Leave Me Lonely (JB+AG)

Leave Me Lonely (25)

Ariana

Thursday, December 20

5:38 pm

"Alex, I just got off of work. Where are you?"

"I'm um.. we're actually headed back to the hotel. We just went to eat."

"Alex, are you lying to me?"

"No, I'm not."

"Are you sure, because if you're lying to me and it has something to do with my daughter I'm gonna hurt you."

I hear a voice in the background, a female, and I know for a fact Lilia can't talk.

"Who was that?" I ask.

"Nobody. It's the radio." Alex says quickly.

"Alexander fucking Moore, who the hell are you with and why don't I know about it?"

"Ariana, just come pick her up. We can talk when you get here. I'll send you the address."

I take a deep breath before muttering an "ok" to Alex and hanging up. About a minute later, I receive an address and show it to Tara.

"I know where that is. Apartments. I have a cousin who lived there."

"First lie. I swear I'm gonna hurt him as soon as I see him."

"I'll drive as fast as I can." Tara turns onto the highway and drives to the apartment complex.

5:56 pm

"Took long enough to fucking get here." I say.

"What's the apartment number?" Tara asks.

"538. He said when you get through the gate, turn left then turn right and it's after the 2nd speed bump."

"That's pretty specific." Tara follows the directions and parks in front of the correct building.

"What he didn't say is that they were at the playground." I mumble.

Alex is pushing Lilia in a swing, but there's a woman standing next to him, holding her phone up to my daughter, like she's taking a picture or a video.

"Hell no." I make my way over to them as quickly as possible.

"Excuse you, I'm gonna need you to put that phone down right now." I say to the woman.

"And who are you?" She turns to look at me as I walk closer to Lilia.

"Mama!" Lilia yells.

"I'm her mother, and I don't believe I gave you permission to film my child." I pick Lilia up, turning to look at Alex.

"Who the hell is this, and why is she even this close to my daughter? And this is a very strange looking hotel." I say, allowing Tara to take Lilia from me.

"Ariana, this is Ava. My girlfriend, and this is where she lives."

"So this is where you're staying? And you had my daughter here too?"

"Um, yeah."

"Alex, do you realize how pissed off I am right now?"

"What, did you think I was gonna kill her or something?" Ava chuckles.

"I don't believe I was talking to you."

"Alexander, since when is it okay to have my daughter with someone I don't know? You could've asked me first, instead of lying, and this situation would've been a lot better."

"Ariana, I-" Alex starts, but I cut him off.

"Shut up, please. Where's her stuff?" I sigh.

"In the apartment." He mumbles.

"Did-" Ava tries to say something and I stop her.

"Bitch, shut up. You're not involved in this whatsoever." I say.

"Ariana, calm down. I'll go get her stuff and you can get her car seat." Tara says, giving Lilia back to me.

I nod, following Alex to his car to get Lilia's car seat.

"Ariana, I'm sorry." Alex says as he puts the seat in my car.

"I'm sure you are. You know I would have been perfectly fine with this if you told me where you were staying and who you were staying with. I know you would never put her in danger, and that's one of the reasons I was fine with you taking her, but now, I don't know if I can trust what you tell me."

"I know, Ari. I made a huge mistake. I'm so sorry."

I put Lilia in her car seat and close the door.

When I don't say anything, Alex sighs.

"Thanks for letting me take her." He mumbles.

I get in Tara's car and wait for her to return.

"That apartment was a mess. I'm surprised anybody can even move around in there." She says.

"Yeah, well, I'm not surprised."

"Ari, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, T."

"No problem. That's what best friends are for."