ARIA
"Baby girl, what's with the sulk?" Lucia asked with an amused look.
"It's not fair", I said quietly and folded my arms across my chest with a pout.
She looked at me up and down with an annoyed curl of her lips, "Adulthood isn't for everyone".
"He told me to write a ten-page reflection journal on Behavioral Economics. What am I? Alexander Hamilton?"
"That's all?"
"No", I wailed, "He also said I'll study in his office everyday by six. And if I'm ever inconsistent, he'll fail me".
She narrowed her eyes and turned her head to the side a little. "I don't get it. Why does he want you to study in his office?"
I shrugged, feeling frustrated tears spring to my eyes. "I don't know. He's probably seen my horrific grades".
She shook her head incredulously. "That doesn't mean shit. Professor Hedgegrove isn't the man to care whether you're failing or not. He's even more than happy to fail you".
"Well apparently he doesn't want me to fail".
"That means he really was at that bar and he went feral because of you".
I looked up at her, my lips parting in shock. "You didn't believe me?!"
"I'm sorry, but with all I've heard about him, it makes your story really difficult to believe".
"Lucia! We've been friends since we were six. You know I don't spin tall tales".
"But it's Professor Hedgegrove", she whined.
"We're best friends Luce! You won't believe me because of a man?"
"Oh come on Ari, it's not like that. Professor Hedgegrove is rigid and disciplined. In all the years he's been here at Freesdale, no one has heard such of him".
I kissed my teeth and packed up my books and stood up. "Sisters before misters Luce".
"Ari wait! I believe you now", she called after me with laughter in her voice.
I walked out of the class with Lucia hot on my heels and stopped.
"Why'd you stop? I didn't have to grovel this time?"
I didn't respond. I couldn't. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat, but instead I burst into tears.
"Ari…" She stopped herself, probably because she saw Josh making out with Mila across from us.
"They're literally shoving their tongues down each other's throats Luce. How could they do this to me?"
"Aria", she said softly.
I squeaked when she lifted me up. "Lucia put me down", I laughed tearfully.
"No. Hold on Ari".
I laughed hard. "Lucia Campbell, I'm gonna break that beautiful waist of yours".
"Not a chance. I live in the gym for moments like this", her voice was dripping with pride.
"Lucia this is the way a man in love carries the woman he's in love with".
"Guess I'm in love with you then", she said in a mock deep voice.
I laughed as she walked hurriedly to the student parking lot. "Lucia, fine. I call piggy back".
She smiled and put me down. I rounded her and jumped into her back. I laughed loudly. "Yee-haw. Tally ho! Tis be princess Aria's royal chariot".
"You're crazy", Lucia said, laughing.
"No. I'm royalty", I corrected.
"Your royal highness, could you look for my keys in my bag?"
I smiled and dug my hand through her purse. "Aha! A very efficient queen I be", I said as I brought out her keys waving it high in the air.
"Dummy. You said you were a princess".
"How dare you peasant? A princess becomes a queen one day".
"Yeah. One day. Not in the same breath". She laughed.
I handed her the keys and she clicked the car open with the remote. She opened the door and dropped me on the ground in mock gentleness.
"Your highness", she said and bowed.
My smile faltered when I felt eyes on me. The hairs at the back of my neck stood erect.
"He's nearby".
"Who now?", I said in my head.
"Mate".
"Well, get in", Lucia said.
I blinked repeatedly to focus on her and hopped into shotgun and she closed the door for me. Then she rounded the car and hopped into the driver's side.
When she started the car, I said, "I think I need to see a doctor".
She raised her brow. "I think it's long overdue".
I chuckled and flipped her the bird. I stared out the window as she drove out, wondering what that voice in my head meant by mate.
° ° ° °
"Dad?", I called and dropped my bag by the door. I winced and picked it up. I bought it for six hundred, I couldn't afford to throw it around.
"In here", his voice called from his home office.
I walked in and saw him sitting at his desk with his airpods in. My lips formed on O, and I made to leave but his raised his pointer finger.
"One minute", he mouthed and I nodded. I left, walking into the kitchen. I could still hear him deliberating numbers with someone on the other end.
I still couldn't believe that in a few years, I'd be the one in charge of my father's company. That's why I decided to study Economics in college. So that I'd know what to do when the time comes. But I didn't even know what to do now.
I sighed and grabbed a bowl of fruit salad from the fridge. I washed my hands and dug in, while scrolling through my phone researching on the topic Darien had given me.
"Muffles".
I dropped my phone. "Kitchen".
He came into the kitchen and immediately he saw me, he let out a sigh of relief.
I furrowed my brows. "You okay dad?"
"Now that you are. Color has returned to your face. You scared me early this morning muffles. Deathly pale and vomiting your intestines".
I lowered my gaze. "I'm sorry dad. I won't drink again. I just wanted to forget about the pain in my chest".
He crossed the room in the three strides and enveloped me in his arms. "I don't have anything against you drinking Aria. You know your limit. But the fact you abused your limit because of a boy, now that's what I have issues with".
I inhaled his oakwood and citrus scent deep into my lungs. It was warm. It was familiar. "I didn't know what to do. I felt my heart breaking into a gazillion pieces. It hurt. A lot. Still does".
"I know Little E. I know".
"Dad", I laughed and sniffed, "I'm 19".
"Yet, you act like a six year old. Tantrums, tears, pouts and whines. The whole package".
"Maybe I wanna be Aria Pan. The girl who never grew up".
He kissed my forehead. "You'll always be my little girl, Eden".
Hearing my dad call me his little girl, or my middle name me feel fuzzy. And being in his arms reminded me of when I was six, when he and mom would hug me and I'd fall asleep without a care in the freaking world.
"I miss mom".
His breath hitched. "I didn't think you'd still remember her".
"She's my mother. I always will".
He kissed my forehead again and I gave him a delirious smile. I wanted to ask him if it was normal to hear voices, or what a mate was, but I didn't want to ruin the moment. It didn't mean anything; it could be my mind playing tricks on me. I watched a lot of movies afterall.