ARI.

I woke up in the morning with a dry throat and a weakened state of mind. But when my eyes fluttered open, they were met with a heartwarming sight that made me smile. With his mouth slightly agape and arms loose around my body, Luke laid peacefully next to me. He was a cute sleeper, a trait I'd never admit out loud because I know he'd never let me live it down. When I squirmed slightly to reposition myself, Luke suddenly grasped onto me tighter. I was stuck and I really needed water to ebb the dryness in my throat. I guessed all the crying really took a toll because when I opened my mouth to wake up the white boy, all that came out was a raspy croak.

"What's wrong with your voice?" Luke pipped up, his eyes still screwed shut. His words were just as raspy as mine and I internally melted from the morning voice. It didn't help either that his normally quiffed hair was flat, making him look more cuddly.

What the hell am I thinking?

"My throat hurts," I told him, wincing from the sting that accompanied my words.

"You sound like you smoke three packs a day," Luke teased. I flicked my middle finger in his face and although his eyes were still closed, he still managed to know my predictable reaction. "I know your middle finger is up."

"Well since you're so good at playing psychic, can you guess what I need right now?" I challenged. Luke's eyes opened and he gazed down at me with a smirk.

"A good morning fúck?" He guessed, snark dripping from his tone. I smacked him in the chest, causing him to giggle.

"You're such a perv," I declared, pushing him away, but Luke continue to hold onto me with a tight grip.

"I'm kidding," he chuckled, "you need water."

"Correct," I confirmed with a satisfied grin. "Hey thanks, by the way, for being there for me. Last night was really tough on me and I'm glad that you were with me. I love you Lucas, you're the bestest friend a girl could ask for."

"Oh, I'm your bestest friend? Ari, I'm so honored," Luke could be so theatrical sometimes it was funny. He smiled at me before loosening up his hold, "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but with you. Ride or die, remember?"

"Ride or die,"

Luke exhaled, finally freeing me from his embrace and sitting up on the bed. After stretching, and me noticing the amount of muscles in his arms, Luke stood up and walked straight for the top drawer in his dresser. He pulled out a pair of grey sweatpants and put them on.

"Want to borrow a pair?" Luke turned around and dangled black sweatpants in the air.

I nodded and he threw them towards me. Surprisingly I was ready that time and I caught them in my hands. After slipping them on, I followed Luke out of his room, down the stairs and into the kitchen. I guessed Mrs. Hemmings knew I was over because when we approached the counter, there were two empty mugs, two plates, two sets of utensils and a note written on a pale yellow card stock.

Luke and Ari,

There's blueberry pancakes on the stove, hot coffee in the maker and fresh fruit and yogurt in the ice box.

Enjoy.

"Your mom loves me," I stated, putting down the note onto the tabletop.

"I think she wants to adopt you," Luke joked, grabbing the large stack of pancakes off of the stove and placing them at the center of the table. "Grab the fruit and yogurt in the fridge, Ari?"

"Sure thing," my voiced cracked again, causing Luke to burst into hysterics. "I'm grabbing a bottle of water too, Lucas."

"Please do. You sound like a little boy hitting puberty," he laughed, distributing pancakes onto each of our plates.

"So I sound like you, then? I don't think your balls have dropped yet," I crossed my arms, shooting Luke a smug, yet satisfied look.

"And bitch Ari is back in the house ladies and gentlemen!" Luke dramatically announced, his arms open wide.

"Thank you, thank you," I mused, taking a bow in the center of the kitchen. Luke and I laughed together, immersing ourselves in the Saturday morning delight that is Ari and Luke mania.

As the both of us happily ate our breakfast-- a meal that tasted like I've been touched by Jesus, I felt my pocket vibrate. I pulled out the phone and glanced at the screen.

From: Mama Quiroz - 9:45AM
Did you still want to have a girls day with Mia today?

To: Mama Quiroz - 9:46AM
I'm down. I'll be home in 30? I'm at a friends house right now.

From: Mama Quiroz - 9:47AM
OK. See you later.

From: Mama Quiroz - 9:47AM
Tell Luke good morning :)

I smiled at the text before stuffing my phone back into my pocket. I looked up at Luke who was engulfing his pancakes and I realized that he ate food like how I ate mine on my period: like a complete barbarian.

"After breakfast can you drop me off at home? I'm gonna hang with my mom and my sister," I explained.

"Sure thing," he nodded, his mouth brimming with the breakfast treats "I have plans with Michael, Ash and Calum anyway."

I narrowed in my eyes and cocked my head in puzzlement, "really? What are you boys up to?"

"Nothing," he shook his head, "don't worry about it."

"Oh come on Luke! You can't not tell me. I thought we were bestest friends?" I reasoned.

"We are but I already promised the guys to keep our shenanigans a secret," he justified. "You'll know about it later. I promise."

"Ugh, if you're going to let me know about it by asking me to accompany you to Planned Parenthood for STD testing or a pregnancy exam, then it ain't happening,"

"We're not gonna go fornicate with dirty whores," Luke confidently stated, raising his brow before a mischievous smile formed on his face, "Calum is a high-class hoe."

I rolled my eyes, laughter escaping my lips. I took a stray blueberry and chucked it at the tall-ass Aussie. He dodged it and instead of grabbing a piece of fruit from his plate like how I expected, his large hands gasped a pancake. Luke hurled the breakfast item straight for my face, hitting my forehead before landing on my lap. Luke was practically rolling on the floor at this time, clutching onto his stomach as his giggles filled my ears.

"That was perfect," he gasped for air, continuing to laugh.

I could've just let him laugh it off, but hell that no fury like an Australian drenched in syrup. My fingers grazed the spouted glass cup that held the sticky condiment and I held onto the handle, taunting Luke with it. When his eyes landed on the glass in my hand, they widened with great intensity as he realized what I was thinking.

"Oh fúck that Ari! You wouldn't dare!" His laughter subsided and instead a wave of worry glazed his face.

"Try me," I smirked, standing up from my chair and slowly approached Luke. He stood from the chair, his body towering over me. He stepped away from me but I stepped forward. Suddenly, he ran away to hide behind the counter.

"Ari put the syrup down!" Luke demanded, holding his arms up in defense.

"Not a chance Hemmings," I snickered, running over to the boy, ready to dump the gooey substance over his blonde hair.

Luke grasped my wrist, attempting to stop my evil plans but I continued my endeavors to syrup my so-called bestest friend. The two of us wrangled around in the kitchen, letting out battle cries every so often. Just when I thought I was going to win this little war, Luke decided to use his fingers to his own advantage - that came out wrong.

He tickled me.

And I fúcking lost it. A fit of giggles spewed out of my mouth as I tried to make him stop, "Lucas stop tickling me!"

"Put the syrup down!" He negotiated.

"Hell no!" I responded, in between the laughter but that only prompted Luke to tickle me harder. I shoved at Luke but that boy knew how to work his fingers - again, that sounds so bad. I laughed, slowly falling to the tiled floor, but not without grabbing Luke's shirt and bringing him down with me. As I landed on the kitchen tiles, Luke landed right on top of me. As our giggles slowly faded into silence, our eyes met and damn were we close.

I could feel his chest rise and fall with mine, just how he was able to do last night. I could feel his warm breath tickle the skin on my face and I swore his head was getting closer and closer towards mine. I could be over reading things but I had this gut feeling that Luke was going to kiss me. And I wasn't so sure if I wanted to kiss him back.

Did I like Luke?

Of course I did. I considered him a close friend and I trusted him wholeheartedly but did I like-like him? I didn't think so. Relationships weren't a priority to me, mainly because I couldn't take the pain of a heartbreak. The amount of sting that shook my heart when my dad died was enough to kill me but somehow I pulled through. Brayson was slowly chipping away at the heart I had leftover and I doubt I could survive a heartbreak, especially if it came from Luke.

As I watched Luke's lips almost graze mine, I did what any scared little girl would do: I dumped syrup all over his head. The moment the sugary, sticky goo met Luke's scalp, his face sprang away from mine.

"Ari!" Luke wined as I laughed at his expense. He shook his hair in my face, the syrup dripping onto my face too. He rubbed his head all over my chest and arms, distributing the syrup all over me.

"Ew, Luke! Stop it!" I pushed Luke away, cueing him to get up off of me. He brandished his arm towards me and took it, using it as an anchor to help me up.

"Sorry, I had to," he justified with a smirk. "Come on, let's to get cleaned up and I'll take you home. You can shower in my bathroom, I'll take the one down here... Unless you wanna save water and time by doing it together?"

I rolled my eyes at his naughty comment, done with his fuckery. He laughed at me, grabbing my arms and pulling me into a hug.

"I'm kidding dude," his chin rested on top of my head, "I already promised Calum I'd shower with him."

"Whatever weirdo,"

//

The weather was perfect for a trip up to Lotus Cove. The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze, making it feel more tolerable to be outside as oppose to melting in the Cali sun. Mia, our mom and I were enjoying a nice lunch at a local Italian place that overlooked the Pacific Ocean. We were seated outside on the deck and we watched as several boats undocked itself and sailed into the sea. I really needed this. Random outings with just the three of us were a rarity and I tried to relish in the moments as they came.

"Anak can I ask you something?" Mom suddenly asked, after taking a sip of her wine.

(translation: child, dear)

"What?" Mia and I responded at the same time.

"Ari," mom started, looking at me which prompted my sister to look back down at her pasta. "Is Luke your boyfriend?"

I almost spat out my iced tea, "what? No way. Why would you ask that?"

"You're always with him and he was very nice to you last night. And I know you spent the night at his house," I opened my mouth to rebuttal, but my mom quickly continued, "don't lie to me."

"Okay fine," I groaned, sinking into my seat, "I did spend the night at his house."

"You what?!" Mia's jaw dropped and her eyes grew wide. "You slut," she dramatically threw her hand to her chest in emphasis before chuckling.

"Nothing happened! I promise you," I insisted. "I knocked out right away and Luke slept on the couch downstairs."

Lies.

My mom had no problem with me being friends with boys - she almost preferred it because she knew how catty girls could be. When my sister was still in high school, she had to deal with so many of them and I refused to be the center of stupid rumors. At the end of the day however, my mom was still traditional in her ways and didn't want me dating till after my education was completed.

"Okay, just as long as you know the consequences of your actions," mom lectured. This was her way of giving me the talk, but I think she was a little too late in the game. Thanks to Coach Carr, I knew that having sex meant getting pregnant and dying.

"So anyway," I said, my tone urging the conversation to sway into a different direction. "Do we want to order dessert?"

"I would recommend the brownie a la mode," a voice rang in our ears unexpectedly and when I turned my head towards the person who sneakily joined our conversation, I was met with a pair of brown eyes behind a pair of black-rimmed glasses and a million dollar smile.

"Reese O'Hara," I announced, surprised to see the pizza boy I thought I'd never see again. "Pleasure to see you again."

"I could say the same," he grinned. He turned to my mom and held out his hand, "hi I'm Reese. I go to school with Mia and I'm also Ari's friend."

"We're not exactly friends, pizza boy," I raised a brow.

"We could be," he suggested, his tone brimming with hope. "Without sounding like a complete creepy stalker, I actually saw you the other night at the Children's Hospital."

"Did you really?"

"Yea, I was finishing up my volunteering hours when I caught sight of you. I was gonna say hey but you seemed distraught," he explained, and I but my lip in embarrassment.

"Oh yea," was all I managed to say. I definitely didn't want to talk about it to Reese, I didn't even know him.

"Look, I gotta go but let's trade numbers and we'll play catchup later?" Reese pulled out his phone from his back pocket and handed it to me.

I stared at it for a while, contemplating whether or not I should give him my number. I felt my mom and Mia's eyes burning holes into my head and reluctantly, I took the device from his hands. I input my number into it and gave it back to him with a small smile. What could it hurt? He was a nice person and he seemed harmless. Reese bid us all a goodbye before I watched him walk away, joining what I assumed were his family at a table across the deck. After a couple of minutes, my pocket vibrated. I grabbed my phone and peeked down at the screen.

From: 714-638-1839 - 12:32PM
Hey Ari it's Reese. About catching up, may I take you out sometime next week?

//

Yay another update because I hit 10K I was inspired to write. Thank you so much for the 10K views guys, it means so much to me and I'm so thrilled about it!! I really hope you liked this chapter and the story so far. Please don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE it with all your friends too!

Thank you again so much for reading this story (and any others of mine). I appreciate it so much and it makes me so happy! Love you! <33