Arabella
I walked out of my classroom, smiling at Violet. "I'll see you after third. Please give me a heads up?"
"You've got it," she said, skipping off.
I smiled and adjusted the strap of my bag to sit comfortably on my shoulder, beginning to walk through the crowded halls.
"Hey, Arabella," a guy greeted, grinning as he leaned against his locker.
"Hi," I greeted, smiling.
His girlfriend scoffed and slapped his shoulder, making me continue to walk through the crammed hallway.
"Ari, hey!" The head cheerleader greeted, running up to me.
"Hey, Cara," I said, tucking a chunk of hair behind my ear with a smile, "what's up?"
"So, I'm having this party tonight," she said, shooting me her infamous charming smile, "you should definitely come."
"Yeah, I'll think about it," I lied, matching her smile.
I continued to walk through the hallway, just desperate to make it to my next class.
"Ari!"
I looked over my shoulder, smiling when I saw Rusty Simmons running towards me. He was the quarterback, and for some reason, the most popular guy in school. It was probably his killer looks, his body, and not his rather dense personality.
But aren't all boys dense?
"Hi, Rusty," I greeted, stopping in my tracks.
He smiled down at me. "Hey, Cara's having a party tonight."
"I heard," I said, wrapping my hand around the strap of my bag.
"And I need a date."
I tilted my head over with a smile. Dad really disliked Rusty Simmons.
And I, Arabella King, was attracted to guys that my dad disliked.
"I'm really not sure if I'm going," I said, shrugging.
"Don't do me like that, Ari," he said, smiling.
I giggled and looked down, tucking my hair behind my ear.
"Come on, we look great together."
I smiled up at him, trailing my eyes down his rather muscular body. "I'm sure you'll look great by yourself, too."
"Ari, you're the most well-known girl in school."
I began to walk away from him, making him jog to catch up to me.
I hugged my books close to my chest, making him nudge my arm. "Come on, I don't bite."
I laughed. "Rusty, I know you."
"I know you know me," he said, grinning.
I stopped, turning to face him. "You find a way to get me out of my house without my Dad finding out, and you've got yourself a deal."
His prize-winning smile crossed his face. "That's my girl."
He pulled me into him and pressed a kiss to my cheek before running off.
"Hey, Arabella!"
I bit down on my lip, plastering on a fake smile. It was impossible for me to just walk to my class.
"Hey, Leo," I said. Leo Malnadi was also a star athlete, but for soccer. My brothers fascinated him.
He ran towards me, a charming smile on his face. "I'm glad I caught you."
I smiled up at him. "What's up?"
"Well, Cara's party tonight," he said, "what do you say, you and me?"
I parted my lips, trying to look for a subtle way to turn him down. "L-Leo, I'm sorry, but I already told Rusty I'd go with him."
"Really?" He asked, a small grin tugging at his lips.
"Aw, don't do that, I'll be forced to cancel on him and go with you," I jokingly said, beginning to walk the rest of the short distance to my class.
He followed. "It sounded like Rusty's got a bit of a challenge on his hands. Something about getting you out of the house without your dad knowing?"
I looked up at him.
"It wasn't a solid yes," he said, shrugging.
"Leo, don't you think that's a little," I began, "I don't know, dangerous?"
"You're the first girl that's turned down Leo and Rusty fighting over you," he said, grinning down at me.
"I know you're both very competitive, that's all," I said.
"Let's say it's fair game," he said, leaning his head back with a smile, "whoever makes it to you first, you're their date."
I let out a sigh, shaking my head. "I'll talk to you later."
"So is that a yes?" He yelled, making me giggle and walk the rest of the way to my class.
~*~
Santiago
I grabbed the door handle, pushing open the unlocked door. I'd told Arabella multiple times to lock the goddamn door.
I walked inside, stopping in my tracks when I saw her and a friend of hers dancing around the kitchen with music blaring.
"You don't even know me but you're calling me daddy," Arabella sang, giggling.
I frowned, dropping my briefcase.
"Oh, hey, Mr. King!" Violet greeted, smiling.
"Hi, girls," I greeted, smiling an uncomfortable smile.
"Hey, Dad," Ari greeted, pausing the song that was blaring.
"You know your brothers are flying in tonight."
"Yeah, she's not staying," Ari said, "we're just studying."
"On a Friday?" I deadpanned.
"Yes, on a Friday," she argued.
I nodded. "I'll be in my office."
"Ask him!" I heard Violet whisper, and I continued to head towards my office.
I opened the large, wooden doors and left them open. I knew Ari would come to ask me something, something the answer would probably be no to.
I waited a few moments and heard a delicate knock on the door.
"Hi, Dad," she greeted, tucking a chunk of hair behind her ear.
"Go ahead, ask me so I can say no."
She leaned her head back. "You've got to actually hear me out first. You can't say no without hearing my argument."
"Exactly, that's why I said ask," I said, folding my arms on my desk.
She folded her arms over her chest, looking at me.
"I'm waiting," I said, spinning around in my chair.
She rolled her eyes. "You'll say no anyways. It's going to be a waste of air."
I tilted my head over. Ari did that when she wanted me to feel bad for her.
"Well, if you're so sure I'll say no, then it must be something you're not supposed to be doing."
She braced her palms on my desk. "Cara Anderson. Head cheerleader, she's having a party at her place."
I probably looked as unconvinced as I could.
She shrugged, folding her arms back over her chest. "It's a small party."
I shook my head. "No."
"See?" She scoffed, "Mom!"
My eyes went round, and then back to normal. "What's Mom going to do about it?"
"Back me up!" She exclaimed.
Adora peeked in my office. "Oh, my two beautiful loves."
Arabella motioned for her to come in and she did so, making me sigh and rub my eyes.
"Cara Anderson is having a party tonight and Dad won't let me go."
Adora sat on my leg, tilting her head over as Arabella rambled on.
"And Leo Malnadi asked me to go with him and so did Rusty-"
"Hell no," I said, shaking my head, "no."
"Dad, Rusty really isn't as bad as you think," she said, "and plus, he's a friend."
"That's what you've told me about the past, hm, twenty of your male interests."
"Dad, you basically threw the twins out on their sixteenth birthday. Sixteenth, Dad!"
"Here she goes," Adora whispered, rubbing my knee.
"I'm going to be eighteen in less than three months and I've yet to get thrown out of the car to go lose my virginity."
"Okay, amor," Adora said, nodding towards Arabella, "we'll discuss it."
"There's nothing to discuss. Since you brought up that, you're definitely not going."
"Dad!"
"Arabella, my answer's final," I snapped, "I'm not saying it again."
"Mom."
"Ari," she softly said, "we'll talk later."
Arabella stomped out my office, her head leaned back. "I hate you, Dad."
"That hurt," I deadpanned, rubbing Adora's hip.
She looked at me, a smile tugging at her lips. "Santiago."
"I know what happens at parties, Adora."
"Do you not trust her?" She asked, gently rubbing my shoulder.
"It's not that I don't trust her, it's that I don't trust the two boys that offered to take her."
"Okay, well, let her go with Violet," she said.
"She'll just wait until she's there to see the boys."
Adora sighed, standing up. "I'll give you some time alone."
I looked up at her, my hand slipping down her thigh.
"I'll tell you when dinner's ready."
~*~
Arabella
I stared at myself in the mirror as I brushed through my long, dark locks.
Why the hell am I not allowed to go to a party? I'm seventeen.
I angrily sighed, dropping my brush on my countertop. I pulled my hair back into a low ponytail, walking over to my bed. I fell down on it in defeat.
"My answer's final," I mocked Dad, rolling my eyes.
I rested my hands on my abdomen, debating on whether I should text Rusty and Leo or just leave it alone.
I grabbed my phone and sat on the edge of my bed.
[To: Leo]
don't even bother swinging by. it's a lost cause 🙄
[To: Rusty]
hey, dad definitely isn't going to let me out. sorry.
I threw my phone on my pillow and looked up when my door opened.
I could see Dad's face from the small crack in my door. "Can I come in?"
I didn't respond, making him open my door wider.
I pulled my knees up to my chest, looking out of my window.
He cautiously walked inside, standing at the edge of my bed. "I know you're upset with me."
"Then you should know I'm not interested in talking," I muttered.
He sighed, tilting his head over. "Can I sit?"
I looked at him from underneath my bare lashes.
He sat down on the edge of my bed, his back to me.
"You're my little girl, Ari."
"That's the thing, Dad," I argued, "I'm growing up."
I stood up, walking over to my vanity. I sat in my chair and faced him, an eyebrow lifted.
"You don't realize what your mother went through," he said, "when she was pregnant with you."
"Yeah, I do," I said, "hell."
"So you should understand why I want to do everything in my power to protect you."
"Dad," I laughed out, spinning around in my chair, "one party isn't going to kill me."
"Arabella, you don't know that."
"A party never killed the boys," I said, looking at him through my mirror, "and they got themselves into every life threatening situation they could, if I remember correctly."
"It was different with them," he said, bracing his elbows on his thighs.
"Please enlighten me on how."
"It's my job to protect you with all I've got."
I scoffed and shook my head. "It's your job to protect all of your children, of any sex."
"You're my little girl," he adamantly stated.
"So what you're getting at is that I'm your favorite child."
He let out an angry sigh, his eyes glued to mine.
"Arabella, it has nothing to do with favoritism," he said, "and I know it seems different than it is, but I'm not trying to hold you back because you're a girl."
"Woman," I corrected, my arms folded over my chest.
"Woman," he said, through gritted teeth.
"Well, to me, that's what it sounds like."
"I needed the boys to realize that whatever hole they dug, they dug for themselves. And they have to get out of it themselves."
"Let me learn that the hard way, too," I said, my eyes round, "I'm not going to get anywhere in life if you're my shadow."
He shrugged. "Maybe you'll understand when you have children of your own."
He stood up and I sighed, looking up at him.
I stood up and walked towards my door, grabbing the door handle. He wrapped his arms around my neck, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"Everything I do, I do to protect you."
I sighed, pressing the side of my face against his chest. "Yeah, whatever."
He rubbed my shoulder. "Get in bed soon."
He opened my door and stepped outside, making me close it behind him. I fell back on my bed, grabbing my phone as it vibrated.
[From: Leo]
Come to your window?
I knitted my brows together, standing up. I took soft steps towards my window, pushing open the curtains.
My jaw dropped and I couldn't help but to laugh at the sight of Leo scaling the side of my house.
"I could use a hand!"
"Shh!" I yelled. I reached down and wrapped my hand around his, giggling as he slipped inside my room through my window.
"Nice window seat," he breathlessly said, leaning his head back against my wall.
I giggled, shaking my head. "Leo, what are you doing here?"
"Obviously I beat Rusty."
He stood up from my window seat, smiling down at me.
"Leo, I told you," I whispered, my hand on his abdomen, "I can't go."
He leaned down, his lips against my ear. "What your dad doesn't know won't kill him."
I pulled away from him, biting down on my bottom lip.
"Trust me, I've learned that," I quietly said, slipping my hand underneath his shirt.
"Come on, let me sneak you out," he said, "I'll make it a good time."
"I'm not climbing out my window," I giggled out.
He rested his hands on my hips, pulling me close. "Well, we could just stay here."
"Well, Leo," I began, tilting my head over, "you've got one up against Rusty. My dad doesn't hate you."
I stood on my tip-toes, my lips against his ear. "But I think that might change if he heard his little girl screaming your name."
He pulled away from me, chewing on his bottom lip. "I didn't mention anything about making you scream my name."
I pulled my bottom lip in between my teeth, smiling a small smile.
"But if that's what you had in mind," he said, "let's go to Cara's party. Seems like a better place than here for you to scream my name."
I looked up at him, contemplating on actually going. Did I want to rebel against Mom and Dad and go, or did I want to be a decent child?
My lips curled up into a smile. "Let me change."
~*~
HIYAAAA
how are you guys? 🥰 i hope ur doing well :)
welllll so we know our girl ari knows a LOT of people.. obviously w that last name lol
who else liked Leo 🥴
im still trying to find a faceclaim for ari but honestly, i just see her as Adora in the first book 😫 baby maggie duran BUT if you guys have any suggestions or girls in mind, please let me know! ♥️
im honestly rly enjoying these bonus features! it's definitely a peek into ari's first book ;) and also! Santiago and Adora's pov will be abundant in her first book! so get ready, i know you guys have missed them <3
ok ALSO!!! the Kay Awards ends TONIGHT! if you're in the US & EST (as I am), it ends in less than 3 hours! (11:59 P.M.) if you're PST it ends in less than 6 hours. if you're international, im not very good at time zones :/// just know that it closes JULY 8th at 11:59 PM. whenever that may be for you if youre international, that's when it closes!
also we need short stories DESPERATELY! if you have a short story, PLEASE enter!
okay I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! let me know what you guys would like to see in BF 10!
xo, jay