Unexpected Love

14

<< Time skip to a month>>

Ari's POV:

It has been a month since y/n has been in NYC, and I just want to cancel my mini tour and go be with him.I am in hair and makeup, getting ready for my little secret session with my fans where I'll sing some songs from my new album and my discography."So, how are things going with you and y/n since being apart?" Alyx asked as he applied the finishing touches."It's been tough lately," I admitted, feeling a lump in my throat. "Our schedules have been conflicting, so we barely have time to talk on the phone. It's getting frustrating."Alyx gave me a sympathetic look. "Long-distance is never easy, especially with both of you being so busy. But you two have a strong connection. You'll get through this."I nodded, trying to stay positive. "I know. I just miss him so much. It's hard to focus on anything else."Before I could say more, my manager poked her head in the room. "Ari, we're ready for you."I took a deep breath and stood up, smoothing down my outfit. "Thanks, Alyx. Hair is laiiidd today."As I walked towards the stage, the weight of missing y/n pressed heavily on my heart. But I knew I had to put on a brave face for my fans. They deserved the best of me, even if I felt like I was falling apart inside.The crowd was cheering wildly. I stepped up to the mic, taking a deep breath. "Hey guys," I said, my voice slightly wavering. "Is it okay if I slow things down a little bit? I just miss my boyfriend and I'm feeling a little down today."The crowd cheered even louder, their support warming my heart.

"Thank you," I smiled, wiping a stray tear from my cheek. "This next song is really special to me. I hope you guys like it."

The show went well, and my fans' enthusiasm was infectious. But as soon as it was over, the emptiness returned. I retreated to my dressing room, sinking into a chair and pulling out my phone. There were no new messages from y/n, and I felt a pang of disappointment.

I stared at his contact photo, contemplating whether to call him or wait for him to reach out. My finger hovered over the call button, but I hesitated. Would he even have time to talk?Just as I was about to put my phone away, it buzzed with a text. 

*iMessage*

Babyyyy 😘: "Thinking about you. Miss you more than words can say. Call me when you can. "

A rush of relief washed over me, and I quickly dialed his number. The phone rang twice before he picked up."Hi my honey," his voice came through, sounding equally tired and happy to hear from me."Hiii Babyyy," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I miss you so much.""I miss you too," he replied. "How was your session?""It went well," I said, a small smile forming. "But it's not the same without you.""I know," he sighed. "Just a little longer, okay? We'll get through this.""Yeah," I said softly, feeling a bit better. "Just a little longer."We talked for a while, catching up on our days and reassuring each other that we would make it through this rough patch. It wasn't the same as being together, but hearing his voice brought me some comfort.
"Um, Ari, girl, did you see the tabloids?" Court burst through the door, her face flushed with urgency."No, why?" I asked, my heart sinking at the look on her face."Why is y/n being spotted with Saweetie?" Courtney said, her voice tinged with rage and disbelief.My stomach dropped, and my mind raced as I tried to process what Courtney had just said. "What do you mean spotted with Saweetie?" I asked, my voice trembling.Courtney thrust her phone towards me, showing a tabloid article with pictures of y/n and Saweetie together, laughing and looking a little too comfortable. The headline read: "Y/N Spotted Cozying Up with Saweetie in NYC."I felt a mix of emotions surge through me—anger, betrayal, sadness. "This has to be some kind of misunderstanding," I muttered, more to myself than to Courtney. "He wouldn't do this."Courtney sat down next to me, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You need to talk to him, Ari. Clear things up."Nodding, I grabbed my phone and called y/n. The phone rang for what felt like an eternity before he picked up."Hey, baby," he answered, sounding cheerful. "What's up?""Y/n, I just saw some pictures of you with Saweetie. What's going on?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady.There was a moment of silence on the other end before he responded. "Ari, it's not what it looks like. Saweetie and I ran into each other at an event, and we just caught up. That's all.""Then why does it look like you're all over her?" I snapped, unable to hold back my frustration."I swear, it wasn't like that," he insisted. "You know how the tabloids twist things. Please, believe me.""I want to believe you, y/n, but this isn't easy. We're already struggling with the distance, and now this..." My voice broke slightly, but I tried to stay composed."I know, baby. I'm sorry. I should have been more careful," he said, his voice filled with regret. "Can we talk about this later? I want to explain everything.""No, y/n, we need to talk about this now," I replied firmly. "I can't just ignore this and pretend everything's fine."He sighed heavily. "Ari, I'm at work right now. I can't have this conversation here. Can we please talk later when I can explain properly?""No," I said, my frustration boiling over. "I need answers now, y/n. I deserve that much.""You're being unreasonable," he snapped back. "I'm telling you it was nothing, and you're blowing it out of proportion.""Unreasonable?" I repeated, my voice rising. "You don't get to tell me I'm being unreasonable when you're the one caught up in these pictures. How do you think it makes me feel to see you with another girl while we're already struggling with the distance?""This is exactly why I didn't want to talk about it now," he shot back. "You're not even giving me a chance to explain.""Maybe because I'm tired of excuses," I retorted. "If you really cared, you would make time for this conversation.""Ari, I can't do this right now," he said, his tone final. "I have to go I will call you later."Before I could respond, he hung up, leaving me staring at my phone in disbelief. My hands were shaking, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes.Courtney pulled me into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Ari. This isn't fair to you."I nodded against her shoulder, feeling a mixture of anger and heartbreak. "I just don't know what to do anymore," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I thought he was different.""We'll figure it out," Courtney said softly. "You don't have to go through this alone."As I clung to her, I knew she was right. But the path ahead felt more uncertain than ever.

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Y/n's POV:

"Fuck" I say to myself mad at what just happened. 

I slammed my phone down on the table, frustration boiling over. Despite just wrapping up a late-night session in the studio with SZA, I felt far from accomplished. Instead, I was consumed by worry and anger.I tried calling Ari multiple times, desperate to explain the situation and reassure her that there was nothing going on between me and Saweetie. But each call went unanswered, adding to my mounting frustration.With a heavy sigh, I scrolled through my contacts and dialed Courtney's number, hoping she might be able to shed some light on the situation. But when she picked up, I was met with the same hostility I had encountered with Ari."Courtney, please, just hear me out," I pleaded, my frustration evident in my voice. "I swear, it's not what it looks like. Saweetie and I ran into each other at an event, and we just caught up. That's all.""I don't want to hear your excuses, y/n," Courtney snapped. "Ari is devastated right now, and I don't blame her. How could you do this to her?""I didn't do anything, Courtney," I insisted, feeling a surge of frustration. "I know how it looks, but I promise you, there's nothing going on between me and Saweetie. I love Ari, and I would never do anything to hurt her.""Actions speak louder than words, y/n," Courtney shot back. "And right now, your actions are speaking volumes. Ari deserves better than this."My heart sank at Courtney's words. I knew she was right, but I felt powerless to change the situation. "I'm trying to fix this, Courtney," I said, my voice strained with emotion. "I just need Ari to listen to me, to give me a chance to explain.""I don't know if she's ready to hear what you have to say," Courtney replied, her tone softening slightly. "But you need to figure it out, y/n. You can't just leave things like this."I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair in frustration. I knew Courtney was right, but I didn't know how to fix things. All I could do was keep trying to reach Ari, keep trying to make her understand that I loved her and that I would do whatever it took to make things right.

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