Art Of Resilience

Chapter: Two

Raindrops tapped the windowpane of Ariana’s studio. It was like they were making their own music. The view of the city outdoors was blurred due to the raindrops. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of paint and canvases. The smell where Ariana found her solace. 

Earlier that night, Ariana had discovered herself adrift in a sea of memories and regrets, seeking solace at the lowest of a bottle. The sting of recent wounds had forced her to drive at the edge of carelessness. The burden of expectations and heartache was too heavy for her to bear on her own.

Riley had sensed the storm brewing inside Ariana long earlier than the first drops fell from the sky. She had noticed the remote appearance of Ariana in her eyes, the way her smile faltered at the edges. It turned into why she had lingered longer into that nighttime, why she had followed the faint echoes of laughter mingled with sorrows to a dimly lit bar on the brink of town.

The bar turned into a sanctuary of shadows and whispers, a haven for lost souls who were looking for a shelter of comfort in the dimly lit corners. Riley spotted Ariana a quite long time before, Ariana drowned in the sea of her sorrows and her only refuge was alcohol, a parent for her. The weight of the world etched into each line of her face.

Ariana’s movements were unsteady as she pushed herself far from the bar, her steps moving in an unknown direction. Riley watched her silently, her concern developing with each failed step Ariana took, until sooner or later, Ariana stumbled out into the embrace of the rain soaked streets.

For Ariana, the streets were like a canvas of moving shadows and shimmering reflections, the neon light fixtures bleeding into the darkness like watercolor on wet paper. Ariana wandered aimlessly, lost in a haze of alcohol and introspection, oblivious to the chance lurking at the rims of her blurred vision. 

It happened in the blink of an eye— a screech of tires, the sickening crunch of metal meeting the pavement. Riley’s heart leapt into her throat as she sprinted towards Ariana, her own fears disowned by the primal need to protect, to save.

She reached Ariana just as the headlights bore down, pulling her out of harm's way. The rain poured down around them, as Riley guided the stumbling Ariana to the relative safety of a nearby bus stop. 

“Ariana” Riley breathed, her voice a mixture of relief and reproach. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

Ariana blinked up at her own through a haze of alcohol and confusion, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “I…I don't know”, she admitted hoarsely, the weight of her own morality crashing down around her. “I just…”

“You could have been killed,” Riley interrupted softly, her voice laced with unspoken concern. 

Ariana shook her head mutely, the reality of her own carelessness sinking in with painful clarity. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, tears mingling with the rain on her cheeks. “I'm so sorry.” 

Riley sighed, her anger melting into a wellspring of compassion as she wrapped her arms around Ariana, providing her the comfort she needed in the midst of all the chaos. “Let's get you home,” she murmured, guiding Ariana towards the shelter of her waiting car.

The apartment was a haven of warmth and gentle light, a huge comparison between the chaos going on outside. Ariana sank onto the couch with a heavy sigh, her head spinning with a mighty mix of alcohol and her emotions.

Riley hovered close by, torn between concern and amusement as she got a blanket and a glass of water. “Here, drink this,” she urged gently, handing Ariana the glass.

Ariana accepted it with a shaky hand and took a cautious sip before pulling a face. “Water? Where's the fun in that?” she muttered, her words slightly slurred.

Riley chuckled softly, perching on the edge of the coffee table opposite Ariana.

“Maybe you've had enough fun for one night,” she suggested with a wry smile.

Ariana pouted playfully, her inhibition loosened through the alcohol. “You're no fun,” she declared, wagging a finger in Riley’s direction. “You should loosen up a bit, live a little!”

“Live a little?” Riley echoed, raising an eyebrow. “Says the one who almost got herself run over tonight.”

Ariana’s expressions turned serious for a moment before she burst into giggles. “You saved me though,” she insisted, reaching out to grab Riley’s hand. “My knight in shining armor.”

Riley chuckled again, squeezing Ariana’s hand softly. “I'm simply glad that you're okay,” she murmured, her concern melting into fondness.

Ariana leaned back against the cushions, her eyelids drooping with exhaustion. “You know,” she slurred, her words slowing with each breath, “You're not so bad after all.”

Riley smiled softly, tucking the blanket around Ariana’s shoulders. “Rest now,” she advised gently. “We can talk more in the morning.”

As Ariana drifted into a peaceful sleep, a smile still playing on her lips, Riley watched over her with a mixture of tenderness and amusement. The night had been anything but ordinary, yet somehow, amidst the chaos and laughter, something lovely had begun to bloom.