A room without books is like a body without a soul.

-Marcus Tullius Cicero

VIII | THE LITTLE MERMAID

Friday, the best day of the week for me, simply because of the two day holiday afterwards. Five days at school was already affecting my brain more and more, to me, a two day weekend just wasn't enough.

I laid on my bed, smiling from ear to ear as I read my Harry Potter novel, the Half-Blood Prince to be exact. I read through the pages, delving deep into the story. Sometimes, I would imagine myself as a witch in the book and I would imagine being close friends with Harry and the others. My imagination was that good, or was I just sad? As I flipped to the next page of my novel, a sudden knock came from my window. I ignored due to how Harry Potter always comes first no matter what. Maybe I'd check who it was after a chapter, or five.

The knocking continued to my annoyance. I placed my book down - putting a bookmark in to preserve my place.

After doing so, I looked up to see an agitated Reece staring through my window. I raised an eyebrow at him and got up from my bed to open the window for him.

He stepped inside my room, "what are you doing? There's a front door you know." I groaned.

He smirked, "now where's the fun in that? Windows are more excitin'." he spoke, looking around my room.

"Your stupidity is exciting to watch as well," I mumbled, causing him to glare at me.

He looked around my lavender and white room theme, "cute room," he complimented, now walking over to my small poster collection - that consisted of a Justin Timberlake, a young Leonardo DiCaprio, Zac Efron and many, many other male celebrity posters.

I moved over to him and he turned to me, expecting me to speak, "may I ask why are you in my bedroom and not doing what normal guys do?" Not that I knew what normal guys did, apart from play sports and jack-off to porn. I huffed in annoyance, knowing Harry Potter will have to wait.

He gave me a half smirk, "and what do guys normally do?" He asked.

I shrugged lightly, "I don't know, masturbate a whole lot, watch porn, talk about girls and sports - stuff like that?" I obviously knew little in the male activities department, but I'm very sure I listed a good amount of them that I believed to be true.

His lips formed into a straight judging line, "Okay, so I'm goin' to pretend you didn't just say that," he tried not to smile, making his way over to my bed and sitting down. He picked up my Harry Potter book and examined it, "I didn't know you were into this stuff, I prefer the movies though, less time consumin'."

I snatched the book harshly from his grip and placed it gently on my bookshelf that consisted of the rest of my Harry Potter collection and some other books I enjoyed.

"The book has a lot more detail than the movie," I explained. "Anyway, why are you here?" I asked, now getting impatient. He was so lucky my family wasn't home, well besides from Gwen, who was downstairs with Thomas doing God knows what. Mom and Dad were at the dentist with Cole and Millie.

"I'm bored," he shrugged, laying down and looking up at the ceiling.

"Dude, you have like a gazillion friends, how the fuck are you bored?" I practically shouted.

"I just don't feel like hangin' out with any of them," he said simply, looking at me.

"And you're telling me because...?" I questioned and he just scoffed at me. I laughed. "Okay, sorry, we can stalk Brooke if you want? My Dad got this new taser and I've been dying to try it out on someone."

Reece gave me a worried look, "why would you want to taser Brooke?"

"Because she's a fucking cunt ass bitch." I put bluntly.

Reece stood up from my bed, "that's kind of harsh, don't you think?"

"No, she embarrassed me in front of everyone at work, actually, you both did. I should taser you too," I gave him a pointed look. I was genuinely considering it.

He rolled his eyes. I stood up from my bed, stretching my arms above my head. "Okay, what do you suggest we do then?" I asked. I wasn't much of a going out person, but I was pretty sure Reece would force me to go with him either way. He was the type of person who didn't take no for an answer, hence why we are fake dating.

"There's this new strip club--"

"No!" I immediately shouted. My nose scrunched up in disgust, why would he think I would want to even go there?

He laughed and sat in my bed, "I was only jokin'...slightly. Hmm, we can go to the skate park?" he suggested and I frowned in response.

"I don't do skateboards," I stated and he sighed.

"Okay Princess, what do you do on the weekend?"

"First don't call me that because Coco is just right downstairs and I don't mind bringing her to eat your balls," I warned and I didn't wait for his answer before I thought about my answer for a moment. What do I do on the weekends besides watch Netflix and read Harry Potter books? "Oh, I go to ballet class every Sunday, but it's open every day though," I informed smiling.

I love ballet, my Dad's parents: Hunter and Cameron Maxwell, actually taught me everything I needed to know about ballet. Sadly, both of my grandparents had passed away.

Reece looked at me, "so you wanna go there now or-?" he said confused.

I laughed, "I don't mind really," I murmured, heading to my closet to get my ballet wear.

"Wait, chill," he said, I stopped in my steps and turned to him, waiting for the reason as to why he told me to stop.

"I meant an activity we can do together, you know, get to know each other better. Plus, I don't think I'd look good in tights." I chuckled, walking towards him and lightly slapped his shoulder.

"Sure you do, your butt looks perfect for tights, not too flat and not too big, just perfect." I laughed, receiving a smirk from Reece.

"So you admit that you've been checkin' me out?" I wasn't the type to deny it.

"Sure," I grinned, "I'm not ashamed, you're an attractive specimen, I won't lie." I moved to my vanity mirror and began braiding my hair. He didn't say anything as he stood behind me. Probably checking himself out in the mirror. "Hmm, maybe we should go to Starbucks? I've missed their unicorn Frappuccino." I said, then applied a nude lip gloss to my lips. He nodded in agreement and was about to climb out of the window, but I stopped him, "Reece," I said and he turned to me as both of his hands were holding the frame of the window.

"Yeah?" He said.

"I think it's better if we use the front door," I laughed.

"Oh yeah, right," he said. I quickly grabbed my purse as we both went down the stairs to see Gwen and Thomas making out furiously on the living room couch.

"Um, that's definitely disturbin' to watch," Reece murmured from beside me.

I shrugged, "eh, you get used to it after finding them doing that for how long they've been together." I quickly entered the kitchen, filling up Coco's food and water bowl, then returning back to an uncomfortable Reece. I grabbed his wrist as we made our way out through the front door. Gwen didn't even acknowledge we were ever there or just did not care. I was completely happy she didn't.

Reece pulled up to Starbucks and we got out of his car, heading inside to the cashier. She looked up to us and smiled. "Welcome to Starbucks, what would you like to order?"

"Um, I'll take the Unicorn Frappuccino, size grande with a blueberry muffin on the side, please."

She looked to Reece after speedily inputting the order, "and you sir?"

"I'll just have a black coffee, thanks." How can someone like plain black coffee? It's so bitter.

We walked over to a two-person table and sat down face to face, "she's cute, you should go for her." I sipped my drink.

Reece shook his head, "Really Violet, we are basically datin' in the public eye, plus I don't want Brooke to think I'm datin' two people at once or somethin'. I would be no better than she is."

"Calm down softie, it was just a suggestion. I'm just saying if you and Brooke somehow don't work out, there are plenty of girls in the sea."

"Isn't the expression: 'there is plenty of fish in the sea'." He knitted his brows together.

"Yes that's what I just said, there are plenty of girls in the sea." He didn't reply. "Anyway, has she dumped that loser college guy yet? Any progress in your relationship?" I wanted to know how long more I'd have to be doing this.

He sipped his black coffee and rested it on the table, "nope, they are still bloody together." He grumbled, eyes angry.

I honestly don't know what Brooke's problem is. Here's a guy that clearly loves her so much, and what does she do? She cheats on him. She honestly does not deserve Reece at all. I hope one day, Reece finds someone better than Brooke, someone that would treat him the way he should be treated.

I mean, to be honest, I don't understand why he even loves her? I know they have been together since freshman year, so that's probably why. This whole fake dating thing was to literally get her back. I hope she at least changes her evil ways because I don't think it's fair that Reece is going through all this trouble just to get back together with a cheating ex.

But in the end, if she is still not the one for Reece, I would gladly help him find the perfect girl. He deserves to be loved. I'm pretty sure we're now friends and friends help friends. After all, Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick Star taught us all the true meaning of friendship.

"Don't worry, she'll come around," I reassured him taking a small bite of my muffin, he nodded, giving me a small smile.

"I hope so. Enough about depressin' stuff, I think we should get to know each other a little better. I think we can now establish we are somewhat friends," he said, gaining a nod in agreement from me.

"Yep, wanna do twenty questions?" I asked.

"Sure, hmm, let's start with the basic, what's your middle name?" He asked.

"It's kind of weird..." I warned.

He crossed his arms and rested his back on the chair, "try me."

"Okay. It's Ariel, like the Little Mermaid Ariel." I stated.

His smile widened a little. "I mean that's not bad, to be honest, but why?"

"My Mom is the weird person she is, loves all the Disney princesses, Gwen's middle name is Jasmine, Millie's is Ella, short for Cinderella, and Cole's is Phillip, like sleeping beauty Phillip. It's weird I know." I said completely embarrassed, my cheeks brightening.

"I think it's kind of cool your mom named you guys after prince and princesses. It's kind of unique." I scoffed at the compliment.

"Stop making me feel like it's not weird when it is. But anyway, what's your middle name?" I smiled.

"It's kind of weird - not that bad though," he said. I followed his current position, crossing my arms and rested my back on the chair.

"Hmm, try me," I copied and he chuckled.

"Well it's Ace, most people originate it with the Ace of spades. But yeah, it's ace like the card."

I smiled, "I think that's a really awesome name, but may I ask why your parents picked that?"

"My Dad was a huge poker player back in the days before he invested in his family's business," he informed.

"I'm guessing you're taking over the family business after him?" I questioned, my suspicion apparent.

"Yeah, I'm just learnin' the ropes for now, immediately after I'm done with university, I will start workin' there and after a few years, I can and will take over," he explained, I nodded taking in the information.

I was about to respond when his phone chirped, he looked to it and his face immediately hardened with anger, "Reece, everything okay?" I asked worriedly.

He scratched the back of his neck, "yeah, it was the reason why I couldn't drop you off at home yesterday. But it's nothin' serious. Don't worry about it," he assured, standing up. I nodded in understanding and stood up as well, even though we basically just got here.

He took my hand and lead me back to his car, entering it.

The twenty-minute ride home consisted of silence, Reece's hands were tight on the steering wheel, his face was hard and stoic as he looked at the road, he was obviously thinking about something. He stopped in front of my house.

I turned to him but he was still looking ahead, "Be safe, don't do anything that will let you end up with seven cats and unmarried." I joked I was really worried, he wasn't usually like this. He turned to me and gave me a fake smile, I knew it was a fake smile, I knew one when I saw one. Reece wasn't good at hiding it.

He chuckled lightly at my statement, "Yeah, just a business emergency," he said and I lightly nodded and stepped out the car.

Just as I was about to step out, Reece quickly took hold of my hand. "Violet," he said and I turned to him

"Yeah?" I murmured, even more worried.

"Good night," he said softly.

I gave him a small reassuring smile. "Night," I said as I got out of the car and closed it softly. I watched as he started the car and drove down the street away from me.

I hope whatever he is dealing with wasn't something dangerous.