the life of ariel winters - jim chapman

Chapter 28: sitting & shipping

Ariel's POV

"Man, I'm exhausted." I huff, as I plop myself down on a park bench.

We've been sightseeing for the whole day and I'm so tired. We went to Disneyland and then went out for ice cream. I'm just super wore out and want to go back to sleep.

"Ok, let's go home." Zoe sighs as she sits down beside me on the bench. She gets out her phone and calls three übers to come pick us up. Four in one car and there are twelve of us so it's a perfect fit.

"Uh, it feels like I've been exercising nonstop all day." Dan whines, sitting on the patch of grass in front of the bench.
Dan doesn't leave his house much, if you can't tell. Phil walks over and sits down beside him, pulling Dan's head so it's on his lap. He then proceeds to start playing with his hair. Honestly, they are relationship goals.

"When are the übers going to get here?" Connor asks, taking a sip from his cappuccino. Troye and Tyler were with us but they left. So it's a perfect 12.

"Twenty minutes." Zoe sighs. The street lights flicker on since it's getting dark and the rest of our gang come and sit down by the bench.

"Let's play a game." Joe says, panning his vlogging camera around the circle we have made.

"What game? I don't want to play anything childish like, Truth Or Dare, or Spin the Bottle. Just a fun, quick, easy game that can end in twenty minutes." Marcus says, leaning on his hands.

I second that. I don't want to play truth or dare because what are we in? Seventh grade?

"Fine. How about we play, I don't know who we ship each other with. Someone will be picked to be the person and we have to go around in a circle with everyone saying who they ship that person with, with another person in the circle. That's fairly easy. And I mean, it can be any two people." Joe winks at the last part. Ok, I guess that sounds kind of fun. "Oh, and you have to say why, too!" Joe yells, like he doesn't know that we're all right here and that he doesn't have to yell.

"I just got a message from the über company. They said it will take an hour for them to get here since the traffic from some parade is so bad. Looks like we'll be playing this game longer than expected." Zoe says, putting her phone back into her pocket.

"Okay, we will start with me since I came up with the idea." Joe rushes, his eyes filled with excitement.

"Ugh, fine." I groan.

"Ok, I ship Joe with myself, personally. Jaspar is real." Caspar, sitting right next to Joe because we are going in order, laughs. Everyone agrees.

"Do we even need to do Caspar's since we all know who we're going to pick?" Jim asks, getting excited since it's his turn next.

"Ok, well I personally ship Jim with Ariel." Chai laughs, looking back forth at us. Everyone starts awwing and agreeing.

"Yes, Arim is my OTP." Dan nudges my knee, wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner. I shake his hand off and roll my eyes, laughing. I wish Arim could come true.

Yes, my petty little crush is no longer a crush on the one and only Jim Chapman. I actually think I may love him. I'm not in love with him but I know I love him. This was the feeling that was pulling me back from having sex with Chad that first night. This was the feeling that made me think I loved Chad because I thought I felt it towards him, but no I've had it all wrong.

That day when Jim helped me even though he was mad at me, I felt it. I felt it growing, if that makes sense. I didn't fully understand the feeling until I was laying there on Jim's lap, letting him play with my hair. I love Jim Chapman.

I love the man who has always been there for me, whether it was fixing my computer, or giving me advice, or just being there to comfort me. He has stuck by me through my worst times and I can't be more grateful. He has kept my secret and words can't express just how much I appreciate this man.

Jim looks at me, a faint little blush on his cheeks. I smile at him and he smiles back. So this is love? Because it's honestly the greatest feeling ever.

~•~•~

We joked around and laughed so much while we waited for the übers. After we finished the shipping game, we just talked about random subjects that came to mind. It didn't really matter that we were sitting in a park in the dark, what mattered was how much we enjoyed each other's company. We all laughed so hard, Louise was practically dying from laughing so hard. It was a great day. I definitely needed it.

When we got back to the hotel and everyone said their goodbyes as we parted ways to our rooms, Jim gave me a goodnight kiss on the cheek. It may seem like a nice, sweet gesture to you but let me tell you, I may have stayed up all night thinking about what that kiss could've meant. Did he mean it in a platonic way? Or was there something more behind it? Oh, this is so frustrating. If this is what people have to deal with when they fall in love, I send my love because it's miserable. All the cute little things that we did out of habit when I was just crushing, I'm reassessing what they could mean. I'm that fat deep into the deep hole I've dug myself into.

Uh, Jim Chapman, what are you doing to me?
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A/N

Omg please don't kill me . Yes this is super late and I know I'm so sorry !! But i think I'm getting back into the groove of things :)

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