Michael was lying on his bed, reading, which was strange, because he didn't like to read. He was about to flip the page when his bedroom door creaked open and Ari stepped in.
"Hi...Michael." There was something different about her voice. It was raspier...sexier.
"Hi." He put down his book.
Ari didn't respond, but took several steps closer to Michael until she was looming over him, smiling.
She reached down and trace a single finger across his jaw, running her thumb across his lips. She leaned forward, her face cast in shadow.
"Uh...what-"
"I know what you did, Michael." Ari interrupted.
"Wh-"
"It's a shame," she bit her glossy lip and straightened up, crossing her arms. "I was just starting to like you."
"I don't-" Michael desperately tried to argue.
"Michael, how could you do something so horrible?" Ari's blue eyes widened, and for the first time since she had entered the room, she looked upset. "You basically killed poor little Grace. Next could be me. A stupid decision on your part could get me killed."
"I..." This time Michael trailed off, not sure what to say.
"You're so selfish." The words lingered in the air even after Ari spun around and disappeared through the door.
Michael squeezed his eyes shut.
In the same instant they were snapping open.
Michael slowly sat up and rested his head in his hands, taking a deep shuddery breath. This dream hadn't been like the others. It hadn't left him hysterical.
It had just made him feel...broken. The crushing guilt that had been weighing down on him since Grace's death tightened it's grip, cracking his bones beneath its strong clutch. Not to mention, he couldn't stop reliving that stupid kiss. He couldn't forgot Ari's soft lips against his.
He suddenly stood up and grabbed the lamp on his bedside table, yanking the plug out of its socket and swinging back to throw it as hard as he could at the opposite wall.
Wait.
He stopped himself, trying to put a damper on the anger boiling through his veins.
You can't do this, He told himself. You're not angry at the lamp, you're angry at yourself. Besides, you can't wake up Suzanne.
He put down the lamp without plugging it back in and ran a hand through his hair before taking hesitant steps towards the door. He felt unsteady, like he might fall over.
He opened the door and descended the stairs, trying not to lose his footing. He didn't bother turning on the hallway light as he pulled on his shoes, leaving the laces untied. He pushed open the front door and stepped out into the dark night, the cold air stinging at his lungs. The moon was almost full, and it illuminated the white sidewalk like a glowing path. He felt his legs guiding him towards it, and enjoyed the cloudy feeling in his head. He felt high, weightless.
He let his legs go on autopilot and guide him wherever they wanted him to go.
Before he knew it, he was arriving at a park, which he thought was strange, because he had never been there before. The edge of the park was lined with trees, and a lonely picnic table in it's centre was partially cast in shadow.
Michael recognized a familiar silhouette sitting at it, facing away from him, bathed in darkness.
Ari.
And judging by the shaking of her shoulders, she was crying.
He wanted to run towards her and see if she was okay, but his instincts told him to stay put. He took a few steps forward and hid himself behind a tree, peeking around it at Ari. He was too far away from her to hear her, but he could see her silhouetted arm reach up towards her face to wipe away her tears. Michael felt his heart clench up, and any guilt he might have felt for eavesdropping was replaced with a blistering pain in his heart: worry.
Another figure approached through the darkness from the other side of the park, and Ari stood up, moving away from the picnic table and into the light. For a moment, she turned in the direction of Michael, and when he caught sight of Ari's tear stained face, he was worried she'd seen him, but she turned away almost as quickly as she had faced him and back towards the unknown figure.
He stepped into the light, and Michael recognized Ashton, his face creased with worry. His mouth moved, as if he was talking, and Ari slowly shook her head before he pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms tightly around her, stroking a comforting hand through her hair. Michael could see her shoulders shaking again, and Ashton's face was full of pain.
Michael's fingers found the withered bark on the tree in front of him as he turned away, embarrassed to be watching such a endearing display. He took a deep breath, his mind spinning. Why was Ari, always so cheerful, now so crippled with grief? Had something happened?
Michael didn't think so, at least not recently.
Michael had a suspicion. Ari was hiding something. Arugula had a secret too.
That chapter kinda sucked but oh well. And P.S, chapter fifteen didn't publish for some reason, and I thought it did, so if you were wondering why it went "chapter fourteen" and then "chapter sixteen", it's published now.
Loser_Luke
