Arabella's POV
It's been a month now, a month since my life began to steer into the path I always dreamed of. I finally got the internship job out of all twenty women who went through the assessment, Tyler and I grew closer and closer every single day and I'm surrounded by the people I love every day.
Although ever since that day in the lounge Aaron and I haven't been as close as we were. We don't act awkward around one another–I mean at least he doesn't, he acts as if that day never happened but I noticed the small changes.
He doesn't refer to me as sweet cheeks anymore and hell not even Bella or Bells. He stopped sitting next to me whenever we were together as a group, he wouldn't look at me unless it was necessary and altogether he just stopped being close to me. Now Max seemed to take his place as the goofy best friend when it came to me.
No one seemed to notice the small changes whenever we were around one another but I knew Tyler saw it sometimes. He saw the way I would sneak glances at Aaron now and then when he wasn't looking. How I would try to include him in conversations with me, how I tried desperately to get him to say more than two words to me.
But nothing ever happened.
I gained a boyfriend but lost a best friend.
How is that fair!?
And even as a month passed and nothing bad seemed to happen I just can't shake off the pit in my gut every morning I woke up. The pit that told me something wrong was going to happen, I don't know when and I surely don't wanna know how but I can't dismiss the feeling.
I needed something to take my mind off of it and that's why I purchased six tickets to this music festival and booked us hotel rooms to spend the weekend together before thanksgiving when we have to part. I thought it'd be nice to enjoy some time together before we enjoyed it with our families.
"Ugh you're gonna be spending thanksgiving in a mansion with pools and indoor slides whilst I spend mine with a teething crying baby, an obnoxious older brother, an OCD of a mother and a work freak father!" Erika exclaimed as she lowered herself down beside me, her eyes trained on the computer.
"False. I'm spending Thanksgiving with my mother and her boyfriend and their sons, not with my father's wife and that annoying twat Tessa."
"Hmm, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
"A little bit of both. I'd rather spend Thanksgiving with my father alone but we can't all have what we wish for. And the same goes for you, at least your parents aren't divorced and you have siblings to enjoy it with. So stop complaining because you're going home to a full house, a happy family."
She turned to face me, her lips pulled into a pout before a heavy sigh escaped her lips and she nodded her head vigorously. "Yeah you're absolutely right, I'm sorry."
I smiled in response and shot up from the chair. "C'mon let's go to the lounge, Tyler texted me a few minutes ago, everyone's chilling there," I said, Erika slipped on her shoes and together we made our way downstairs to the crowded lounge.
As we approached the guys Erika slipped in beside Ace on the smaller sofa, falling onto his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. Finally, the two decided that they'd go public with their relationship after I had to drill it into her head that they needed to stop playing games and just date.
I lowered myself in between Max and Tyler and Tyler immediately slipped his fingers through mine and pulled me closer towards him. I flashed him a smile as he mumbled a soft hey. "Yay, the whole gang is here!" Max exclaimed excitedly.
"Hooray, I have to see everyone's ugly face before going home to see even uglier faces."
"Yeah screw you." Aaron chuckled as he slapped Ace across the head to which he winced in pain and shot Aaron a glare. "You motherfu–"
"Hey, boys! Behave like boys, not feral animals!" Erika scolded as she slapped away Aaron's hand from Ace's head and made a point of pinching his cheeks even though she just scolded them on being violent.
"Tyler, you know what you're doing for thanksgiving?" Max asked. I frowned deeply when Tyler's body stiffened from beside me. He clenched his jaw tightly and flickered his eyes shut before shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly although I could clearly see the uneasiness on his face.
I squeezed his hand reassuringly, he peered down at me, somehow smiled through his frown. I groaned at the fluttering in my stomach and blushed when his eyes never left mine, it's as if ever since we began dating Tyler became the guy I once knew.
The same guy who handled me with care in that hallway the day that he accidentally almost broke my nose. The same guy who smiled at me every time he walked down his porch or flashed me his charming smiles in the hallways when he would catch me staring at him.
It was completely different from the guy he portrayed when we met here in college, this emotion and expressionless guy who was possessive and controlling over me–someone that I thought he hated. But ever since the night I caught him crying it's like he hit the revert button and was back to his old self.
I didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing because he still harbours whatever made him cry. And I want to know.
"I'm gonna go visit my mom, spend it with her." He said. "My dad came back from the army, he told me they're moving bases so maybe he can be able to stay home longer than just two days," Max exclaimed.
"Hey good for you Max." I smiled as I leaned into his shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "Oh since we're all here I have something to tell you guys. So I know everyone here is spending Thanksgiving with their families and we can all agree that we are also a family but we won't be able to spend that day together. So! I got us tickets to a concert this weekend and booked hotel rooms for the next two days so we can spend it together!"
"What!? Bella that's so cool!" Ace shrieked as he leaped off of the sofa and came barreling towards me. I squealed in shock when he flung himself onto me in a bone-crushing hug, dismissing my wheezing as I patted his back. "Okay, you're suffocating the girl! Get off." Max laughed as he wrapped his hands around Ace's waist and yanked him off of me.
I sucked in a harsh breath and snapped my head towards Tyler who was currently dipped over, laughing his ass off. I slapped him across the arm and chuckled softly before averting my gaze from him. "So what do you guys say?"
"Is that really a question sweet cheeks? Of course, we'll come. I mean you really are our fairy godmother, right guys?" Max exclaimed.
"Correct."
"Yep!"
"Never thought of it that way but sure."
"Aaron? What do you think?" I mumbled softly. He peered up from his phone, his eyes meeting mine and I don't know if it was my imagination or if it actually happened but my heart seemed to skip an extra beat.
He nodded his head, brushing away his hair and tucking it behind his ear. He arched his brows and shrugged nonchalantly, "sure I guess. Uhm, I gotta go, I'll see you guys later." Aaron exclaimed and before anyone could protest he spun on his heels and walked away.
I frowned deeply and slowly slipped my hand from Tyler's own, mumbling to him that I'd be right back.
Before I could lose sight of Aaron's retreating back I rushed towards him, seizing him by the arm and pulling him behind the wall beside the elevator away from everyone's eyes.
He gasped, his eyes widening when they landed on me before he visibly relaxed but then suddenly tensed. "Aaron, I'm tired of this."
"What?"
"This! You avoiding me, not speaking to me, you even refuse to meet my gaze like I'm invisible or something. Look I just want my best friend back okay? I want to have a conversation with you, I want to hug and hold you, smile with you. . .laugh. Is that too much to ask for?"
He pursed his lips in a thin line and sighed deeply as his eyes flickered shut. He leaned against the wall and stuffed his hands into his pockets and without looking at me he said, "you have to understand that I like you, Arabella. I've liked you from the moment I first saw you and I never stopped, yeah I knew you and Tyler had feelings for one another but at the rate, everything was going I just never expected you two to actually date and that's why I never had a problem before
Yeah I may sound selfish and I'm sorry for that, I care about yours and Tyler's happiness but you need to understand that actually seeing you two together. . .serious about one another. Well, I think you catch my drift. I want you in my life, always but you have to give me some time to get rid of my feelings for you. And if it means not looking at you or speaking to you because every second I'm around you you're all I can see then so be it.
So just know that I'm not angry or bitter towards either of you. I just need time. Can you do that for me? Give me some time?" He mumbled, his eyes now interlocked with mine.
I let his words register in my mind, played it on a loop as if it were a tape recorder. I didn't know how to feel, but the look on his face, I knew he was right. I can't push and rush our friendship after he confesses his feelings towards me. If he needs time then that's all I can give him.
"Okay, I'm sorry but I'd still like it if you come with us. It won't be the same without you." I said, he flashed me a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and nodded his head. "I never planned on not attending, don't worry Arabella."
I didn't think it would sting that much to hear my full name leave his lips but it did. I shook off the feeling and returned his smile, "thank you."
Without responding he spun on his heels and sauntered away, leaving me standing there staring at his retreating back wondering what would have happened if I really did meet him first.
~ ~ ~
"How did you come up with that?" Tyler whispered softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "I don't know, I just want us all to be together for this special occasion you know. Over the past three months, you guys have also become my family and I wanted us to do something special." I said.
His lips tugged upwards in a taunting smile and I slapped him across the chest, giggling as he mumbled how cheesy I was. "Hey you have to be cheesy at least once in a while am I right?"
"Sure, but you're cheesy all the time."
"I'm not!"
"Bells, stop fooling yourself." He chuckled. I rolled my eyes and sat upright, slowly he followed my movements and sat upright as well.
I leaned forward and slipped my arms around his shoulder, leaving our faces only inches away from one another. "We're gonna go out and have fun before we return to our dysfunctional families," I said, he scoffed in response, his head shaking slightly.
"You and I both."
"It'll be fine. If you're ever in discomfort think about me." I smiled. The teasing look from moments ago crept back onto his face and I shook my head vigorously as he burst into a fit of chuckles, "see told you you were cheesy."
"Shut up!"
"Make me." He winked as his arms tightened around my waist, pulling me closer towards his chest in the process. I smirked as my fingers trailed from his back to his head of curly hair, "sure Mr. Hart, as you wish."