Is this for real

 

Ari wasn't sure what was going on with Jade. The night he got back to Pan's after the basketball game, she wasn't there. Things had been off since.

"Is it the job? Do you want to quit?" He asked.

No answer. She was just being so quiet. So sad.

"Did you and..and Rox get into it?" He had to ask. He was doing his best to keep busy with the laundry and make sure to pick up in the livingroom. Really, he did like to relax on the weekends and yes he didn't want to have keep doing chores all the time. But he did. He didn't want her upset with him.

"I think she might be bipolar you know," he shrugged about the matter as he put a wash on. Of course, he was beginning to wonder this about Jade too. He'd never seen her like this.

Well, he thought back to when they first met. She could be so cold. There were walls of ice to get through with her. He did it. Now for the life of him, he wondered what he'd done right. Or what had he done so wrong?

"Please tell me what's wrong?" Ari practically yelped.

She was in the bedroom sitting on the bed as if she might be lost at sea. He plopped right next to her and put his arm around her and hugged her with a sigh.

She started to cry on his shoulder and blubbered something he couldn't even comprehend.

"What?" A shock of hair fell into his eyes. Really, this whole ordeal was blinding him.

"I'm afraid you'll hate me," she sniffed back tears.

"How could I ever hate you? I want to love you to pieces if I could. I just want you to be happy," He pushed her frizzy hair behind her ear and pressed his thumb to wipe a tear away from under her eye.

"Somebody said..they said the only reason I like you is..is.."

"What?" His eyes were so serious.

"It's nothing," Jade said.

For the life of her Jade didn't know how to lie, but she couldn't tell him about Tristan. Ari wouldn't want to hear that he looked like Tristan. She looked at Ari, but she didn't see it. She didn't. There was nothing to worry about. 

She pressed her lips, thinking what could she say. "It's just, they ..they don't know you like I do."

Ari gave her a quick smile.

"I shouldn't..I shouldn't listen to Mona." She cleared her throat.

"Mona?" He squinted. He was so close. She kissed him as if to shut him up. Maybe he'd forget what she just said. She kissed him a little bit deeper. He fell against the bed. She cuddled him close, listening to his heartbeat race. Her's was racing too, maybe not for the same reasons.

"I think Mona wants to get away from Hoyt," she didn't look at Ari when she said it. God, she thought, where did that come from. She blew a breath. Then she crawled back on top of him and did her best to clear his mind. 

Oh, he wouldn't be thinking about Mona. She would see to that. She really couldn't let herself cry anymore. She was with Ari and no way was she going to let Tristan cross her mind.