When Michael went downstairs the next morning, he was so groggy and overcome with fatigue that he almost didn't notice Ari sitting at the kitchen table.
"What are you doing here?" It sounded a little rude once it was out, but Michael was too exhausted to care.
"Waiting for you," Ari said plainly. "I got here just as Sue was leaving to go grocery shopping, and she said I could wait here until you got up."
Michael nodded and grabbed a banana out of the bowl on the counter, plopping himself down across from her.
"You know," Ari smiled. "mosquitos are attracted to people who have just eaten bananas."
Michael nodded again, taking a bite.
"Banana's are sort of like the opposite of bug spray, I guess." Ari gave a laugh.
"Look," Michael said after swallowing. "I don't mean to be rude, but I am really not in the mood for this right now."
"For what?" Ari asked, confused.
"For...you!" As soon as the words left Michael's mouth, he was overcome with the powerful urge to cram them back in. That, however, was impossible, so he just said. "Wait...no...that came out wrong, I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine," Ari, much to Michael's relief, didn't look very hurt. "I can tell you're in a bad mood."
Michael sighed. "Yeah...I didn't get much sleep last night."
Ari made a "hmm," sound and then smiled somewhat mischievously. "I think I know where we can go to wake you up."
"Where?" Michael yawned and the ate the last of his banana, standing up to throw out the peel.
"Ha!" Ari scoffed. "As if I'd tell you."
"Ari, I actually wasn't kidding about not being in the mood for this."
"Oh, trust me," Ari smiled wider. "You'll like this."
"Did you just lie to me?" Michael ran a tired hand through his black hair and sat back down.
"Maybe." Ari shrugged innocently.
Michael crossed his arms and gave her a pointed "I'm staying put," look, before leaning back and closing his eyes.
"Please, Mikey?"
Michael's eyes snapped open. "Don't call me that!"
His voice may have come a little too close to a shout, because Ari swallowed, her eyes wide. "Um...sorry."
The thing was, as soon as Grace's old nickname had touched Ari's lips, Michael had been struck with an image of his sister smiling happily up at him. He had heard her voice pleading with him to let her sit in the back seat.
He had been overcome with such an anger at himself that he had taken it out on Ari.
And now he felt bad,
And now, of course, he had to let her take him wherever it was she so desperately wanted to go.
"Fine." He uncrossed and then recrossed his arms.
"Fine what?"
"Fine, you can take me to your little place."
"Really?" Ari's eyes lit up.
"Sure." Michael immediately felt better.
"Okay, then let's go." She stood up, a smile on her face.
Michael sighed and stood up, following Ari towards the door.
As he pulled on his shoes, he asked, "Shouldn't we leave a note? You know, in case Suzanne wonders where we went?"
"Already taken care of." Ari assured, gesturing to the doorknob. There was a yellow sticky note pressed onto the metal that read: "Gone out, be back soon."
"Seriously?" Michael couldn't help but laugh. "You already had this all planned?"
"Oh yeah." Ari winked before disappearing out the door so quickly that Michael had to hurry to catch up with her.
For a while, Michael thought they might just be going to the falls again because they were heading in the same general direction, and he was immensely relieved. However, they soon passed the path to the waterfall, and Michael felt his heart sink.
"You know," He crossed his arms frustratedly. "This whole 'surprise' thing is extremely cliché."
"Are you saying all surprises are cliché?" Ari laughed. "That's like saying all dogs are vicious, man eating monsters."
"Yes, all surprises are extremely, terribly cliché. Surprises should be made illegal."
Ari rolled her eyes. "Life is full of surprises. Get used to it."
Michael wanted to argue, but Ari turned onto a small path and Michael hurried to catch up with her.
This chapter is kinda like "part one" of the next chapter, because it was getting really long so I had to split it up so yeah.
Loser_Luke
