Chapter 14

COPYRIGHT

My recent uploads have been really inconsistent lately because I’ve had loads of stressful work so got kind of pulled under lol. I am sorry about that but ‘you gotta do what you gotta do right?’, anyway my erratic uploads may continue for a while until I’m finished with work.

I just want to thank every reader for sticking with the stories, and me even though I take forever and a day to re- upload. Hope you enjoy and try and ignore spelling and grammar mistakes lol  smile024

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I could feel myself floating towards the beginnings of consciousness, still in that familiar lukewarm abyss that is being half asleep. I was vaguely aware of the fingers of stray morning light that must have been cutting through a gap in my curtains threatening my sleep, and that I seemed to be laying across what felt like an incredibly comfortable soft warm radiator.

I half opened one eye, even the faint light that seeped through my curtains and I immediately shut it again.

Too late. Urghhh

 I had opened my eye, letting in the day and now I could feel my brain slowly switching on. My still sleepy vision could still make out the glaring red numbers on my electric alarm 10:13 AM

Urghhhh ….damn… I really didn’t want to wakeup…. Way too comfortable.

I don’t think I’d slept so well in … I can’t really remember but I have a hunch sleeping in the same bed as Ari did the trick. Whenever he slept over at mine, I always felt like I slept better, deeper and more peacefully.

Ari.

There was one reason to open my eyes.

I slowly opened my eyes. My vision focused on the bare tanned chest my head was lying on and as I looked up I could see Ari’s sleeping face.

One of his arms was under his pillow and the other was slung on top of the duvet over my waist, almost holding me to him while our legs had somehow become intertwined in our sleep.

I couldn’t say I minded and I saw absolutely no reason to move my butt one inch out of this position– especially since (sigh of relief) I remembered to wax my legs recently. So if my pyjama bottoms legs had risen he wouldn’t feel any porcupine like spikes.

I was also incredibly aware that Ari was wearing nothing but boxers. Which admittedly had been what he usually wore to sleep over at mine and it was kind of normal but now it felt different.

I smiled to myself as I looked up at Ari. He really was tanned, and combined with the soft morning light from my curtains he seemed to be all angles, his face looked so peaceful, his sandy blonde hair was slightly ruffled and the slight fluttering of his eyes as he slept made me think of what he was like when we were younger.

He had been all blonde curls and wide, dimpled smiles.

Though the well-built chest I was lying on told me Ari was no longer the skinny wide-eyed boy I’d spent my childhood with. Well, not physically at least.

It was comforting to know that underneath all that outward perfection called Aaron Fox, I knew he was still a complete nerd like me. He was still the same person who memorised all the American presidents in order – just for fun.

Though he claimed it was just so that if he is ever unconscious and I don’t know if he is suffering from, and I quote;  ‘amnesia or permanent brain damage that could lead to a cerebral haemorrhage’ I can ask him to recite them backward and then I’ll know he’s ok.

Of course, I did remind him that if I’m not there he might have a problem. Most other people haven’t made a habit of memorising the Presidents backwards in their spare time and would either think he’s A: crazy or B: not know if what he’s saying is true or  false.

I chuckled to myself as I remembered his fourteen year old self smiling at my counter argument like I’d just said something stupid before giving me a classic Ari reply:  “then I guess you’ll just have to stick around Ella Bear, Duh”

 Could feel a giggle rising in me at the thought, shaking my body slightly as I still lay on his chest trying to suppress it.

I did and didn’t want to wake Ari. I wanted him awake and smiling at me but there was something about his peaceful sleep that made him so sweet it was kind of unbearable to think of waking him.

I covered my mouth with a hand to stop my giggling but a slight squeak escaped my lips. My eyes shot up to Ari who was slowly opening his eyes so I stayed silent. My body was now only slightly shaking with silent giggles.

I felt Ari’s arm around my waist tighten for a second as if on reflex, it was like he was checking I was there and drawing me closer to him and his body heat as he mumbled sleepily “ Ella?”

I chuckled at his confused face looking down at me.

Then Ari’s confusion broke into a slow drowsy smile“ what’s with the giggling?”

I smiled lifting myself up of his chest slightly to look down at him“ I was thinking about you and the Presidents” I said, knowing he’d understand.

Recognition flashed across Ari’s sleepy face and he smiled cockily “ another awesome plan from camp Ari”

I raised an eyebrow “ Yeah right. None knows the presidents names backwards”

Ari moved his arm from my waist and then I saw his fingers catch a wisp of my hair and twirl it round one of his long slim fingers.

“ You do” he said softly looking me in the eye before he added “ And I do”

“What if I’m not there huh?” I counter argued with a triumphant smile.

Ari smiled as he sat up slightly so our faces where only a breath apart and suddenly I could smell his familiar sherbet scent and almost felt my lips tingling with longing to kiss him.

My eyes flickered down to his lips momentarily before meeting his eyes again.

Damn.

How did he do this to me?

I felt Ari’s hand cup the back of my head before he brought me forward and kissed me softly as if he thought I would disintegrate into grains of sand in his hands. The second our lips touched I felt my stomach explode in butterflies.I felt his hand running through my hair as his our kiss deepened, slowly exploring each other.

It was like we were both trying to savour one another.

Then when we pulled away Ari smiled at me, smoothing my hair back from my face.

“ And why wouldn’t you be with me?” he asked quietly.

I felt a blush seep across my face, undoubtedly staining my cheeks.

I really wish I didn’t blush so easily, but it was one of those things you just can’t control. It made my emotions completely transparent when I least wanted them to be.

 “ I don’t know’ I whispered. The thought of not being there if Ari was ever really hurt made my stomach drop for a second before I regained my breath and continued with a small smile playing on my lips;‘I think the fact that you just spent the last eight months half way across the world kind of begs to differ don’t you think?”

Ari frowned slightly “Leaving home always feels longer than it is.” He said, almost to himself.

I bet it felt longer for me.

He didn’t know how difficult it had been adjusting to him not being there.

It had hit me like a tennis ball at first.

Text messages don’t feel the same as conversations.

I moved to the side and sat up, crossing my legs “Hmm …I wouldn’t know so I can’t imagine it. Leaving for so long. I know I’d miss everyone like crazy. But I’m sure surfing in Australia with the rest of the cast and going to the parties you told me about was pretty cool, at least compared to boring home.” I finished wistfully. Ari never made a big deal out of any of the parties or events he went to but I’d always had a sneaking suspicion he was probably just playing down how fun they were so I wouldn’t seem so boring in comparison.

Ari closed his eyes for a second “ You know, none really talks at those parties, I mean hardly anyone talks about anything real. It’s fun but it’s all a game in the end Ella bear.” Ari opened his eyes and I suddenly thought how much more mature he looked than me. He was talking about something so serious in such a matter of fact way…

‘You meet a few great friends along the way that you can hang out with like I did this year but other than a handful of people nothings that permanent in my business.”

“ Permanent? ” I repeated, unsure of exactly what he meant.

“You know, you get people who you’d be hanging with if you weren’t filming or promoting and then there’s everyone else who is only there to do what there job is.”

He said casually, waving his hand slightly at the end of the sentence.

“So your agent would be?. ...” I asked trailing off

Ari seemed to think for a second “ Well he’s kind of a friend, or he wants me to think he is… but I know a big part of why he’s even talking to me is because of the money I make him”

“So he’s mixed? Don’t you mind that nothings uh,… permanent?” I asked curiously.

I mean I just always thought of my friends in school like Marissa as being permanent. I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

It would be odd and a bit scary to know the people who surround me everyday were not fixed.

I knew I wasn’t like Ari, I wasn’t as good with change. It always took me a while to adapt to new surroundings.

Ari on the other hand, had always been slightly more outgoing than me, with the innate ability to make people warm to him with a truly friendly smile or a funny joke. I knew that part of this was just an act and Ari sometimes felt kind of awkward like everyone else underneath his smile. After years I’d learnt to spot the small signals, like his fidgeting hand, that gave away what he was feeling underneath.

Ari ran a hand through his hair “ I guess I’m just ok with the fact that I know who my permanent people are that will stick around are in my life and I know who probably wouldn’t if I wasn’t so lucky”

I frowned slightly at Ari’s long held belief that pure luck was all down to his success.

Somehow he didn’t see that it wasn’t just about the way he looked, but the fact that he had an undeniable talent for acting, that when you watched him you knew this was someone who would be one of the future great actors.

 Somehow, because I knew Ari’s personality like the back of my hand, watching him in films almost made it more apparent how incredible his acting was. The way he seemed to completely transform himself into another person still astounded me.

Sometimes I didn’t really see Ari when he acted, but the character he embodied.

And isn’t that the point?

To become someone else when you act?

All I know is that I think the fact that he can trick me; someone who has known him his whole life proves his talent.

“ Hey, where you are today has everything to do with how talented you are” I said forcefully even though I knew from past experience he probably wouldn’t believe me.

Ari raised one eyebrow cynically; running his hand through his hair again as if the compliment made him physically uncomfortable and he wanted to brush it off.

I continued despite how obviously unconvinced he was “ and maybe a pinch of it is luck that you don’t look like a donkeys back side-’ I said before I got cut off by Ari chucking a pillow at me.

I giggled and was about to throw it back before I heard my mum calling from downstairs ‘ Hey you guys! Wake up, I’ve made fried breakfast so come down and get it while it’s warm…. Otherwise I’m feeding it to the cat!”

Ari and I froze listening. My mum makes the best-fried breakfast with crispy bacon, fried eggs, sausages and baked beans. She didn’t make it every morning so she must have made it especially because Ari was back home again.

“ Race you to the kitchen!” I challenged and as we both sprang out of bed and towards the door.

I was pretty much destined to win seeing as I was fully clothed in pyjamas.

He wasn’t.

I ran to the door and turned around to find Ari slipping on his jeans and t-shirt hurriedly. In the dimmed light seeping through my closed curtains I could see that his honey coloured tan really was all over and that he was wearing dark blue boxers.

Shame.

He would really make breakfast mouth-watering if he kept the top off.

Though somehow I didn’t think that would be happening.

I mentally slapped myself for my cheesy thought before I opened the door, but before I could leave I felt Ari’s strong arms effortlessly scooping me up from under my legs and back as he lifted me up bridal style looking down at me with a wicked smirk.

WOW he really is strong. I mean I’m not exactly a feather….

I felt myself squeak slightly in shock before in two strides he was standing over my bed and as fast as he had picked me up I was falling onto my soft bed with a thump!

“ Urghhhh!!! Ari!!!” I groaned as I dropped onto the bed In a clumsy heap.

Ari just smirked knowingly, hands on hips and put on an incredibly convincing fake English accent “you know making that kind of noise in front of a gentleman isn’t very ladylike” he said before he turned and walked over to my open door, smiling cheekily at me.

Laughing, I sat up, “ I don’t see any gentleman” I replied.

Ari half smiled, “true” he said, his eyes flicking over me quickly in a way that made my stomach knot for a second, before he walked out of the door and down the stairs.

I quickly got up and ran out of my room and down my stairs after him, straight into the kitchen that smelt deliciously of fried bacon. The room was filled with light streaming in from outside, illuminating the room and all evidence of yesterdays fantastic food fight had disappeared, the counters gleaming. Ari was already sitting at the table digging into his breakfast; next to my dad who was reading the newspaper. My mum was sitting opposite my dad, pouring milk into her cereal and humming to herself softly.

I felt my self-sigh in happiness; it had been eight months since I had breakfast with Ari. It felt odd but incredibly relaxing to see him there. We’d both practically grown up in each other’s houses that we both treated the others like an extended version of home. His house and mine were filled with a thousand little memories that made up a friendship, which had spanned our whole lives.

I smiled at them “good morning”, as I picked up my plate of breakfast from the kitchen counter and walked over to the seat next to my mum.

My mum looked up, smiling “ Hey, morning sweetie, how did you guys sleep?”

I tried to smile through my full mouth but instead made thumbs up.

My dad looked at me over his newspaper grinning, “ I think that’s a yes”

“ Hmm so what fun you guys get up to while you where catching up?” my mum asked innocently but my mind immediately went into paranoia overdrive and images of Ari and me kissing on my bed flashed in my mind.

I coughed in shock, choking on my food. “ Mhmm!!”

I glanced across the table to see Ari looking completely innocent, apart from the gleam of humour in his eyes. He so thought this was funny.

I could see my dad smiling at the two of us in knowing amusement from behind his newspaper, his one eyebrow raised slightly. He looked between us momentarily before he went back to reading.

Hmmm. Sometimes I really hate how my dad makes up for my mums total lack of observational skills.

“ Well watched Spiderman and then we had a very interesting pillow fight, which reminded me just how bad Ella’s aim is.” Ari said chuckling as he spoke, cutting up his fried eggs.

I couldn’t help but smile at his emphasis on interesting.

It certainly was.

I put my knife and fork down, “funny, seeing as I think I won.” I replied, looking at my mum’s oblivious face.

Ari took a sip of his glass of orange juice, his eyes holding mine in a way that made my stomach fill with warm tension before he looked to my mum smiling “ Oh I think we both ended up winning in the end ” 

Well, you can’t argue with that Isobel….

“ Well I hope you both haven’t made to much of a mess? Because you’ll be cleaning it.” She said, looking at me pointedly. My mum hates mess. She’s a little bit of a neat freak.  In comparison she finds my inability to organise and tendency to leave everything scattered around my room so frustrating that last year she announced she wouldn’t be cleaning my room anymore.

She doesn’t realise that my room is what I call ‘my organised mess’- I know exactly where everything is. When she tidied I couldn’t find half my jewellery and my clothes were always being creepily colour coordinated. 

So I wasn’t that bothered. 

“ Yeah, yeah ..I cleaned up. Don’t worry you taught me well yoda” I joked, rolling my eyes.

My dad and Ari burst out laughing and I could see a smile itching in the corner of mum’s mouth. As my dad’s laughter subsided he put down his newspaper “ So, what are you kids up to outside on this sunny Sunday afternoon?” he asked grinning.

My mum cleared her throat slightly “ I thought we all agreed that they should stay inside, keep away from the press for today.”

My dad sighed “ Oh, I know but it’s great weather honey” my dad waved his hand towards the window where the whole garden was bathed in sunlight and the sky only had one small lonely cloud in it.

“ And Aarons just got back, I’m sure he doesn’t want to be all cooped up in this place. I think Linda wouldn’t mind them having a few hours of freedom… none is looking for him here.

Also I’m guessing Aaron knows how to keep under the radar” my dad glanced at Ari who was nodding in tentative agreement “ I mean he’s not going to be stupid enough to walk into a mall of teenage girls, right?” Ari shook his head quickly, a slight smile playing on his lips.

God if we went into a mall in any part of America on a weekend, I’m pretty sure Ari would be attacked by teenage girls. Actually I think ‘eaten alive’ is a more appropriate saying.

I could just see myself being completely trampled by a stampede of girls running down the mall. It would definitely be ‘bye bye Isobel’ as they crushed me to the floor to get to him.

As I continued eating I could see my mum buckling under their pleading eyes.

I really wanted to go out with Ari but I could also see my mums point; a lot of paparazzi and fans know he’s back in LA.

“ Ok. But you guys have to promise to keep away from busy public places. Actually public places, period – you could get noticed way too easily. Take Isobel’s car. And I want you both to ring Linda and me every hour and a half.’ My mum told us warningly, before she smiled at us “