𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 | ✔️

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

ARABELLA'S POV

It was weird being back in a hotel room. I've been staying with Finn so long it just feels weird to be without him. But he made his choice. He threw everything away to be with Carmen. I can't even get mad because we were never actually dating. It was all fake. Everything was a lie. So why does it matter?

I had troubles sleeping that night too. I had gotten so used to Milo crawling into bed with me then falling asleep on my chest. I wasn't going to be getting that anymore.

Even though I've spent all this time with him, it didn't mean anything. This arrangement was temporary. My feelings however were not.

I met up with Chase and Natalia at the airport. Chase looked angry while Natalia just looked tired.

"Come here, baby." Chase said with his arms opened as I approached him. I hugged him back.

I was going to miss that too. Chase practically raised Natalia and I. They were both distraught when I left for LA when I was 19. Now I was leaving them again.

"I'll never talk to Finn again." Chase said. "I should've listened to you."

I shook my head as I left his grasp.

"No, no, no." I said, "He didn't do anything wrong."

"What do you mean?" Natalia joined in in the conversation. "He literally cheated on you."

"No, it was all fake." I admitted. Chase and Nat looked confused.

"What do you mean?" Chase asked.

"We had to fake a relationship." I explained. "None of it was real. He was also just hanging out with Carmen as a friend."

I looked down and tried my best bot to cry. Even the sound of his name brought back all those memories. I sat down.

"You don't look too excited that it's over." Natalia said, sitting beside me.

"Yeah." I sighed.

"Why don't you go to him?" Chase suggested. "You know just leave and go back to him?"

"I don't know. I feel like he would've called or something if he wanted me back." I said, "I bet he's just happy to get me out of his hair."

"Arabella?" I heard someone call my name after I finished my sentence. I turned and saw Phoebe approaching me.

"Hey Pheebs." I said.

"Can we talk for a bit?" She asked. Rubbing her arm.

"Oh yeah of course." I said. Phoebe smiled and nodded.

"Okay, come." She said as she started to walk away. I was unsure where she was going but I followed her anyways.

"You're coming with me." Phoebe said, still walkin.

"Huh?!" I said.

"You are coming with me." She repeated.

"Pheebs, my flight leaves in 30 minutes."

"Whatever, I was sent here to come grab you and take you... somewhere."

"Pheebs, that's kidnapping."

"Not if it's for a good cause." She smiled as she grabbed my wrist. "Now let's go."

I rolled my eyes and left with her. I was still reluctant to leave New York so I guessed I could take the extra day to hang out with Phoebe.

She brought me into a dark parking lot and then opened the passenger door to let me into her car. The entire car ride was just me trying to figure out what she was up to but everytime I asked she would turn up the foo fighters and deftones music she listening up louder.

"Phoebe where are we going?!"

"What?!"

"Phoebe!"

"Sorry I can't hear over the sweet, sweet sound of Chino Moreno!" She said turning up her music louder. "WE DISCOVER THE ENTRY TO OTHER PLANES!"

"PHOEBE!" I tried to scream over her.

"STAY WITH ME!" She screamed even louder. "AS WE CROSS THE EMPTY SKIES!"

"UGH!"

And that was pretty much the first 5 minutes.

It turns out our destination was Central Park.

"Pheebs, why are we here?" I asked. She smirked.

"You'll see." She said, unlocking the doors.

"You're scaring me."

"Just go unless you wanna hear me scream the lyrics to Breakout by The Foo Fighters."

"Bye Pheebs." I said walking out.

I didn't know where to go exactly so I just sat down on the closest bench. It was pretty but boring. The sun was still rising and you could see it peeking out from some of the trees. I was upset to be leaving all of this. New York is my home. I almost forgot all about LA.

There were many things about my old life I was starting to forget. Like how before I came here, I wanted to retire from modeling. I was done with the crazy diets and my mom making everything worse. I need time to rest and do some crazy travelling. I still want to retire, I just don't know if I want to travel or do other things. Like go back to Finn and tell him how feel. I want to stay at his weird apartment with Milo. Maybe even one day raise a family. I just want to spend the rest of my existence with him and I don't even know why.

"Hey Strawberry." Speak of the fucking devil.

I looked up and saw Finn standing awkwardly beside the bench I was at. Looking as cute as ever.

"Hey muffin."

"Mind if I sit here?"

"Yes, I do actually." I said, sarcastically. Finn playfully shook his his head and sat down beside me.

"Too bad." He said. "I don't feel like moving."

I smiled at the sense of déjà vu I was getting. But it slowly faded when I remembered that I still had to leave.

"So." I sighed.

"So." Finn copied me.

"Why did Phoebe bring me here?" I asked. "I know you have something to do with it."

"I do." Finn said, turning towards me. "I love you."

I was blown away by his sudden words.

"W-What?"

"I love you." He repeated. "I don't want you to go back to LA. I don't want you on the other side of the country."

My eyes widened.

"Finn..." I started. "I have to."

"No you don't, Ari." Finn stood up bringing me with him.

"I love you Arabella Stone. I don't even know what to do with myself around you. You make me feel like I'm in some 90s romcom, which is stupid and makes me sound like a teenage girl and I—"

I kissed him before he could continue to ramble on. We have kissed many times but this one felt different, because this one was real. We didn't need anyone to notice or look or anything. It was just us and I loved it.

"I'm not going to LA." I said, parting from our kiss.

"Why not?" He asked, rhetorically. I laughed.

"I love you, Muffin." I said. Resting my head on his.

"I love you, Strawberry. More than anything."