ARI.

My psychology teacher told the class once that everyone dreams each night, we just don't remember all of them. When we wake up after a so-called dreamless sleep, we are wrong - every sleep has a dream. We also have more than one dream every night; not two dreams, not ten, but hundreds of dreams. We only dream about things our mind already knows, so when a familiar song danced in my mind during a deep slumber, weaving into my dream seamlessly, it was jolting to wake up and realize where it came from. 

At 2:45AM my room around me was dark except for the bright glow emitting from my phone screen. Groggily, I turned over to face my night stand, seizing the device. The light blinded my eyes and hastily I shut them to block the blazing illumination, but not before I caught glimpse of the name that boldly flashed on the screen. 

Luke Hemmings. 

I tossed the phone back onto the nightstand in annoyance and rolled over to face the wall. I closed my eyes, adjusting myself back into a comfortable position beneath my blanket and slowly drifted back into sleep. For thirty seconds - because not too long after I shut my eyes, my phone rang again. 

"Leave me the hell alone Hemmings," I groaned, grabbing my phone and putting it on silence before dropping it onto the carpet next to my bed. I exhaled, screwing my eyes shut, hoping that Luke would get the picture that I did not want to speak to him. 

Click. Clack. Click. Clack.

My eyes flew open as easily as they could close. I laid in my bed, listening to the soft, yet annoying bangs coming from my window. I pushed the covers off of me and headed towards the irritating sound. Pulling one of the white slats downward with my finger, I took a peak outside. 

Standing in front of his car with the headlights still on was none other than Hemmings himself. I rolled my eyes, letting out a groan as I watched him throw tiny pebbles at my window. 

"You're going to crack it," I muttered to myself, turning around in the darkness and grabbing my phone off of the floor. I dialed Luke's number, continuing to watch him from the window like a creeper. 

"Ari!"

"Hemmings, what do you want? I'm trying to sleep and you're standing there throwing rocks at my window,"

"Can I come in?" Luke asked, as he looked up towards my window. "I don't feel good." 

"Lucas, have you been drinking?" I guessed. 

"No, Ariane," he declared, putting a sassy emphasis to my name. I rolled my eyes. "Okay... maybe a little." 

"And you drove here? Luke that's the dumbest thing you could've ever done. What the hell is wrong with you?" 

"I'm sorry," he sounded wounded, like I had just kicked him in the stomach and left him out in the rain. "I just... I need you right now."

"Are you alright?" I gazed at Luke with somber eyes. His chin was to his chest and from two stories up, I could feel a yearning for help that exuded from him. I was still upset that he didn't tell me about being beaten to a pulp earlier today, but I had to let that go. He needed me, and I couldn't give him a half-assed friendship.

I sighed, "yea. I'll come down and get you." 

Luke hung up the phone and I let my finger drop from the blinds. Quietly, I scampered down the stairs and to the front door. After punching the 4-digit security code on the alarm system (which happened to be the date of both Christmas and my dad's birthday), I opened the door. The cool air skimmed against my skin and quickly I hugged myself, only now remembering that I wasn't wearing any pants.

"Nice underwear," Luke chuckled before realizing what he said and turned his head quickly. Even in the moonlight, I could see the pinkish hue grazing his pale cheeks. 

"Shut up," I grunted. I walked closer to the boy, noticing the bruises that adorned his face. I reached up to cup the side of it. He winced from my touch and I sighed in guilt, "oh Luke. Why are you drinking?" 

He shrugged, "I was upset." 

"There are other things to do when you're upset," I told him sternly, narrowing in my eyebrows. "Listen to music, play your damn guitar, talk to me?"

"I'm an idiot," he declared, bringing his head down in sorrow. He looked like a kicked puppy. 

"You need to stop doing that,"

"Doing what?" 

"Calling yourself an idiot every time you get drunk," I explained, thinking about our first drunken encounter when he punched the brick wall by the dumpster at work and called himself an idiot. 

"I am though. I can't get anything right," he belittled himself again, and it honestly struck me negatively. I didn't like seeing him down, and I didn't like hearing such self-deprecating words fall out of his mouth so easily.

"Please don't--"

"It's true Ari," Luke interrupted, "but the only thing I got right was choosing you as a friend." 

I didn't respond. I didn't know how, and I was moved by his words. He was tipsy, so maybe it was the alcohol talking. I gestured for the front door and started for it.

"Um Ari?" 

I turned around, seeing Luke standing stationary instead of following me inside, "what is it?" 

"Can you help me?" he asked, almost pityingly, as he held out his arm. "The last few bottles of beer are starting to kick in." 

"Luke, if we're going to be friends," I started, bringing his arm to drape around my shoulder, "you can't drink and drive. Can you promise me that?" 

"I promise," he gave me a weakened smile squeezing my shoulders tighter.

I led him into the dark house, shutting the door and activating the alarm once again. I helped Luke up the stairs and I could help but to giggle at all-too familiar situation we were in. 

"What's so funny?" Luke slurred. He let out a loud burp, the ghastly smell of nachos and beer punching my nostrils. I grimaced. 

"Nothing," I dismissed with a smirk, walking into my room. 

"You can't laugh randomly and not tell me why," Luke justified, crossing his arms in a huff as he plopped down onto my bed. I turned on the small lamp on my bedside table, finally getting a clearer look at the tall-ass white boy occupying my room. His lip was swollen, and his normally blue eyes seemed to be darker than normal, sinking into his skull with anxiety. 

"The last time I was helping you up the stairs you threatened to wet your pants," I told him. Luke blushed. 

"Oh, sorry about that," he apologized and shrugged. 

"Eh, it's all in the past now. Do you need water or food or anything?" 

"No, I'm fine. My head feels heavy though. I just wanna lie down," 

"I'll sleep on the floor. You take the bed," I offered, heading for my closet to grab a spare blanket. 

"Sleep with me," Luke said, his voice clear as daylight. I paused my movements, wondering if I had heard him right. "I know you heard me Ari. You don't have to sleep on the floor. Just lay down next to me. Friend have sleepovers. I won't do anything, I promise. I mean, your pants are already off and I didn't even have to do much." 

I marched over to Luke, swinging my hand back ready to smack his shoulder. Despite the fact that he was tipsy, his reaction time was spot on, seizing my wrist before it could even brush against his body. Even though he was sitting down, we were still eye to eye. He moved his face closer to mine, dropping my hand from his grasp and tucking in a lose strand of my hair behind my ear. His cold hand brushed against my bare thigh and a shiver ran up my spine like ice cold water up a thin, plastic straw. Luke was so close to me that I could feel his warm, alcoholic breath fan against my face. I felt shivers stroking my back and I couldn't move. 

"I'm sleepy," he smirked, a lazy tone coating his voice and proceeded to kick off his all black Converse high tops. 

I watched as Luke pulled off the blue flannel he was wearing and threw it onto the carpet next his shoes, leaving him in his all black ensemble. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't think he was attractive in his outfit. Skinny jeans and black v-necks definitely suited him more than khaki Dockers. 

Luke made himself comfortable beneath my blankets, scooting closer to the wall and lying on his side. 

"Are you going to stand there and stare at me like in Paranormal Activity or join me?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed, admitting defeat. I was still very tired and didn't want to argue. I lifted the covers and laid down next to Luke, making sure to leave several inches away from him. I turned off the bedside lamp before finally resting my head back down on the pillow. 

"Are you gonna ask?" Luke suddenly spoke. I turned my head to see him looking straight at me. 

"Ask about what?" 

"About me getting the shit kicked out of me?" he specified. I did want to ask him; I actually wanted to yell at him but that could wait till the morning. 

"Why'd you get the shit kicked out of you?" I questioned, succumbing to my urge. 

"Because I'm friends with you," Luke simply stated. 

"Is that supposed to make me feel bad?" 

"No... I'd rather get the shit kicked out of me than stop being your friend," 

I smiled at Luke, not knowing what to say. His words hit me like a ton of happy bricks, bringing me back to that unexpected evening adventure with Luke when we met properly in the alleyway. When he said our friendship meant a lot to him, I honestly thought they were just words. However, I was beginning to realize that Luke really needed someone, and I happened to step into his life at the right time. 

"Drunk words are sober thoughts," I mimicked, smiling to myself as I gazed at the ceiling. 

"Why does that sound familiar?" Luke questioned, obviously forgetting that his drunk mind from that evening suppressed his memories.

"Because," I began, my eyes heavy, "they're the words that started this whole thing." 

//

LUKE.

The morning greeting me with beams of sun kissing my eyelids, a headache, and a tiny Asian clutching onto me. The Saturday morning sunshine lit up Ari's room with warmth and her light snores filled my ears. I gazed down to take a peak at the Sleeping Beauty, and smiled at the sight. Her head rested on my chest, red hair scattered messily around her face and her bare legs tangled with mine. I was comfortable, warm, and happy. I held her closer to me, gently rubbing the exposed skin between her t-shirt and the hemline of her underwear with my thumb. 

Friends do this, right? 

It wasn't as if we planned embrace; we made like Beyonce and woke up like this. Honestly, Ari was a mover in the bed - that came out wrong. What I meant, was that she tended to shuffle around in her sleep, tossing and turning so much, I was surprised she didn't fall off the bed. I guessed when she found a comfortable position, it happened to be my chest. She was so small compared to me and I just wanted to protect her. No half-assed friendships.

"There's french toast bitch!"

The door swung open, revealing a very surprised Mia. Her jaw was dropped and her eyes were wide as they trailed between my shoes on the floor and the entwined bodies on the bed. I looked at Mia with the same look of shock etched on my face. Suddenly, she gasped and an expression of realization glazed over the shock. Mia looked down at herself, covering the bottom half of her body with her hands. 

What is it with these Quiroz women walking around pants-less? 

"I uh- I'm gonna, like, go put some shorts on," Mia stammered, grasping onto the door handle and pulling it to a close. 

My body relaxed, "whew." 

The relaxation only lasted for a quick moment, until the door suddenly creaked open and Mia's head popped through again, "also there's breakfast downstairs. Come eat."

Mia's words were haste, and shut the door the moment the last word escaped her lips. I slowly sat up in the bed, shaking Ari slightly so she could wake up. She let out a groan, mumbling something about bacon before rolling over and plopping her head onto a pillow. I rolled my eyes, and placed my hand on her back. 

"Dude," I said, "wake up." 

"You wake up," Ari retorted groggily and I let out a chuckle. 

"I am awake you dumbfuck," I mocked, earning a flick of Ari's middle finger in my direction with her head still buried in the pillow. "Your sister says there's breakfast and I need Tylenol."

"Fine," Ari wined, easing her head off of the pillow to sit up. She yawned, rubbing her eyes innocently and I found myself gazing at her again. She's cute. Friends can be cute, right? 

I slipped out of bed, going for one of the drawers in Ari's bedroom. I probably should've asked, but yolo. 

"Dude, what are you doing?" Ari questioned, finally somewhat awake and noticing my hands rummaging through her drawers. I didn't vocally answer her, and instead pulled out a pair of comfy shorts and threw it towards the sleepy human, landing perfectly on her face. I bursted into hysterical giggles, but stopped when my head suddenly collided with a pillow that Ari hurled at me. 

Once Ari had her shorts on, she and I walked down the stairs together, welcomed with the wondrous aroma of a home cooked breakfast. Mia, who also covered her ass with a pair of shorts, sat at the kitchen table eating and drinking a cup of coffee. 

"Morning Ate," Ari smiled and headed for one of the cupboards. 

(translation: older sister)

"I would ask you if you slept well, but as I already saw, you did," Mia teased, a snarky grin on her face as she sipped the hot liquid from a yellow mug. 

Ari looked at her sister with a raised brow, handing me a plate, "what are you talking about?" 

I looked at Mia with pleading eyes, shaking my head. She got the picture and dismissed it, "nothing." 

I wasn't exactly sure at the moment why I didn't want Mia to tell Ari how she caught her little sister sprawled across my body, but I guessed I was scared of Ari's reaction. I don't know if she'd find it uncomfortable or awkward. She only spent time with guys, and maybe she always cuddled with Ashton, Michael or Calum too? The thought of it brought my mood down a little, and I pushed it out of my head. 

As I piled several of the breakfast items on my plate, I sat down across from Ari and dug into the food. We ate in silence, a sign that the both of us were really hungry. 

"Where's mom?" Ari asked, looking to her sister. 

"Out," Mia stated.

"Oh sis, please, don't be so specific," Ari sarcastically replied, an unamused expression on her face. 

"Sorry little one, she didn't say," Mia shrugged. I gazed at her, noticing how she never once changed her view from the food to Ari. It was as if Mia was trying to avoid looking her sister in the eye. Was she hiding something? I decided not to think about it; it was none of my business anyway. 

My pocket buzzed, and I slipped my hand into the tight compartment, pulling out my phone. I received a text message from an unknown number and swiped the screen. The message opened up. There was no text and instead were three photographs. I examined the dark, blue-tinted photos, only to realize that these were candids of both Ari and I. 

Obviously taken last night because the photos show Ari talking to me, and helping my jello-like body into her house. I would be lying if I said I wasn't creeped out because I was beyond it - I was a little scared. What the hell was this? Pretty Little Liars? Was "A" coming to get me? Just then, my phone received another message, only this time with text.

From: Blocked - 9:26AM
Stay away from Ari. You're not worth her time.

//

Who ships ARKE? Cuz I do! Aren't they so cute? Minus the drinking & driving part, because that's dumb shit and Luke shouldn't be doing that stuff. Besides that, sleepy cuddles with Luke sound like a nice time. Also, sleeping with no pants on is the way to go LOL

Hope you're all enjoying this story so far. If you are, please VOTE, COMMENT, and SHARE it with all your friends. Let's try to get this story to 5K? Yea? Thanks again for reading my story! Love you all! <33