What We Keep Hidden (Jai Brooks- Ariana Grande)

Midnight Rendezvous

Jai shut the front door to his house with a frown, confused as to what happened at the Grande home. He rubbed his neck and heard the TV playing behind him. He turned and saw his twin brother laying on the couch watching CSI. The front door was right next to the open living room with the TV facing him. He watched silently as Justin Bieber was shot at multiple times before he fell to the ground and died.

Luke glanced up and saw Jai standing in the doorway staring at the screen. He raised an eyebrow and sat up, flicking the screen off as he stood. "How'd it go? Did you ask her?"

Jai looked at him in confusion, rubbing his neck. "No.. I didn't get the chance. She's so mad at me. I have no idea why."

"Well did you ask why she was mad?"

"No, she kicked me out before I could."

Luke frowned as he crossed the living room floor and patted his brothers shoulder. "Well, there's always tomorrow. Maybe I can get to the bottom of it."

"Yeah.. Sure." Jai sighed, rubbing his face. "I'm gonna go to bed. Brandon really tired me out."

"That kid is a riot." Luke chuckled as the twins walked up the stairs together.

Jai couldn't help but smile with a nod as he stood in front of his bedroom door. "Yeah. He's amazing. I love him so much."

"Good. You're a great dad, Jai." Luke said sincerely and softly, putting his hand back on his shoulder. "No matter what happens with you and Ari, don't let that kid suffer."

"I won't. Why would I?"

"Well.. We don't exactly have a great dad."

"Yeah, well I can assure you," Jai stated solemnly and looked straight into his brothers eyes as he spoke with conviction, "I am not Ben Brooks and I will not abandon my son or any other child I may bear with Ariana, and I will work things out with her because Goddamnit I lost that girl once and I will not do it again."

xxxxxxx

Ivy sat on her bed smiling smugly to herself as she held onto the shirt Jai had been wearing the night before and what also caused Ariana to be mad at Jai.

What actually happened was Ivy had called Jai to come over because he had "forgotten" something at her house. Once arriving, she managed to kiss him and into get his shirt off - of course he became extremely angry and stormed off. Leaving the shirt. But this piece of fabric was all she really needed to set her plan in motion.

She chuckled to herself proudly as she felt the cotton between her index finger in her thumb. The hurt puppy dog look on Ariana's face that morning was absolutely priceless. All that needed to be done now was one little thing that would push her over the edge to never trust Jai again.

And of course to get Jai back.

xxxxxxx

Ariana laid in bed staring at the ceiling late that night. She felt a few tears spring to her eyes at the thought of Jai with Ivy.

How could she be so stupid? How could she believe that Jai was a nice guy? He ditched her once, what made her think he wouldn't again?

Taking a deep slow breath, Ariana slowly say up and wiped her cheeks. She wasn't even remotely tired. Glancing at the time, she saw it was already twelve am. She sighed and pushed the covers off before getting up and shuffling downstairs quietly to get something to eat.

She couldn't even tell anyone how much Jai hurt her because all she would get were 'I told you so's. As she neared the first floor, she paused when she heard a cartoon playing in the living room. Silently, she walked into said room and her eyes bulged out of their sockets when she found her three year old son sitting crosslegged on the floor with his eyes glued to the screen.

Ariana crossed her arms and cleared her throat before speaking in an authoritative tone. "Brandon Alexander Grande. What are you doing awake at this time?!"

The little boy froze in his spot for a moment before he slowly turned and saw his mother standing in the living room doorway with her arms crossed as she tapped her foot on the ground. And she didn't look happy. "Hi mommy." He quipped cutely as he pulled out his puppy dog eyes. "I couldn't sleep."

"If you couldn't sleep, why didn't you come to me instead of coming down here alone to watch tv?"

"But.. I'm not alone."

"What--?"

"Did I miss the roadrunner?" Her flamboyant brother came running into the living room from the kitchen, not seeing his angry sister, in his unicorn onesie, carrying Brandon's halloween candy, and her eyes bulged yet again.

"No, it's still Bugs."

"Oh. Thank God, I--"

"Frank James Michael Grande!"

Hearing his full name made Frankie freeze completely. Shit. He thought to himself and swallowed thickly before he slowly turned around and came face to face with his sister. "Ari.. Hey.."

"What on earth are you doing?! Do you realize what time it is?"

"It's Looney Tunes time, mommy!" Brandon exclaimed from his seat on the ground and he grinned up at her.

Ariana looked at the toddler and her heart melted at the smile on his face but she kept her angry expression as she stared down her older brother. "It's twelve in the morning Frankie. What possessed you to think that bringing my three year old son down here to watch cartoons and eat candy was a good idea?"

"But mommy!" Brandon quickly stood to defend his uncle - well, he thought he was defending him. "We do this every Tuesday night!"

"Every. Tuesday. Night?" Ariana enunciated slowly as she got angrier and Frankie winced, looking down at his nephew. "Is this why I can never get him up Wednesday morning, Frankie?"

"You didn't have to tell her that, Bran." he sighed then looked at Ariana. "Yeah.. But come on Ari. Don't you remember how we used to do this every Tuesday, too?" He pleaded, looking into her eyes. "And mom never found out. We started when you were three, remember?"

Ariana paused and sighed, shaking her head. "Yeah.. I remember." Running a hand through her hair, she looked at both her son and brother, who were sporting identical pouts. "Alright fine. One more hour then it's time for bed!"

"YAY!" Brandon shouted in excitement and his eyes widened when his mommy and uncle quickly shushed him so he wouldn't wake his grandmother. "Yay." He whispered quietly.

xxxxxxx

Short but sweet. 😊 comment!