Above is the first picture of what i imagine is Arika Justice, played by Katherine McNamara.
Chapter 13: Evil Schemes.
"What do you mean, he has a girlfriend?" Robyn Summers shrieked down the phone, "I left to get coffee and when I get back he's got a girlfriend!"
Asher scowled as she filled the other girl in on the days news, "Its like he flipped some switch, yesterday he only had eyes for Rikky and today he wont even look at her, that prat is ruining all our plans!"
Robyn sighed and shook out her long hair, "No, we can fix this, we've come too far. Do you know how hard it was to get Ari up there? We just need to-" she was cut off as someone cleared their throat loudly from the doorway.
Both girls' eyes immediately jumped to Asher's door where a very relaxed Aiden stood leaning casually against the doorframe. He shot them a lazy smile before walking in and shutting the door. "What are you two diabolical femme fetales up to?" He drawled.
Asher and Robyn shot each other guilty looks, they'd been caught, red handed, on Skype no less. Their plans to fix up the two donkeys down stairs had failed spectacularly.
"We were just-" Asher tried a last ditch attempt at explaining but Aiden cut her off with a grin.
"I'm in." Both girls stared at him for a few seconds trying and failing to grasp what he'd just said, he rolled his eyes ignoring their flabbergasted expressions. "Those two are inevitable, basically fated, they're both just too dumb and stubborn to realise it, its our duty as family to make it impossible for them to ignore it." When they still stared he shot them an unimpressed look, "I'm a professional editor I've read enough happily ever afters to turn anyone into a romantic. Now stop staring before I change my mind."
Instantly both girls sobered up and put on their game faces, they'd get Arika and Avery together, even if it killed them.
***
"She says she wants you two in some kind of green, something about your hair tones and such." Arika shot Andrew a small smile as she jotted down 'some kind of green bridesmaids' dresses', she'd prematurely agreed to help him finalise some wedding plans this morning. Usually she couldn't be held accountable for anything she did or said before ten am or a cup of coffee, but today she welcomed the distraction.
All morning she'd been subjected to seeing Avery and his new perfect girlfriend Phoebe, and no she didn't mean that as an insult, Phoebe was perfect. In every way the tall brunette just seemed to be at the top of her game, and no matter what she did Ari couldn't hate her, and she hated it.
Unlike the sleep challenged Arika, Phoebe had waltzed in at nine with Avery, apparently they'd gone on a picnic, and as soon as she walked in she started making breakfast. Phoebe could cook, in fact her pancakes were like clouds, the opposite of the gloop Ari managed every blue moon. And even as Ari chewed the little heaven puffs and mentally scowled she physically smiled and tried not to drown in self loathing.
Where was her usually self confident, bordering on arrogant self? Usually Ari had no problem with having a few flaws and gave anyone hell for trying to make her feel less than her best, but that was impossible with Phoebe. She didn't do it to make Ari look bad, she didn't even do it to be mean, she did it because apparently she was God's missing Angel, and even though Ari wanted her to fall off a bridge somewhere, she couldn't imagine pushing her off.
As Ari twisted the pencil in her hand absently she didn't notice Andrew stop rattling off table placements and dress colours. Andrew stared at the girl he considered his sister as she worried her lip and he imagined he could see the cogs in her brain turning around, he didn't mind that she'd been distracted all day, honestly he didn't even have to do this until next month when Amelia would finally be here, but he knew she would need to take her mind off it.
Andrew ran a hand through his hair, it was getting too long, he'd have to cut it soon, as he tried and failed to imagine what life would be like without Amelia, he couldn't she was just too big a part of his life. They hadn't had the messy start Ari and Ave were having, they just gravitated toward each other, and never left, there was no messy break up, make up mentality, and in the world Andrew lived in it was good to have that constant in his partner. It hadn't been easy taking over the family business, as successful as his father had been there were too many expectations but with her by his side he knew he would pull through.
Now he wished she could be here just a bit early to help out Ari, the petite dark haired woman he loved had always had a soft spot for Arika and Asher, he knew that if she were here she'd help his little sister not to look so wounded, because even as Ari smiled at the world, Andrew knew what bubbled underneath. He'd seen the same look on Aiden's face enough since Hadley.
"Does she want the silver napkin rings, or the gold?" Ari asked pulling him out of his reverie. She smiled as he blanched, "I'll call her up later and check."
"Thanks Ari." He grinned putting an arm around her as they strolled along the garden.
"No problem Drew, you know I got this, you and Amelia are just too amazing to not have the most epic wedding ever, and I'm helping so I can tell my nieces and nephews all about it someday!" She grinned playfully and he shook his head at her, only Ari.
***
"That little git!" Robyn snarled as Aiden explained about his brother's jealousy. "Ian has about as much chance at getting with Ari as I do getting with Chris Colfer!"
Aiden shot her a confused look, "So they aren't dating?"
Asher rolled her eyes at her brother's obliviousness, she unlike the rest of her siblings had met Ian, the boy was a sweetheart, but gayer than a unicorn riding a rainbow. "Are you dating your secretary Leanna like that gossip magazine says?"
Aiden shook his head, "Ash you know Lee's gay, she's like my sister- oh! Ian's gay?"
Robyn snorted, "Very and also betrothed to Dylan O Brian or something, but the point is your git brother just put two and two together and got ninety, and he's hurting our girl because of his stupidity."
"Cant we just explain that Ian's not dating Ari and get it over with?" Aiden mumbled as the girls shot him dirty looks.
"No Avery needs to learn to trust Rikky more, imagine if they start dating and he's some possessive ass that jumps to conclusions, she'll leave him in a week and good bye legal sister." She grumbled she knew what a prick Avery could be when the mood struck him.
"Well if we're not telling him we need to make him realize what he lost, he needs to see that he cant live without Ari the same way Drew cant live without Amelia." Aiden concurred gazing evilly at the two girls. "Remember when Ari had to go to her Junior Prom?"
Asher grinned realising what he was getting at, "He was dating Sienna Crews, but when he heard Ari was asked to go by Devin Nox..."
Robyn finally caught on, oh she remembered Junior Prom, or at least the lead up to it, Robyn had gotten sick and had to miss it in the end, but even she'd heard stories of Ari's mystery date. The guy who blew in like a hurricane pulled Ari away from Devin and personally entertained her all night, when she'd asked Ari she had said that a friend had been visiting from over seas, now she knew it must have been Avery.
After weeks of insisting she wouldn't go Ari had finally caved and bought a stunning black, backless dress. Robyn was planning to ditch her date and go stag with her when Devin, the heartthrob of their year asked her. She'd said no at first, but relented when he looked like a sad puppy, of course she'd told Asher, who must have let slip to Avery.... damn that was dedication.
"He flew down on an express flight just to gate crash your prom. I heard Ari nearly killed him for growling at that boy." Aiden laughed remembering how antsy his little brother had looked before the flight, and how happy he looked after he got back.
"And in the process called it off with Sienna, when he realised he still carried a torch the size of Texas!" Asher giggled.
"So what we set Ari up with Devin again, cos I'm pretty sure one run in with your brother scarred him for life." Robyn snorted.
Asher and Aiden shot each other a knowing, evil look, "Devin Nox was small potatoes, if we want to get him really riled up, I think we know exactly who to call." Aiden smirked at his sister knowing that she knew exactly who he had in mind.
Asher nodded sagely, "He's perfect, he'll keep up the act, he knows them both well, he's close by, which makes the meet up cute and believable and best of all..."
Aiden ginned at his sister, "He knows exactly what buttons to push to make Ave see red."
"Who the hell are you two cabbages on about now!" Robyn demanded glancing wearily as the two siblings shared an evil smirk.
"Wyatt Torres."