• Chapter Four •

Ariel

Snow is falling steadily outside, dusting the roads and sidewalks in a light, white blanket. Winter has always been my favorite time of year. The pure white snow brings back a little bit of innocence lost to the world. It covers the impurities of the dirt and grime on the road, giving me a sense of purity as I gaze out the window at the snow shower. It's almost midnight, and no one else has paid a visit to the shop except for Hoodie Boy. My mind circles around the thought of the ten dollar tip he left for me. Although he seemed rude, he still cared enough to leave it for me. Either way, he was still rude, I think to myself.

I pull out my phone and text my brother Brody, telling him that I'm ready to go home. He responds almost immediately and says he'll be here in a few minutes. I start to lock everything and make sure all the machines are turned off and cleaned. I see our little red car pull up outside, Brody and Zach jumping out and walking up to the door. They burst in laughing and lightly pushing at each other. Zach sees me coming back from the supply closet and eagerly makes his way over to me.

"Hey, little sis!" He ruffles my hair and slings his arm over my shoulder with a goofy grin plastered on his face. I shrug his arm off of my shoulder and roll my eyes, a small smile slowly spreading across my face.

"Hey, stupid. How was practice?" I walk over to the counter and make sure everything is in place, wiping up a wet spot from a cup of water.

"It was good! So, are you ready to head on home?" Brody clears his throat and mimics a girly, high-pitched excited voice. "Mom is making us all fresh cocoa and Matti is going to pick out a movie for us!" He childishly starts bouncing up and down in his spot, his eyes lit with excitement as he tells me each detail. Smiling, I shake my head at his antics and finish wiping down the counter. For a bunch of twenty- two year olds, they sure do act like they're five.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Just have to lock up and clean up the mess you two made on the floor with your boots." I point towards their shoes while delicate, white powder falls to the floor with each turn of their feet.

"Oh, oops. C'mon, Brody, let's go wait in the car." Zach races out the door and not long after so does Brody. Probably thought I was going to make them clean it up themselves. I look towards the mop in the corner of the closet and sigh. They weren't wrong.

I grab the mop and start wiping up the snow. My movements are sluggish and tired, my eyes slowly closing. I open my eyes again and look down at the floor but scream out and drop the mop. I stumble back a few steps and back into a table, gripping the edges as I watch what was once snow turn into blood. I turn and stumble my way towards the door. I push hard on the handle and tumble out, barely able to catch myself from face-planting into the snow.

"Whoa, whoa! Ari, what's happening?" Brody runs over and grips my shoulders, pulling me up to look at him. Zach runs to look inside the shop. I look up at Brody in a daze, then turn back towards the shop. I slowly walk towards the door and look inside.

"Th-there was b-blood on th-the floor." My voice is shaky and broken, my chest heaving for air as I try to get the words out. I point to where the mop lays, my body shaking as I try to decipher between the two realities. Brody pulls me close to him, hugging me as Zach goes in to inspect the place. My body shakes and shivers. Tears start running down my freezing cold cheeks. Zach walks over to the mop and picks it up, shaking his head when he looks at the floor.
"There's nothing here but snow, Ari." He walks back over to us and gently places his hand on my shoulder, sending a worried glance towards Brody.

"What happened in there?" Brody says as he and Zach both look at me, concern and worry penetrating me through their eyes. I pull away from Brody and slowly walk back into the shop, bending down to pick up the abandoned mop. They were right, it's just snow on the floor. I place a hand on my forehead and glance around, a headache starting to pound against my skull.

"I, uh, there was blood on the floor." I point to the spot where the snow is now melted and just a puddle of water takes its place. Zach walks over to me and pulls me to his side while Brody finds a towel to clean up the watery mess. My eyes scan the room for any more blood. I place a hand on my forehead. My mind is rushing as I try to fight past the confusion of what just happened. "I thought for sure..." My words are only a whisper as I continue to glance around the room.

Zach grips my shoulders and turns me toward himself, dragging my attention away from the room and forcing my focus onto him. Leaning down to look me in the eye, he stares at me with concern. Since I am shorter than him, his eyes are level with my forehead as he leans over me. He comfortingly rubs my shoulders and glances around again, "Ariel, have you—" He blinks his eyes hard for a split second, concern washing over his features as he turns to glance over at Brody. "Have you been taking your medicine?" Disbelief is evident in his voice, as well as disappointment.

I must have looked like a deer caught in headlights because he soon frowned and shook his head. He straightens to his full height, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes closed. I look up at him wide eyed then turn to look at Brody. They're wearing the same expressions. Disappointment, anger, pity, worry, all of it. It's too much.

"No...I...haven't been." I wrap my arms around myself and look to the floor, avoiding looking over at the now cleaned spot.

"Ari, you know what Mom said. You can't skip taking your pills!" Brody pulls one of the chairs out and sits down in frustration. Zach does the same and then leans to rest his elbows against his knees and run his fingers through his hair.
Zach looks up at me. "How long?" He asks as he stares at me. His face hardens, and he casts his gaze back to the floor while running a hand over his face.

"How long what?" I look towards him in confusion, tightening my grip around myself when I glance back over to the spot.

"How long has it been since the last time you took your meds?" He looks back up at me, his eyes looking a little misty. I bite my bottom lip and awkwardly shift on my feet. Looking anywhere but at him.

"About two weeks."

"Why?" Brody jumps up from his seat and looks over at Zach in astonishment. Zach stares up at me with wide eyes and his mouth slightly ajar. I shrug my shoulders slightly.

"I didn't think I needed them." I gaze down at the floor and awkwardly scrape my foot across the tiles.

"Yeah, you didn't think." Brody mutters angrily, moving towards me to gently grab my shoulders, anchoring me to where I stand.

"Why would you want to risk throwing yourself off like that? Risk triggering yourself into another reaction—like what you just experienced, but worse?" My body tenses, my heart beginning to race and my vision blurs as tears fill my eyes again. My lip quivers as I try to formulate an answer past the lump in my throat.

"I-I—" Guilt overwhelms me as I consider his words.

"Do you know how we would feel if something happened to you? If you fell off the edge again, and we would assume your medicine isn't helping anymore? You could have been put on something else, something that has the potential to not work at all. Then what? We wouldn't know because you weren't honest with us." He looks at me, disappointment deep in his eyes. His hold on me tightens the longer he lectures me, the pain sending me in another whirlwind of fear and panic. I flinch away from his stern voice, squeezing my eyes closed tightly. It's not him. Don't freak out. It's not him.

Zach places a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, calm down!" Brody whips around and shoves his hand off.

"Don't tell me to calm down, Zach."

"I wouldn't have to if you weren't acting like this!" They glare at each other, both of them turning red with anger. I feel my body start shaking even more, flashbacks of that night hitting me hard as they argue even more. I take a deep breath, closing my eyes for a second as I prepare to say what's on my mind.

"You seem to be forgetting," I say as they both turn towards me, their shoulders slumping slightly but still ready to fight. "That I was the one it happened to. Not you two, not Matti, not Mom. Me. So yes, I do realize what could have happened, but I took the chance anyway. Because if I don't at least try to move on, to forget about it, it'll stick with me. I don't want that. I don't want to ever have that." I look up at them as tears start pouring down my cheeks again.

"Oh, Ari. I'm so sorry." Brody rushes over to me and pulls me into a hug, "I-I'm so sorry." He hugs me tightly, almost too tightly. But even then, I welcome it. Zach soon joins in, hugging me from the side Brody wasn't taking up.

They both finally pull away after what felt like a two- minute hug, and Brody takes hold of my hand, gently gripping it in his. "Let's go home now, yeah?" I nod softly and use my other hand to wipe away my tears.

"Yeah."

~•~

                         • Author's Note. •

Updated note!

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(Due to chapter changes, the old notes may not make sense...😂)

Awwweeee I forgot how cute this chapter is ❤️❤️ And she finally knows his name!! Eeeppp!!

Another happy Friday! I just made three pumpkin pies, which was only supposed to be two but I ended having enough filling for a third! So I'm definitely in a good mood. Plus, I'm supposed to get pizza later so double awesome!

What're you guys having for supper?

I say supper 'cause I'm a country girl 😂😂

Song added: One Sweet Love
By: Sara Bareilles ❤️

So if you haven't noticed it yet, the chapters are getting longer and they will be staying that way! It's a definite change in length, so I hope you're excited about that too! Most of my chapters from here on out will have an average of 2,500-4,000 words to them, even 5,000 sometimes! I tried my best to write more so the chapters aren't as short, yay!! ❤️❤️

THAT SUPERNATURAL S13 EPISODE 2 WAS SO GREAT OMG EXCUSE ME WHILE I FANGIRL HERE

Okay I'm done 😂😂

Don't forget to Vote, Comment, Share, and Follow me! 😘😘❤️❤️

                             Much Love,
                                ~Molly

Written 10/19/2016