"oh, I don't have you here with me but at least I have the memory"

aubrey's POV

the sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden hue over the campus as paige, nika, azzi, and I made our way to the movie theater. paige had convinced us all that a movie night was the perfect way to unwind after the hectic week. we had trainings every day even between games. geno was not taking it lightly with us at all.

as we walked, paige suddenly nudged me, breaking me out of my thoughts. "hey, isn't that ari and ethan over there?" she said, pointing to a cozy little café across the street. I followed her gaze and saw them through the large window. they were sitting across from eachother, laughing and smiling at each other. ethan's hand rested casually on the table, fingers almost touching ariana's. my heart sank, and a sharp pang of something hit me. was it jealousy? envy? i don't know. trying to mask my emotions, I forced a smile. "yeah, looks like they're having a good time," I said, my voice betraying none of the turmoil inside.

ariana's POV

the café was a warm refuge from the cool autumn air. ethan and I had been laughing for what felt like hours, our conversation flowing effortlessly. It was nice to spend time with him after such a long break. he had just shared a ridiculous story about a failed cooking experiment, and I couldn't stop laughing. "seriously, ethan? you burned your plant?" I asked, still laughing. he shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "It's not that big deal. someone has to be gordon ramsay in the school."

our laughter trailed off as we settled into a comfortable silence. I glanced out the window and noticed aubrey and the others walking by. i fel like my heart skipped a beat, and I followed them with my eyes, hoping they...she would see me. but none of them noticed. or maybe they ignored me. I couldn't tell. "everything okay?" ethan asked, his brow furrowed in concern. "yeah," I said, forcing a smile. "just thought I saw someone I know."

we finished our drinks and continued chatting, but my mind kept drifting back to aubrey, for some reason. i felt like this for a long time but i don't know what is this, maybe i like her? 

but, i don't like girls like that. 

____________________________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐ 

the day went by quikly i didn't even notice it. all i remember is aubrey.

she wouldn't talk to me and i don't know why. was it because of the party, or something else? i feel really clueless i don't remember saying or doing anything wrong to her. maybe i said something on the party that i don't remember because i was drunk. i mean, we didn't talked since the party.

after we drank our coffee, me and ethan decided to go into a bookstore because we both wanted new books. when we approached the store, ethan held the door open for me, and let me in before him. ethan immediately walked towards the poem sections and i walked towards the horror one. i saw a book that i don't think i've seen before. it was really far up i tried to reach it but i couldn't. i was just about asking a worker to help me, when i felt a presence behind me, reaching for the book and handing it to me. i looked up at him as he smiled, and gave me the book.

"here you go, is this what you wanted?" he asked just in case. he was tall about the same height as aubrey. he had dark skin, just like aubrey. his hair was out in an afro style, just like aubrey had it today. today when she ignored me all day. his eyes were sparkling just like aubrey's sparkled the day we met. he had a million dollar smile, but not close enough to aubrey's. i got lost in thoughts and forgot to answer to his question. "oh, yes. sorry thank you." 

"you like horror?" he asked, giving me a questioning look. "yeah. i haven't seen this book before and it looks good." i answered. 

"do you have a favourite author?" he gave me a questioning look. "this is gonna be basic but stephen king and i always liked edgar allan poe ever since i can remember. what is your name, by the way?"

"oh really, sorry. my name is jordan.  yours?" he questioned. "my name is ariana. it's nice to meet you, jordan." I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease.

"so, ariana," jordan said, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. "any stephen king recommendations for someone who's just getting into horror?"

I chuckled softly. "well, 'the shining' is a classic, but if you want something that'll really keep you up at night, try 'it'. just don't blame me if you develop a fear of clowns."

jordan laughed, a warm and hearty sound that made me feel comfortable. "noted. I'll keep that in mind. any other hobbies besides reading horror novels?" before I could answer, ethan appeared by my side, holding a couple of poetry books. "hey, ari. found what you were looking for?"

"yeah, I did. ethan, this is jordan. jordan, this is my friend ethan." they shook hands, exchanging polite greetings. there was a brief, almost awkward silence before ethan spoke up. "we should probably get going if we want to catch that movie on time."

"right," I nodded. "It was nice meeting you, jordan."

"you too, ariana. and ethan, nice to meet you as well."

as we left the bookstore, my mind was still swirling with thoughts of aubrey and the strange feelings I couldn't quite name. It was as if seeing her today had awakened something in me that I couldn't ignore.

aubrey's POV

the cinema was bustling with activity by the time we arrived. nika and azzi were already in line for popcorn, chatting animatedly about the latest gossip on campus. paige and I hung back, discussing our plans for the weekend. "so, any exciting plans?" paige asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

I shrugged, trying to act casual. "not really. just the usual—study, maybe catch up on some sleep."

"right, because you're such a party animal," she teased, elbowing me gently. "come on, aubrey. there's got to be something more interesting going on." i was about to respond when I saw ari and ethan walking towards the cinema entrance. my heart did that annoying flutter thing again, and I quickly looked away, pretending to be engrossed in my phone.

paige noticed and raised an eyebrow. "everything okay?"

"yeah, just... you know, tired from practice," I lied, forcing a smile.

we got our tickets and found seats in the theater. I ended up sitting next to paige, with nika and azzi on her other side. just as the lights dimmed and the previews started, I saw ari and ethan enter the theater, finding seats a few rows ahead of us. I couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and disappointment that she hadn't noticed me.

throughout the movie, I found it hard to focus. my mind kept drifting back to the sight of ari in the café, laughing with ethan. and no i see them sitting next to eachother in the movies. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was missing out on something important, something that had the potential to change everything.

when the movie ended, we all stood up to leave. paige stretched and yawned, nudging me playfully. "you seemed a little distracted there, aubrey. everything alright?"

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. as we walked out of the theater, I caught a glimpse of ari and ethan again. this time, she saw me. our eyes met for a brief moment before she looked away, her expression unreadable.

ari's POV

after leaving the cinema, ethan and I headed back to our dorms, but my mind kept drifting back to the brief encounter with aubrey. she seemed so distant, and it bothered me more than I wanted to admit. i saw something in her eyes that i couldn't place ethan must have noticed my distraction because he asked, "everything okay, ari? you seem a little off."

I sighed. "yeah, I'm fine. just a lot on my mind, I guess."

"Is it about aubrey?" he asked gently. I looked up at him, surprised. "how did you—?"

"It's kind of obvious," he said with a small smile. "you two have been close for a while, and now it seems like there's some tension." I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. "yeah, it's complicated. I don't even know what's going on with us. she is distant she keeps ignoring me." ethan brought his hand close to mine to squeeze it. "whatever it is, you'll figure it out. and I'm here if you need to talk."

"thanks, ethan," I said, grateful for his support.

just then, my phone buzzed with a message from jordan. he asked for my number in case i wanted to meet up with him someday. I smiled as I read it. 

"who's that?" ethan asked, glancing at my phone. "jordan" I said, smiling. "looks like you've made a good impression," ethan teased. I laughed, feeling a little lighter. "maybe. he's really nice."

we were now in the elevator, I couldn't help but think about the confusion and mixed feelings I had for aubrey. but maybe, just maybe, getting to know jordan better could help me sort through it all. for now, I was content to let things unfold naturally and see where life took me.

after ethan walked me back to my dorm, I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the lingering confusion from the day. the hallway was quiet as I approached my room, the dim lighting casting soft shadows on the walls. I opened the door and stepped inside, calling out for my roommate. "tara? you here?" I called, expecting to see her sprawled on the couch with her usual assortment of snacks and textbooks.

there was no answer. I glanced around the room, noting that her things were scattered about as usual, but she wasn't anywhere in sight. the light in the bathroom was on, and I could hear faint sniffling coming from behind the closed door. concerned, I walked over and knocked softly. "tara? are you okay?"

for a moment, there was no response. then, the door creaked open, revealing tara sitting on the floor next to the bathtub, her eyes red and puffy from crying. she was hugging herself tightly, looking utterly defeated.

"tara," I whispered, my heart aching for her. "what happened?" she didn't answer immediately, just shook her head and sniffled. I knelt down beside her, reaching out to gently touch her arm. "hey, it's okay. you can talk to me."

tara finally looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. "It's just... everything. my family's going through some stuff, and I feel like I'm losing you, too. you're always with ethan, and I... I just feel so alone." guilt washed over me as I realized how much I had been neglecting her. I had been so caught up in my own confusion and emotions that I hadn't noticed how much tara was struggling. my best friend who was there for me in everything. "I'm so sorry, tara," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "I had no idea you were feeling like this. I never meant to make you feel left out." she wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself. "I know you didn't, ari. It's just... with everything going on at home, I really needed my best friend. and I feel like I'm losing you to Ethan."

I pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly as she cried against my shoulder. "you're not losing me. I'm here, and I'm so sorry I haven't been there for you. I promise I'll do better."

we stayed like that for a while, the silence filled only by the sound of her sobs. I rubbed her back gently, trying to offer her as much comfort as I could. after a few minutes, tara pulled away, wiping her tears. "thanks, ari. I just... needed to let it out."

"anytime," I said softly. "do you want to talk about what's going on with your family?" she nodded, taking a deep breath. "yeah, it's my parents. they've been fighting a lot lately, and it's been really hard. I feel like everything's falling apart. the last time i was talking to mom she said she was thinking about divorcing dad."

"I'm so sorry, tara," I said, squeezing her hand. "that's a lot to deal with. but you're not alone. even if i made you feel like that. you've got me, and we'll get through this together." she managed a small smile. "thanks, ari. that means a lot."

I helped her up from the bathroom floor, and we went to the living room, settling onto the couch. the cold november breeze coming in from the open windows. i put a blanket over us and we talked for hours, about her family, about our friendship, and about everything we had been holding inside. It felt like a weight had been lifted, and I promised myself that I would be more present for tara from now on.

༊*·˚jules! : ethan and ari are drinking too much coffee...