her lying. "It's just that he's ignoring me now and I don't know why?" I pouted.
My mother seemed to be thinking to hard about something because of the frozen smile on her face. "Mom! Did you hear what I said?"
"Mom." I said slowly, wondering what she was thinking about.
"Oh would look at that! We're at school!" She parked the car and jumped out, slamming the door shut, excited about something. I climbed out and followed her inside the building. "See you after school Ari." She said and then skipped to her office.
The hell?
I shook my head and met Jen at her locker. "Hey, Jen! Are you excited for your party tomorrow?"
Jen had her head shoved up into her locker so I couldnt see her face. "Jen?" I asked, grabbing her shoulder. "You okay?"
Jen came out and seemed to be hyperventilating. "Yeah, I'm good, its just that I'm almost 18!"
I hugged her, laughing. "I know!"
"Not to mention i'll be the packs new b-"
"JEN!" Jen was cut off by Ashley who ran towards us with a worried face.
Jen gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes going wide. "Oh shit." She said mumbling through her hands.
Ashley came and hugged me just as I opened my mouth to ask what happened. "OMG! I'm so excited for the birthday party! Aren't you?" I quickly nodded my head, opening my mouth but was cut off by Ashley. "Of course you are! I wonder if we should do blue and black theme or blue, black and white theme?" I was gaping like a fish trying to answer all of her questions. "What time are you coming again? W-"
"TWO O'CLOCK!" I screamed before she could finish her question. Jen and Ashley jumped from my sudden outburst. Some people around us jumped to but they just ignored us afterwards, rolling their eyes.
I sheepishly smiled. "Sorry, but Ashley wouldn't let me speak!" Jen laughed and shoved me towards our class. "That was super loud man! I think I burst an eardrum!"
I rolled my eyes at her exaggeration. "Okay calm down."
We laughed all the way to class.
***
"Okay Class! Thats all the time we have today!" The coach blew his whistle and everyone dispersed to the locker rooms.
I snarled at Alex's back. We were playing dodgeball today and we were on opposite teams so I expected him to kick my ass but nope! He didn't even look at me! I would stand in front of him but he would look over my head and strike someone from the back. It was very infuriating.
I huffed and ran to the locker room, wanting to meet Alex in the office so I can confront him. I shouldn't but I wanted to.
I pulled my clothes on and tried to rush out until Jen grabbed my arm, stopping me. "Hey! Where's the fire?"
IN MY LOINS! I thought in my head before I slapped myself mentally. "Nowhere! I just can't be late to my mom's office. You know how she gets." I rolled my eyes, pretending that my mom was annoying. Only sometimes she is...
"Yeah, I guess." She hugged me. "See you tomorrow!"
I basically skipped to the office excited about something. I didn't know what but it was something.
When I reached the office, I found Alex outside, scowling at a paper taped to the door.
"What?" I asked him.
He scoffed at me and pointed to the note. "That's whats wrong. Hurry up and call her." I was confused until I read the note.
Ariana, Please call me ASAP!
I pulled out my phone and checked it to see I had 5 missed calls from her. I called her waiting for her to pick up.
Alex rolled his eyes at me, making me roll my eyes at him.
"Ari honey, I'm so sorry but I'm stuck at the bank." She sounded upset.
"Why, whats wrong mom?" I squeezed my phone tight, afraid of the answer. Alex who was facing away from me, turned his head like he was listening but I knew he couldn't. He didn't have super human hearing like me.
"It's just that, well the bank didnt approve our loan and-I don't know-the house-"
"Mom!" I said, cutting her off and then whispering. "It's okay, we will figure something out. I promise you."
My mother sighed. "I know, I know. I don't mean to tell you this."
"Mom you can tell me anything."
"I know I can." I imagined her smiling.
"So, does this mean we can go home?" Alex perked up when he heard me ask that.
"Actually, I spoke to Alex's father and asked him for permission if Alex can serve his punishment at our house."
"What?" Alex and I said at the same time. I looked at him confused.
"I'm sorry honey, I can't make it. Please ask if Alex can give you a ride to the house. I'll be there soon." She hung up on me and whirled around to face Alex who was shaking from anger.
Why is he angry? I haven't even told him anything yet. "Um, hey, my mom said that she can't make it and if you can give me a ride to my house." I rubbed my neck.
Alex ignored me and took out his phone, calling someone. After two beeps, a man's voice rang through. I recognized it as his dad. "Dad, did you tell the VP that I can go to her house? What the hell man?! You know what, whatever." Alex hung up before his father could say anything.
Alex squeezed his eyes shut and breathed in deeply. I admired the way his back rippled under his shirt, defining the muscles that surrounded his shoulder blades.
Oh god, I looked away, blushing.
Alex walked past me still fuming. He reached the door but stopped before opening it and turned around to look at me. "Are you coming or not?"
"Uh, I guess I am." I walked towards him slowly, waiting for him to explode. He held the door open for me and I couldn't help but be surprised.
I followed after him kind of shyly and then when reached his car, he held open the passenger door for me too.
What? He can't think I can open my own doors!
I knew I was being stupid, a man can do these things, not because he thinks a female is weak but because he wants to.
True gentlemen never think that about women.
Alex slammed his door shut and then put the car in drive. I looked around the parking lot to see a couple of students looking at us with their jaws dropped.
Jen who was standing next to her car with Nate was looking at me in shock. Nate then glared at me and I frowned. I should ask him what his problem is.
After giving Alex my address, he sped up making me grab the handle on top of the door.
I gritted my teeth when he made a sharp turn. Alex's hand tightened around the wheel when he made another sharp turn making me knock my head on the window.
"Ow." I grabbed my head feeling it throb, the feeling already going away because of my advanced healing.
"You mind slowing down?" I grabbed the handle again when he increased the speed. The trees were a complete blur and I was starting to panic.
What if we hit something?! I knew I would walk away but what about Alex? He was driving with his anger and I knew it was my fault. I didn't want him to get hurt.
"Alex." I touched his arm, wanting him to slow down for his sake. "Please."
Automatically, Alex started to slow down. His hands loosened around the wheel and he sighed.
I lifted my hand away from his arm and folded it in my lap. "Look, I know you are mad about going to my house. We both know it's weird but I don't want to be in detention anymore so, tolerate me for another week or two and then we can go our separate ways."
He was calm, I don't know if it was from what I said or if it was because I touched him.
"Okay." Alex muttered under his breath.
"Great." I said as we pulled up to my house.
Alex peered at it, his face blank. I climbed out of the car, Alex doing the same, and went to the front door, opening it.
The door squeaked opened as I pushed it to let Alex in.
He was hesitant at first but eventually walked in.
I led him to the couch, motioning for him to sit but he wasn't paying attention to me, he was staring at a picture of me as a three year old. For some reason, I blushed.
"Uh, that's me." I said to him. He looked at another picture which was of my mother, my father and me. "Is that your father?"
I looked away sadly my eyes filling with tears. "Yes."
He looked at me strangely, his eyes darting back and forth to my blue eyed, blond haired parents and myself. "Where you adopted or something?" Although his question was innocent, at least that's what I would like to think, it pissed me off.
"No." I growled slightly before covering it with a cough.
After giving me a suspicious looks, Alex didn't ask me anything else. Instead he sat on the couch.
"I'll be right back." I slipped into the kitchen and noticed a note with my mother's handwriting. I rolled my eyes at it and took it to Alex.
"My Mom wants us to finish this worksheet until she gets here." I showed him the worksheet and the note. "She said to work together to find the answers."
"And when is she coming back?" Alex grabbed the worksheet and scanned it over.
I shrugged and sat down across from him on the recliner.
He groaned. "Well, do you have a laptop or something we can use to look these answers up?"
"Yeah, my mom's laptop should be here." I pulled out the laptop from the TV cabinet and opened it.
"Hey, do you think I could get some water?" Alex asked.
Rolling my eyes, I got up and gave him the laptop. "Here, just turn it on and I'll be right back."
I went to the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, then headed back.
I wonder why my mom has been forcing us to work together? Could it be because of what I told her this morning?
I sat down and tossed him the water bottle. I gasped when I noticed the water bottle about to hit his head. He was looking down onto the computer screen but without looking up, Alex caught it with one hand.
"Whoa." I said surprised. That was freaking awesome! I wanted to shout, but I didn't want to inflate his already huge ego.
He just shrugged and unscrewed the cap, taking a sip of the water.
For the next 30 minutes, we worked on the assignment. Alex was pretty quiet the whole time, his eyebrows pulled together like he was thinking about something intensely.
I shut the laptop down and put it back in its place when we finished.
"My mom's not back yet, so if you want, you can leave?" I suggested when he just sat there with his frozen face.
Finally, after a minute, Alex spoke. "Why was your mother looking up werewolves?"
I stiffened. "What?" I asked him gulping. My throat suddenly felt very dry.
"I said-" He stood up and walked closer to me. I shot up from my seat and backed away from him, feeling caged. "-why is your mother looking up werewolves?"
"I-I-." I couldn't form the excuse in my mind.
Alex narrowed his eyes at me, snarling.
My eyes hardened and instead of cowering back like a scared little bitch, I stepped forward, making him step back. "Why does it matter to you? My mother can look up anything she wants too."
"It matters bec-" He choked on his words and shut his mouth.
"You know what? I'm out of here." He grabbed his backpack and wrenched open the door. He turned back to face me. "If I were you, I would watch yourself."
My mother's car pulled up in the driveway.
"I'm not the one who needs to watch themselves. I'm tired of your stupid empty threats. You wanna fight, let's fight. Otherwise, get the fuck out of my house." I was huffing from the anger.
Alex's surprised face soon turned into a scowl. His eyes darkened in color as he spoke. "Wrong move Peterson. You do realize my father owns the bank right?"
My face faltered and I stepped back in fear. "What? How do you-" I was going to ask him how he knew about our problem but didn't. His father owns the bank, he probably told him.
Before I could stop, tears filled my eyes with worry. My body started to shake. I didn't know if it was from rage or from being hurt by his words.
My emotions were all over the place.
Just then my mother stepped inside. "Sorry I'm late." She told us smiling. She must have noticed the tension in the room because she looked at my face and then Alex's blank face watching mine, and she lost it.
"Get out!" She yelled at Alex. "As of right now, your punishment has been lifted."
Alex looked unfazed and instead kept looking at me. I was trying to control my emotions but they were getting the better of me. The beast inside was showing itself and amplifying what I was feeling at the moment.
My mother stood in front of me, cutting off Alex from my eyesight. "Get out and stay the hell away from my daughter. If I see you with her again, I'll shoot your ass down."
Still not bothering to show emotion, Alex perched his backpack onto his shoulder and left.
My mom closed the door. "Ari, what happened?"
I didn't answer and instead, I ran up the stairs and into my room.
After trying for 5 minutes to get me to open my door, my mother left.
My heart was hurting from the pain Alex caused me when he threatened me with something that made me vulnerable.
I didn't like to cry and I hated knowing I was crying because of Alex.
I hated knowing that despite our bickering and our insults, Alex could be so low and it would hit me so bad.
I guess that's what happens when you love an asshole.
I gasped. "Love?" I said out loud, to myself.
I loved a guy who hated me.
Great.