𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐀 ||The Girl Behind The Act||

Chapter 14

Ariana

I couldn't fall asleep no matter how much I tossed and turned. Closing my eyes and slipping into darkness seemed impossible.

My mind's blank right now, and my go-to skill, the one where I shut everything out and silence my thoughts, is what I'm sticking to.

I noticed the sun had risen a few minutes ago as I sat on Tristan's bed, staring at the sunlight coming in through his balcony door.

A while ago, I got up, washed my face, and ran my fingers through my hair. I found a spare new toothbrush in his drawer and used that.

Dark shadows are hanging under my eyes from the lack of sleep. Makeup will be my savior when I'm back home.

I appreciate Tristan for helping me out, even if it was only for a night. But I'm still not sure why he did it.

A knock at the door made me tense. It slowly opened, and seeing Tristan's face put me at ease.

He looked at me for a moment before entering the room.

"Morning," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Morning," I replied, getting out of bed and standing in front of him.

"Did you sleep well last night?" he asked, glancing briefly behind me.

I shrugged, tugging on the hem of his oversized t-shirt that I was growing fond of.

"Better. Ready to go?" I asked. He nodded and headed to the bathroom.

"Just give me a few minutes to get ready. Eat some breakfast downstairs; Josh is making coffee too." I smiled, starting to walk towards the door.

"Sure," I said and somehow made my way downstairs, feeling completely at home in the house.

Walking into the kitchen, I found Josh pacing around shirtless, munching on an apple.

If only Joanna could see this. She'd melt seeing Josh completely shirtless.

The thought made me giggle, and Josh looked up, smiling when he saw me.

"Hey Ari. Coffee?" he asked, placing a cup in front of me.

I smiled back, thankful, and settled on a stool at the kitchen counter.

"Thanks," I said, taking a sip from the cup.

I began to contemplate whether I should go to school today. I really wasn't feeling up for it. Lack of sleep from last night and the possibility of running into my mother at home would seal the deal. Not looking like this, though. I need a day to pull myself together before going back to school.

"You ready?" Tristan's voice interrupted my thoughts as he descended the stairs, dressed in jeans, a gray shirt, and his letterman jacket.

Damn.

"Here's your stuff," he handed me my cheer uniform with my phone on top. I took them from him, said a quick goodbye to Josh, and we left the house, getting into his car.

On the way home, another jolt of pain hit the lower side of my stomach, and I groaned. Just as quickly as it came, it was gone. Tristan glanced at me before returning his gaze to the road.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, fine. Morning cramps, I think," I replied shortly. We reached my house, and I unbuckled my seatbelt.

"If you're not feeling well, you really should consider staying home and getting more sleep," he insisted, and I froze.

Was it really that obvious?

"Thanks. See you at school."

He drove away, leaving me standing at my doorstep. Reluctantly, I entered the house.

As I hoped, my parents didn't immediately confront me when I walked in, and I sighed in relief.

I quickly showered, dressed in skinny jeans and a black tank top. I did my makeup and hair, grabbed my school bag, and left the room.

Hastening down the stairs, the pain returned, and I groaned, wrapping an arm around my waist.

What's going on with me?

I rarely get sick, so what's with today? What's happening to me?

I rushed downstairs, snatched a cup of coffee from the kitchen counter, and gulped it down, not caring if it was still hot. I just needed something warm to ease the pain so I could make it through the day.

I hurried to school and, upon arriving, Shay and Joanna bombarded me with questions.

"Ari, what happened yesterday? Are you okay?" Shay asked, hooking her arm around mine.

"Why didn't you answer your phone? Tell us what's going on," Joanna urged. I sighed, smiling at them.

"Nothing happened, so don't worry. I went for a drive without telling Dad, stopped at Gigi's, lost track of time." I lied.

They exchanged glances and crossed their arms.

"Cut the bullshit, Ari. We both covered for you yesterday, so you owe us an explanation. Do you realize how worried we were?" I sighed in surrender.

They knew me well, and my lies were transparent.

Walking to our classes, I spilled everything – staying at Tristan's included. Their eyes widened, and by the time I finished, their jaws nearly hit the floor.

"No way!" Joanna exclaimed.

"For real? He didn't even get mad or talk rudely?" Shay asked, and I shook my head.

"That's what happened. Please, let's keep this between us, okay?" They both nodded, and the bell rang for first period.

With a quick farewell, I headed to class, deciding it was better not to bring up yesterday's events and risk another awkward encounter with Tristan.

****

After class, I got up to grab my books, but a sudden jolt of pain shot through me out of nowhere. I ended up dropping my books and clutching my side, trying to hold back a painful groan.

Other students around me looked puzzled and concerned for a moment, but then they just moved on. The pain disappeared as quickly as it had come.

I seriously need to swing by the hospital to figure out what's going on with me and grab some pills or something to deal with this weird pain.

I picked up my fallen books from the floor, and as I straightened up, I noticed Tristan standing by the doorway, giving me a concerned look.

He walked away, which caught me off guard since he doesn't usually show that much concern.

I headed to my locker, opened it up, and stashed my books inside.

Out of nowhere, the pain hit me again, this time like a wrecking ball, and I knew I wouldn't be able to bear it.

I let out a loud groan, unable to stop myself, and ended up dropping to the floor, clutching my side in agony.

"Ugh!" I collapsed right in the middle of the hallway, and suddenly everyone was staring down at me, a mix of confusion and shock on their faces as they hovered over me.

The pain was unbearable, and I couldn't take it any longer. Before I could even process what was happening, I felt stars dancing across my vision, and darkness enveloped me.