ARI WOKE UP to the soft hum of her sleep playlist still playing in the background. Her body felt rested, but the weight of everything that happened yesterday still sat heavy on her chest. She glanced at her phone on the bedside table, dreading what she might see.
Missed messages. From DD.
She sighed, swiping them away without reading, still not ready to face him after last night. Instead, she dragged herself out of bed and got dressed, throwing on some joggers and a loose t-shirt. She tied her hair back and walked downstairs to grab something to eat, hoping that some food would at least take her mind off things for a while.
As soon as she stepped into the kitchen, Kay was there, already leaning against the counter, munching on a bagel. He looked up when she entered, eyebrows raised. "You cool?" he asked, tone casual but observant.
Ari shrugged, trying to avoid his eyes as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. "Yeah, I'm good."
Kay didn't push her, just nodded and went back to his food. "Aight, well if you need me, I'm here. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, I know," Ari muttered, not really wanting to talk. She sat down at the table, quietly sipping her juice and letting her mind wander. Last night's fight with DD still replayed in her head, over and over again.
DD'S POV .ᐟ 9:20 pm
The day after the argument felt heavy for DD. His mind kept flashing back to Ari's face—how hurt she looked when he yelled at her. He couldn't get it out of his head, and it made his chest tight every time he thought about it.
He stared down at his phone, scrolling through the unanswered messages he'd sent her. His gut told him she was still mad, and part of him wasn't ready to face the fallout. Why'd I act like that? He shook his head, frustrated with himself.
"Man, I gotta fix this," he muttered under his breath, getting up from his bed. He threw on a hoodie and jeans, ready to head out and clear his head. Maybe he'd hit the block, link with Ddot & Notti, figure out a plan for what to say to her.
But as he stepped outside, he felt the weight of the situation settle in deeper. He knew he couldn't leave it like this. He had to apologize to Ari—but he needed to find the right way to do it.
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