Therapist's therapy

Heart therapy

A bowl of ice cream and ten episodes of family guy after, Arianna was back to herself. It was three in the morning and she had not gotten a wink of sleep. She was supposed to be at the office in five hours but she was over fed, freezing and sleepy. She pulled her laptop shut and pulled the covers over her. Remembering to set her alarm, she took a nap. What felt like minutes after, her alarm sang. With a roar, she dragged herself to the bathroom. After taking a shower and brushing her teeth she pulled on a tube dress a suit jacket, rolling up her sleeves she slipped on low sneakers and packed her hair. Applying a moderate amount of makeup which made her light skin and almond eyes pop, she headed out towards the park.
Being late was not a surprise to Arianna. But being so late that she missed a free bus was new to her. The bus had driven off as she turned the corner and no matter how long she ran and yelled it didn't stop. Panting for breath she stood at the sidewalk exhausted. A horn frightened her as she was about to sit at the bench.
A black jeep with tinted glass stopped at the side walk just in front of Arianna. She looked to the left and the right but there wasn't anyone around. Reaching  for the pepper spray in her bag, she quietly stood up. Before she could run, the door burst open.
"Arianna! Good to see we were right about you missing the bus" Travis strolled out of the back of the car and towards Arianna.
"Don't make it sound like it was your idea" Jasper called from the front seat looking like hot stuff as usual. Arianna was speechless, anything she felt forgotten and alone, these two people that the universe had literally thrown in her life were always there to make her feel wanted and happy.
"And I see you boys can't spend a day without me" Travis stopped halfway and turned back to the car
"Start the car Jasper we are leaving"
"On it" Jasper rolled up his glass and started the engine and Arianna raced after Travis although he was closer, she beat him to the door. Travis grabbed her hand and spined her around. He pushed her chin up so she was looking him in the eye. With the car behind her, there wasn't any space between them. Even though the sun was blazing all Arianna felt was warmth and red on her face.
"Have you been crying?"
"What?" because of the little distance between them Arianna was finding it hard to breath or worst think. Before her mind began to play tricks on her, she slipped out of his grip.
"I was just watching a movie" Arianna lied.
"Sounds like you, for a second I thought Harry made you cry" Arianna caught a glimpse of Travis releasing his fist and blood rush back into it, his nails were deeply in printed on his palm. Shivers went down Arianna's spine as she remembered Travis smashing a glass with his fist. She made a mental promise not to ever tell him what happened between her and Harry. For whatever reason she knew Travis would seriously hurt him.
"What's going on back there we are late" Jasper called.
"I was just about to telling Travis he would cry like a baby if he saw clouds" Arianna said desperate to change the subject. She hopped into the car Travis following after her.
"That was a pretty sad movie" Jasper added as he began the car and they headed to the office.
"You've seen it?" Travis looked like Jasper has been caught cheating on him.
"Surprised you haven't"
"What time did you have to do that" they kept bickering until they arrived at the office.
The office was more hectic than the following day. Arianna planned to sulk throughout the day and maybe convince the boys that she needed a life supply of ice cream but between the files coming in from other offices and the ones going out from Jasper and Travis, she just couldn't find the right time. The only fun thing that happened was that Matilda had made lunch for them. She was trying to swim her way through the wave of files when an object hit the glass behind her head.
"Arianna Please get in here" Jasper barked. She quickly found her shoes and rushed into their office. Jasper and Travis were staring each other down both sleeves folded and fists clenched. Arianna wasn't sure she should be one being called, from the way they looked at each other it would take a whole army to stop this fight.
"Arianna has nothing to do with this stop dragging her into your mess" Travis said.
"She is your freaking therapist you maniac, or should I call your mother instead, baby boy?" Arianna had never seen Jasper angry before. He looked so scary she didn't recognize him.
"Alright boys calm down and tell me what is going on" as much as she wanted to get some popcorn and ignore the pile of work on her desk, she had to handle this situation fast before it escalated.
"He shredded the plans I've been walking on!" Arianna was aware of the plan Travis had been working on. He had been working hard as it would be presented to his grandfather.
"For the millionth time it was an accident" Jasper defended frustrated "And why was it even on my desk?"
"I just set it down for like a minute!"
"Oh please"
"And since when did you like clearing your table?"
"I've always liked to keep my things clean and tidy. You would know that if you could take your head out of your ass and look" that back and forth was so fast Arianna couldn't find the right time to stop them.
"Well if you like cleaning so much you would have been better off working with your illiterate mother cleaning tables!"
Jasper tried but he couldn't hide the hurt in his face. He released his fist and blinked back the moist in his eyes but they didn't disappear.
"I'm really sorry for shredding your project. I'll find a way to fix this." With that he picked up his jacket from his chair and left.
"Stop! I didn't mean that, Jasper! Jasper!" no matter how Travis screamed Jasper didn't stop or even look back. Arianna was conflicted on what to do. Should she follow Jasper or stay here with Travis. Her heart ached her to run after Jasper, but she was obligated to stay with Travis as his therapist. Arianna wasn't a girl to follow her heart in situations like this.
"You shouldn't have said that. It was an accident"
"You are on his side? You are my therapist, you should be on my side!" his eyes shone red but it wasn't for anger, it was sadness.
"I can't side with you when you are wrong" Arianna said carefully
"Then get out then"
"What? I'm not leaving"
"Get out!" the cup of lemonade hit Arianna square in the head as Travis hurled it at her spilling the content all over her hair, face and cloths"
Arianna fell to the floor her hand on where the cup had made impact. When she drew her hands back there was blood on it.
"I'm not leaving no matter what you do" Arianna got to her feet and dragged her feet to Travis. She was dizzy and her vision was completely blur.
"Leave please I don't want to hurt you" Travis backed away from Arianna as she lumped towards him.
"It's a bit late for that now isn't it?"  Arianna fell to the floor right in front of Travis having exhausted her energy. He knelt beside her  tears streaming from his eyes.
"I didn't mean any of it, I didn't mean to hurt you both but I just couldn't help myself. I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Arianna reached for his neck and placed his head on her shoulder patting his head slowly while he cried.
"We aren't the only ones hurt. You've been hurting the whole time haven't you?" Travis cried harder less like a grown man and more like a child.
Arianna continued to pat his until her eyes closed.