Or So You Thought

Surprise!

Brian POV

"Ari?! Ari! I know you hear me!" I yelled loud. I ran as fast as a human could but my feet were giving out after the uphill battle. "Ari, just give me a sec, will ya?" I semi-yelled, my chest began to burn. She stopped, looked at me for exactly one second, & then continued to speed walk away but quicker. "Damnet!" I said to myself. Why does she have to be so stubborn? Once I got through the dorm doors, I see Ari getting on the elevator. I know she saw me because she pushed a button & the door began to close. "Ari, please?" I yelled, running towards the elevator but I was too late. The doors closed right as I got to them. "Double damnet" I said, slamming my hand into the metal. That was going to hurt soon. I looked around for a stairwell. The only one was on the other side of the lobby. My only shot I thought to myself. I prepared myself for the sore & burning sensation I would feel for running floor to floor, trying to get Ari to listen.

I finally heard the elevator ding as I painfully ran up the stairwell to the third floor. As I opened the door, I stumbled in agony. This is three days worth of basketball practice I thought. No way would I have done this much work for any other girl. Then again, Ari's not any other girl. "Ari, please." I said, exhausted. "Stop stalking me, you creepo" she continued to walk. I managed to move fast enough to get in front of her. "Ari?" I said in my calm voice, though she was working my nerves. "Move from my door Brian! I don't want to talk to you!" she tried pushing past me, but I stood my ground. I didn't even know we were in front of her room door. "Will you just listen!" I yelled. She looked taken back. "Look, I don't know how Nicole got you in her web but she's a venomous spider" I said. Ari said nothing as she went in her pocket & pulled out her key. "Ari, you heard right?" I was confused. She just pushed by me, opened the door & walked. The door was left open so I assumed she wanted me to come in... Wrong.

"Get the hell out!" she yelled. "Did you hear me? Nicole is a psycho! All she does is make up ludicrous lies!" I replied. I'd never go out with her. Not even if we were the last two people on Earth. I'd date a damn chimp first. "Really, ALL lies?" she asked. No. "Yes" I stated simply. "THAT WAS LIE!" she screamed. "Ok, it was. She doesn't lie 24/7. More like, 23/7" I said. "Fine. So, what did she not lie about, huh? Was it a lie that you had sex with her a few hours ago? Because she brought that up" I went frozen. That was it. The question I dreaded to hear. The very thing I never wanted her to know about. Shit. Shit. Shit. was all I could think. Then the next thing I knew, I stumbled & was hurtling, back first, towards the ground. The side of my face burned with pain. "Did you just slap me?" I asked, not knowing for sure what happened. "Get. Out. Now" she said sternly, pointing towards the door. "You slapped me?" I asked again. "Yes! And I'll do it again with a fist if you don't get out of my room" Then Phantogram's Fall In Love, filled the air. Ari turned & picked up her phone. "Hello?" she answered calmly, as if she had completely forgotten. As if she hadn't kicked me out, like we didn't have a major blowout. God, I'm gonna miss that voice because I know that from now on, all would I hear was a voice of hatred, if that. "No. That's cool... Keep the jar closed hahaha Alright. See ya" she hung up. She turned & saw my face "what are you doing?! GET OUT!" So much for calm. Then, I made the mistake of a lifetime. "Wait a minute, what are you mad for? You're not my girlfriend" I said... Wait, I said?! No, no, no. You f'in idiot, you! I screamed to myself. Like, I had the cure for cancer & I dropped the vile, like the damn imbecile I am! I glanced at her & saw the hurt. It killed my soul. I never wanted to hurt her. "You're right? I have no reason to be upset" she said in a content voice, scaring me shitless. As she began to lead me out, she continued, "you go out there & do what or whoever you like. Because hey, you surely won't be doing it with me" And she slammed the door in my face. "Ari? Ari, I'm sorry. I swear to God, I didn't mean that" I said, standing right where she left me. I hear her unlocking the door. Is this it, does she forgive me? I asked myself. "I knew you couldn't b-" My sentence was cut short by a hand connecting to my face. So.. THAT answered my mental question. "Don't you dare swear God into a lie!" she yelled, slamming the door back in my face. I turned my back to the door & slid down against it. "Well, I royally screwed that up" I said to no one, seeing as the hall was empty. I went into my pocket & pulled out the light blue box. I opened it, examining the metal charm bracelet. I was going to give it to her when I asked her to the dance. But... I'm freaking stupid. "I'm sorry $370 Pandora bracelet. If I had thought, before I spoke, you'd be on the wrist of a beautiful lady" I whispered. I didn't want people to know I was talking to a box. I turned to her door. "Ari?" I asked. No answer. Expected. "Ari, if you can hear me, I'm honestly sorry & I'll make it up to you" I continued. Still no answer. It hurt. More than anything, I wanted to hear her voice, even if it was screaming at me. But, I know I won't & I can't blame anyone but myself... And Nicole. But, mostly me.

Ari POV

The gaul! The audacity! The... The nerve of this... BOY! His words repeated in my head as the little daggers that represented them drove themselves into my heart. "Wait a minute... What are you mad for? You're not my girlfriend?" I sat on my bed. He was right, I wasn't. I had no right to tell him he was wrong. No reason to be upset when we had no ties. My eyes burned with the tears I refused to let fall in front of him. He's gone now I thought. One by one, they began to fall until they all started to stream out at once. "I hate Mondays" I said in a sob covered whisper.

I woke up to the sound of someone whispering outside my door. I didn't even realize that I had fallen asleep. I opened the door to see Brian on the floor, still apologizing. He quickly turned "Ari?" he said, looking up at me. Suddenly, all the anger I felt before had returned & I slammed the door back. "Damnet Ari. Come on, I'm trying here. You think I would've ran up & down those halls or ran up those goddamn steps if I wasn't? Or stay up until... 2:36 am, getting here at around 6 mind you, apologizing... 171 times?" That is a lot of apologies I thought. But, no. He doesn't get away like that. If he wants me, now he's going to work for me.

Brian POV

Still ignoring me. That's fine, I've got stamina. I'll stay here if I have to. Then down the corridor, I heard the  elevator ding. At 2:37 in the morning? I thought. Then I saw who was on it... Melvin Zalowski? He must be doing, "Random Search, open up" I hear him knocking on a room door. Shit! Shit! Shit! I mentally freak out. If he sees me here.... He can't. I jump up, knocking on Ari's door 90 miles a minute. "Ari? Seriously, no joke. Open up" I say. No answer. I knock a little louder. "Ari, I'm not playing, come on" Still no answer. This time, I'm banging. "Ari, come on! This is bad! Let me in!" She swung open the door. "Have you lost your mind?! It's 2:39 in the morning. What's wrong with you?" I pushed by her as she closed the door. "Melvin is the problem" She crossed her arms as she looked at confused. "Who?" she asked. "He's the guy who doing random checks of the dorms" I said. She still looked confused. I rolled my eyes, sighing. "I'm a guy in an all girl residency hall. I'm not supposed to be here after midnight. You have to hide me & pray he doesn't choose your room to check" I added on, looking for a hiding spot. I glanced at her & she looked furious "I'm not hiding you. I'm not your girlfriend" This again I thought. "You don't understand, you'll get in trouble too" I replied. Then, the dreaded moment came "Random Search". We both panicked at the same time. "Get under the bed" she suggested. "No. That's the first place they check" I replied. "Open up" the voice said. "Alright. Just give me a second" Ari called back. "Here. In the wardrobe" she said, pushing me in. "I think only one leads to Narnia" I said before she closed the door. As I heard the room door open, I hear their conversation.

Ari: Do you know what time it is?

Melvin: Time to get your room checked. Where's your roommate?

Ari, don't you tell him.

... Man, it's dusty in here.

Went to iHop
I think I checked everything. I'll just check this wardrobe & I'll be on my way

My body tensed up.

You don't want to go in there. Its covered in pictures of shirtless guys. Plus, my tampons & pads are in there.
Ew. You're right. I don't. You're pretty much cleared. Have a great night.

Just as I hear the door open

"Achoo!" I sneezed. Oh shit.

What was that?
I sneezed.
That couldnt have been you, it was faint.
Maybe you're hearing stuff.
What did you say was in that wardrobe?
Uh.... Pads.

I hear footsteps come towards the door. Aww shit I think to myself. "No!" I hear Ari yell as the door swings open. "You!" Melvin glares, venom in his voice. He still hates me I see. "Uh... Surprise?" I say. Surprise indeed.