𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐀 ||The Girl Behind The Act||

Chapter 15

Tristan

Something's off. I can feel it, and it's bugging me that whatever's up with her has got me thinking about her all day.

It's seriously driving me crazy!

When she suddenly looked uneasy and held her waist like she was hiding something, I knew things weren't okay. She's definitely not herself, and I'm starting to worry.

Seriously, what the hell.

I slammed my locker shut with a loud noise, leaned against it, and let out a sigh. It's a relief she didn't talk to me about whatever happened yesterday, because things haven't changed between us.

I was just lending a hand, that's all. No big deal. But today, ever since the ride to her place this morning, the exhaustion evident in her eyes and those quiet pained sounds she was making got me thinking about her a lot.

"Hey Tristan." I turned to see a beaming Jenny by my side.

I smiled back and stood up straight to face her.

"Hey Jenny. What's up?" She shrugged, about to reply, when a loud commotion echoed down the hallway.

I spun around to see a crowd forming around someone on the ground, writhing in pain.

Before they completely blocked my view, I spotted the familiar brown hair strewn across the floor.

Panic surged through me as I hurried toward the crowd, pushing my way in. My heart sank at the sight of Ariana lying there, unconscious. I knelt down beside her, shaking her gently.

"Ari! Ariana! Wake up, damn it!"

When her eyes didn't open, I knew it wasn't good. Cradling her in my arms, I scooped her up and rushed her to the parking lot, laying her carefully in the backseat of my car.

"What happened? Oh my god, what's wrong with her? Where are you taking her, Tristan?!"

I turned to see Joanna and Shay by my car, their faces a mix of shock and concern as they looked at Ariana.

"To the hospital. Call her dad or whoever she lives with. I'll meet you all there." I didn't wait for their response, jumping into the driver's seat and speeding away.

At the hospital, I carried her in my arms, calling for help from the doctors and nurses at the emergency ward. They rushed out with a stretcher, and I placed her on it gently. They wheeled her away as I walked alongside, gripping her hand tightly.

"Sorry, sir, you can't go in. This area's restricted," a nurse informed me. I released her hand as they took her into a room, the curtains obscuring my view.

I ran a hand through my hair, pacing the corridor anxiously as I waited for news.

I knew it. Something was wrong, and I should've done something when I had the chance.

Fuck.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached, and I looked up to see a middle-aged man and a brown-haired woman rushing toward us. Their features resembled Ariana's enough to guess that they were her parents.

"Mr. Blake, Stacy," Joanna greeted, hugging them both. Shay, too, stood up from beside me to offer her support.

"What happened to Ari?" the man asked, worry evident in his voice.

"We're not sure. She passed out in the hallway after first period today. She was fine yesterday, not sick or anything," Joanna explained, her voice tinged with concern.

"Who brought her here?" the woman inquired, and all eyes turned to me. I stood up to face them.

"I did." I admitted, and they both came over, the woman enveloping me in a grateful hug.

"Thank you for helping Ari," she said, warmth in her eyes.

"What's your name, young man?" the man asked.

"Tristan. Ari is in my class," I replied, and he smiled at me appreciatively.

"Thank you for your help. Can you tell us what happened?" he inquired, just as the door to Ariana's room swung open, and medical staff wheeled her out on a stretcher, attached to a drip stand and heart monitor. She was wearing an oxygen mask.

"Ari!" the woman cried, tears welling in her eyes. My heart squeezed seeing Ariana's fragile state.

As we tried to reach her, a doctor's voice interrupted us. We turned to find the doctor approaching, concern etched on his face.

"Mr. and Mrs. Blake?" he called, and they stepped forward.

"Can you tell us what's wrong with our daughter?" her father asked, his voice shaky. The doctor checked his clipboard before addressing them.

"Your daughter had appendicitis. We're going to perform a surgery immediately so, she's going to be okay. It's a common procedure, so there's no need to worry. I'll update you once she's out of recovery," he assured her parents.

Relief flooded over me.

"Thank goodness."

"She can be discharged in 1 or 2 days after the surgery. We need one of you to fill out her hospital forms," the doctor added.

"I'll do it," Mr. Blake offered, following the doctor.

As we waited, I watched Ariana's room through the window. I realized I didn't have a personal reason for being here, other than helping her.

But honestly, who cares?

Ariana's okay, and that's all that matters. Her mom's smile met mine, and I returned it.

"Are you her boyfriend?" she whispered, moving closer to me. We both watched Ariana's unconscious form.

I almost laughed at the question but shook my head.

"No, not her boyfriend."

"Then why are you going this far for her? I might not have been there for her often, but I know her enough to realize she doesn't usually get guys so concerned. So what's different about you?"

I considered her words, my gaze fixed ahead. They made sense. As far as I knew, only Shay and Joanna were close enough to Ariana to really know her. None of the guys were her "boyfriend."

"You know, I'm glad someone like you is sticking around for Ari. She might put on a show, but I've seen past it. Ariana can be quite the drama queen, you know? If you really want to know her, stick around. You'll be surprised," she said before patting my shoulder and walking away.

I continued to watch Ariana, a frown forming.

What show? Was she pretending all this time? Why? Why can't she just be herself?

Her mom's words lingered in my mind, making me even more curious. It seemed she'd dropped a hint about how to find answers.

Starting with getting closer to Ariana, gaining her trust, and maybe uncovering her true self.