Young Love

6

Ariana wakes up on Monday morning and grimaces when she realises she needs to go to work today.

The young woman gets herself dressed into some classy ripped jeans and a grey v-neck shirt before going into her son's room to get him up for pre-school.

"Liam honey! Wake up!" She takes his shoulders and shakes him gently, causing his eyelids to flutter open.

"Mommy?" He mumbles sleepily, peering up at Ariana through his thick brown eyelashes.

"Hey baby. You get to play in the sandpit at pre-school today!" The brunette mom says enthusiastically, smiling.

Little Liam huffs heavily and shakes his head with a frown crossing his features.

"I don't like preschool." The little boy complains and Ariana sighs, suddenly remembering something.

"Bella will be there too you know." The mother chuckles, watching his expression change.

"Really?" The small brunette child sits up and smiles fondly at his mom as she brushes strands of hair out of his face with her fingers.

"Yep. You can play with her all day." Ariana giggles, lifting him out of the covers and onto her hip so she can get him ready. "But mommy has to get you dressed without any trouble first."

"Okay."

Liam complies as Ariana gets him dressed in a little blue soccer shirt and some ripped dark-wash jeans.

"Cmon little."

The small boy giggles as his mother takes his tiny hand and leads him out the door of their apartment and down to the busy streets below.

-

When they get to Beechtree pre-school, Ariana spots Justin sprinting across the playground with Bella perched on his shoulders, just as the bell rings.

"LiLi!" The adorable girl screams, running to cuddle her friend after she is placed back on her own two feet.

"Bella!" Liam exclaims excitedly, letting go of his mommy's manicured hand to greet her. The two children run into the building to play together happily.

"Hi." The bewildered young mother smiles shyly at the father and he smiles back, flustered from running all the way from his car. He didn't want Bella to be late for nursery.

"Hey Ariana. Wanna go grab coffee?" Justin asks. The brunette woman smiles, finding it adorable that he pronounces her name in a weird way.

"I can't, I'm sorry. I've got work today." She replies apologetically, swinging the car keys on her index finger.

"Oh, it's okay. Another time yeah?" A disappointed expression crosses Justin's face before he quickly masks it with a nervous laugh.

The woman nods and the two young parents wander over to the school gates together, chatting minimally.

Suddenly, Ariana's phone rings loudly, causing her to blush a deep shade of red before she excuses herself to answer.

Turns out, her manager, Lilly, doesn't need her for any shoots today so she has the day off to do whatever she pleases. Well, that was good timing.

The brunette grins happily and runs as best she can in heels to catch up with Justin.

"Uh actually, any chance we could go get that coffee?" She taps his shoulder, making him turn back, and scratches her head sheepishly.

The young man's brown eyes light up with delight and he laughs, offering the woman his jacket as he sees she's got goose pimples.

"Of course."

-

When they reach the little Starbucks on the corner of a busy street, Justin and Ariana take a seat in a comfortable booth by the window.

"So, uh, how've you been?" The young mother tries to make conversation, repositioning the jacket around her shoulders and placing her keys on the table in front of her.

"Since yesterday? I've been great." Justin chuckles teasingly and Ariana's cheeks flush pink for the third time today.

"Bella was quite cranky this morning. I hope she's ok." Justin recalls worriedly and the woman pouts at him sympathetically, reaching under the table to pat his knee in comfort.

"I'm sure she's fine. She seemed happy when she ran into preschool with Liam." Ariana tries to reassure the young dad, who smiles gratefully and sips on his iced coffee.

"It's Liam's birthday soon." The brunette woman sighs and flips her long hair over her shoulder. "Do you wanna bring Bella over to celebrate? I don't want to have to deal with a ton of screaming 5 year olds this year." She chuckles at her brilliant idea.

The man across the booth grins and nods undoubtedly. "I'm sure Bella would be thrilled."

After a little while of friendly chatting and sipping coffee, Justin looks at his watch and stands up, deciding that he needs to leave if he wants to beat the traffic.

"I guess I'd better get to work. Um, do you wanna go out sometime?" He shyly asks the young woman opposite and she smiles a beautiful smile, cute dimples sinking into her cheeks.

"Of course I do. Text me."

Justin grins at how easy that was and exits the café, Ariana following shortly after downing the rest of her drink.

She wastes no time in walking home through the LA crowds, thinking of her previous encounter fondly.