She Was Like Magic ✓

Chapter 6: Haze

Sierra 

Bright red plastic cup in hand, I was intently listening to a friend talk about how he needed help with his girlfriend while sipping on my now lukewarm beer. 

I put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it to soothe him. I mean I gave him the best advice I could considering I was a girl but I wasn't sure I was the best girl to take advice from when I hadn't had a single serious relationship. By choice.  

I looked up from my drink and furrowed my eyebrows. Suddenly something in the air had changed. Sam was still talking but his voice was noise in the background that I could no longer hear as I tried to follow the source of this change diffusing itself in the air. I turned my head to the left to see people making themselves drinks at the marble counter but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. My eyes looked around the room and saw groups of people chatting and dancing to music. 

My eyes wandered a little more and there in the doorway of this living room I found my source as a smile erupted on my face. 

Before I even knew what I was doing, I put my drink down and apologised to Sam before almost running to Ari and throwing my arms around his neck, his hand catching me and resting on the small of my back holding me close to him. I don't know why I did that. 

"Ari!" I bit my bottom lip and grinned. 

"Hey, baby girl" he smirked and his blue eyes scanned the room "All the girls here are murdering you with their eyes" he chuckled as his oceanic gaze came back to wash over me. 

"They only wish they could" I winked at him. His face became so still and stoic for a second, until he smiled at me. I was elated the wink was still doing what it was designed for even if Ari tried to hide it behind his wall of misleading emotions. 

He let go of me and stepped back, admiring my royal blue dress that went straight across my neck and shoulders and ended just above my knee "You look fucking cute" 

"Why thank you" I mock curtsied "You look handsome too" he was wearing black jeans and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Guys in shirts were my absolute weakness. 

"If you two are done with your eye-sex, I did walk in with you too Ari you know" Franco pouted. 

"Awww I'm sorry Franco" I stepped in front of Ari and hugged him. 

Franco patted my back and let go of me "Yeah, yeah, I forgive you" he rolled his eyes at me "Now let me excuse myself before you both ignore me again" he laughed and disappeared. 

Ari grabbed my hand "Come on" I practically had to run to keep up with him. 

I looked down at our joined hands and smiled.

He pulled me up beside him and halted at the pool table "Have you ever played pool before?" he asked while tucking a stray hair behind my ear. 

"No" I answered with a smirk and narrowed eyes "Why?" 

"Because I'm going to teach you" he leaned in, incredibly close to my face for a few heated seconds and I could feel his hot breath sweeping over my nose and mouth tantalisingly. Just as I thought he was going to kiss me he leaned back again and held a pool stick in between us and tapped my nose with the end of it. What a tease. 

I narrowed my eyes at him but before I could rebuttle, he grabbed my hips and spun me around so I was now facing the pool table, my back now pressed against his front. 

"Just relax" he whispered gently into my ear, his breath caressing the cusp of my ear.

I felt my body go limp under his command. He gently placed a hand on my stomach and his chest pushed my front down onto the pool table.