What They Recovered | discontinued

Chapter Four

picture of jai and luke luca above, played by the brooks wtwins

    A bright light seared my eyes, forcing me to open them and wake up. I opened my eyes only to be met with more bright light. I groaned and slumped my head back down onto the pillow. I shifted in discomfort. I need to get a new mattress. I shifted again. Groggily, I realized that it wasn't the mattress I was laying on. It was the floor. 

    I slowly opened my eyes again. It was probably going to be a long day and a head start never hurt. I rolled my head over only to have my face mere centimeters away from Ariana Brooks' gorgeous face. I forced myself not to panic. I lifted my head and looked around. Lola and Jai were sprawled on our pull out couch. Jai was lying half off the mattress. Lola was curled up in a ball. My eyes searched for Cameron and Zara to no avail. They were gone.

    And then I started hearing something. It sounded like- of course. 

    I lay my head back down with a thunk, trying to drown out the sounds. I was already getting pissed with Cameron. First, he invites the girl I have feelings for who doesn't even remember me over for a party. Second, he hooks up with her best friend during the party, leaving me alone with Ariana. Third, he just makes us fall asleep in the small living room to have sex with Ariana's best friend in the morning! 

    Sex sounds are not my chosen alarm clock. 

   Ariana shifted in her sleep. She snuggled deeper into my side. My eyes grew as round as saucers and my jaw dropped. Ariana and I were spooning. Or cuddling, whichever you prefer. I was lying on my back, my arm outstretched. Ariana was using that arm as a pillow, lying on her side. My free arm was lying on the dip of her waist. Her leg was strung over mine. 

    Of course I froze. I probably resembled a statue. 

    A few moments later, Ariana let out a soft yawn. Her eyelids fluttered before they opened. Her face mirrored mine- in complete shock. Her mouth opened into a small o. 

   "Hey," I said lamely. I tried a grin at her. The corners of her mouth quirked up. 

    She took a moment to rub the sleep out of her eyes. Ariana took her head off of my arm, leaning on her elbow instead as she took in our surroundings. "Sam?" She finally spoke. Her voice was quiet. 

    "Yeah?" I breathed out. I was too busy thinking how beautiful she looked in the morning. I could get used to waking up with her by my side. 

    "What time is it?" 

    I shrugged. I took my phone out of my pocket. "Nearly 9:30." 

    She opened her mouth to reply, but shut it quickly when the, um, sounds began again. Her face filled with utter horror. Ariana adorably covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. 

    "Sam, I am so so sorry for my best friend's behavior," She whispered. I flickered her forehead, teasingly. She took a hand from her face and smiled at me.

    "It isn't your fault. Cameron's just a hornbag," I told her with a grin. 

    She laughed softly. "So is Zara." 

    "It's too early for this," I whispered with a smile. Ariana nodded her agreement. I thought something over in my head, biting my bottom lip. My eyes flickered down to Ariana who was looking at me still. Waiting for me to say something.

    "Something tells me that you think everything over before you say it," She said quietly. Ariana looked thoughtful, her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed. She was trying so hard to remember something about me. My heart broke for her all over again. 

    I wanted to ask her if she wanted to get something to eat with me. I had a good excuse too. We were the only ones up, Lola and Jai were still asleep, Luke and Peyton had left early last night, and Zara and Cameron were busy. We had nothing to do and weren't going back to sleep. Might as well get breakfast right?

    But she had a boyfriend. She didn't remember me. I was just a stranger to her. One who had had a huge crush on her in high school. One that agreed to be her fake boyfriend because he wanted to know her and that was his only excuse. One who screwed things up with her in high school because she deserved better than him. One who fell in love with all those years ago.

    One who still loved her. But she had a boyfriend and I didn't matter to her anymore. 

    Ariana Brooks wasn't mine anymore. She had a boyfriend who she was in love with. Who was in love with her. Who gave her the world and I couldn't. She didn't need a boy who didn't know where he was going, who had held his love for her through these years when he became a stranger to her again. 

    So without a word, I gently pushed away from her. Without looking at her, I got up and walked away. I went to my room and quickly changed into new clothes. I grabbed my keys from the nightstand. I was already opening the door of the apartment when she spoke again.

    "Sam?" Her voice was gentle with confusion. 

    Ariana sat on the living room floor. Her shirt was wrinkled from sleep. A side effect from tossing and turning, her shorts had ridden up her thighs. She must've taken her ponytail out when I was changing. Her brown hair fell past her shoulder's framing her face. A lock of her hair fell in front of her face. I wanted to push it behind her ear. 

    But I was still Sam Wilkinson. And she was Ariana Brooks.

And we weren't like that anymore.

    "Tell Cameron I'll be home later," Was all I said. 

    I didn't look back when I walked out. 

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*sigh* what the heck, sam? just when he and ariana were having a moment :( but props to him for being a good guy through it all and pushing away his feelings for ariana bc she has a boyfriend. speaking of her boyfriend, maybe clayton will be in more upcoming chapters... ;)

i'm already working on the next update, which will hopefully go up tomorrow or later today. hope you enjoyed this one!

xoxo,

    MikailaxRyan