𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄

14 ꨄ .

!¡  /  #  omniscient pov 🌆
             ★ 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 , 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒓𝒌 ★
8:07 Am

IT WAS STILL early in the morning, but DD hadn't slept at all. He'd been up all night, replaying his argument with Ari in his head, wondering how he could apologize. Considering everything she'd been through and the stress she'd been under, he should've just explained himself instead of getting frustrated and yelling. They both had their own issues, and he regretted letting one small thing make him lash out like that.

He knew he couldn't stay in bed forever. He had to talk to Ari before she cut him off completely. Ignoring his texts and calls was just the first step. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, yawning. He walked to the bathroom, turned on the shower, and started brushing his teeth, planning to wash his face once he got in.

He was anxious, overwhelmed. The overthinking had his nerves on edge, making him wonder if she would even accept his apology. He just hoped he could make things right. It had to work out, right? He was her first, after all.

57 MINUTES LATER, DD was out of the shower and drying off. He pulled on a black Essentials hoodie and sweatpants set, finished off with black Air Forces. After rubbing CeraVe moisturizer on his face, he headed downstairs. He wasn't hungry—not with the weight of Ari's anger hanging over him. He grabbed his keys and phone and walked out to his black Trackhawk.

He plugged her address into the GPS and drove there.

9 MINUTES LATER, he arrived. He took a deep breath, gathering the courage to get out of the car and knock on the door. He opened the door, stepped out, and walked to the front. He knocked three times before finally hearing her voice.

After thinking about it all night, he finally heard it. She meant more to him than any other girl he'd ever been with. Even Crystal. He didn't know what it was, but in such a short time, he had fallen in love with her. She was his world now, and he couldn't lose her.

ARI'S POV .ᐟ
9:13Am

ARI HAD been sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the TV, but she wasn't really watching it. Her mind kept replaying the argument with DD. She hated how it ended, but she didn't know how to fix it. Part of her was still angry, but another part of her missed him. She'd tried to ignore the messages and calls, but it didn't stop the ache in her chest. Every time her phone lit up, she felt torn between giving in or holding her ground.

She heard the knock at the door, three sharp raps that made her stomach drop. She wasn't sure if she was ready to face him, but she couldn't just leave things hanging like this. She stood up, her heart racing as she walked to the door, trying to steady her breath.

When she opened it, there he was. DD, standing in front of her, looking more vulnerable than she had ever seen him. He didn't speak right away, but the look in his eyes told her everything. He was sorry. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the world, his usual confident demeanor replaced with something more raw.

She swallowed, trying to keep herself from breaking down. She wasn't sure if she was ready to hear what he had to say, but the sincerity in his eyes made her want to listen. For a second, neither of them said anything—just stood there, both of them fighting the same battle inside. She wanted to say something, to scream, but all she could do was stare back at him, waiting for him to make the first move.

With one swift motion, Ari pulled DD into a tight hug. It was instinctive, like a reflex she couldn't control. The second her arms wrapped around him, she felt his warmth, the familiar scent of him, and the tension that had built up between them for so long seemed to dissolve in an instant. DD held her back just as fiercely, his arms enveloping her like he was afraid if he let go, she'd disappear. For a moment, neither of them spoke. It was like they both needed to feel the other person, needed to remind themselves that they were still here, still real, and still a part of each other's world.