Complete Mess; C.H.

1.

I had always dreamed of being 18.
Old enough to vote.
Not be in high school.
Be old enough to go off on your own.

But what people didn't tell you, it is the most confusing time in your life.
One could say a complete mess.

Aria's Pov.

Here I am, finally graduating. The principal calls my name, and I look out in search of my brother.
Nowhere.
I can't help but feel a little disappointed.
If Ashton wasn't here, then the rest weren't either.
I walk off stage and sit next to Max who was fanning herself with the program.

"Hey you think this lame shit gonna end soon, I could go for a bowl and some Taco Bell rn" she whispers to me. The chic next to us gives a weird look, so I return the energy.
"Ya this is a shit show, wanna dip out?" I say. Her eyes widen like she'd seen a ghost.
"You're kidding right," she says.
"I'm dead serious," I say.
She looks out at her parent who had shown up for her.
Mine is always away on business, so I wasn't expecting them. I forget sometimes that Max has things to lose in situations like this.
She reaches out her hand.
"My mom's gonna fucking kill me," she says and we start to sneak out of the crowd.
It wasn't hard considering there are thousands of students.

I pull throw a taco bell.
I see Max loading a bowl in the passenger seat. She leans over me to order and then goes back to what she was doing.
I pull up to the park after getting our food, max passes me the bowl.
We sit there giggly when my phone starts ringing off the hook.
I see Ashton's picture pop up I roll my eyes.
"Look who it is," I say. Max rolls her eyes.
"Here we go" she jokes.

"Hello," I say putting him on speaker.
"Arianna, tell me you didn't ditch your graduation," he says with a stern voice.
We both start cracking up.
"Aria this isn't fucking funny, where are you," he said.
"I'm at Taco Bell, not like it matters, what are you gonna make me go home. Not like you can, where are you anyway since you couldn't make it to my graduation" I ramble.
I hear a tap on the window, I look to my left and see Calum.
"Fuck you scared me," I say.
"Ashton told me to make sure you get home"
I pick the phone back up.
"Are you seriously now sending people after me, Ashton I'm 18, fucking loosen your grip" I yell.
"How are you even here and he's not?" I ask Calum.
"Luke and I left a day early and then Ashton's flight got canceled," he says calmly.
"Damn y'all are fried asf, too bad I didn't pull up 10 minutes earlier" he jokes.
"Are you serious? Calum takes them home. Now" Ashton says on the phone.
"I'm hanging up now," I say.
"CALUM IM SERI" he starts but I hand up before he can finish.
"Neither of you is driving so one of you come to get in with me," Luke says behind Calum.
Max winks at me and opens her door before getting in Luke's car.
I know what that meant.
Max had always had a thing for Luke since max practically lived at our house and Luke practically lived at the house too.
I don't think they've had too many conversations since max was too nervous to say anything.
Now max has a newfound confidence, I doubt anything could stand in her way this time.
"Come on kid, make a move" cal tries to joke.
I move to the passenger side.
"I'm tired of you guys treating me like a kid," I say.
"Ari you know he's just looking out for you, we all are," he says, backing out of the parking lot.
"I miss you," I say. His smile widens.
"Missed ya to Ari"

Calum's pov.
"Why would you ditch graduation Aria, it's once in a lifetime" he sighs.
"No one was there, we got our diplomas and dipped," Ari says leaning back onto the couch.
"I'm sorry I miss your graduation, Ari." He said with a low voice.
"Thank you, now can you stop bitching me out and have a good break, we only have three months before you guys are back on tour." She says a looks around at us.
She had a valid point, the only problem is Ari has no clue that we will be moving after the summer. The thing is, we have gone on tour, but we always came home, here. Now we are getting a place in LA and everything will change.
We'll get Christmas's here if we're lucky.
Ari has changed a lot in this last year of high school.
She's spent a lot of time alone, and by alone I mean with max, Max has influenced her. I don't even recognize her, not in a bad way, just in a SHES grown-up way.
"Hello, Hood," she says snapping in my face to get my attention.
"You wanna watch this movie," she says and shows me her phone, she lays her head on my shoulder watching the trailer intently.
"Looks good," I say and smile. I hadn't focused, she was so excited about it that I wouldn't have said no either way.
She runs to the kitchen to grab the popcorn.
She jumps back onto the couch in between me and Max.
She grabs something out of her pocket, and after she had taken it out I noticed it was a dab pen.
"Wanna hit?" She asks.
I smile.
"Don't mind if I do" I joke. She giggles a little.
"Does ash know you smoke?"I ask and look down the couch to Ashton cuddled up drawn to the tv to know.
"What he doesn't know won't kill 'em," she says turning her attention back to the movie.