Don't know why

 

Were they really back to this? Mona gave Jade a glare as if she was good as gone.

"But you're a virgin, how could you?" Mona fought with suds in the kitchen sink and almost broke a dish, but Jade retrieved it in time, rinsed it and dried it.

"I didn't say I was a saint," she didn't smile. She was as sullen as she ever was.

Mona sighed. OK maybe she was glad things didn't work out with Tristan, but her uncle? Ari? She gritted hard as if this was impossible.

"Don't ask me anything," she said and went on to dry the dishes. She tidied up as if she was leaving Mona more time to get ready for her date with Nic. Naturally, he'd told her to eat before they went to the movie so they wouldn't have to buy anything at the theater. 

Mona didn't want to know anyway. "But..but are you seeing him again?"

Jade nodded. She said it was just a run with Ari. Nothing more.

Mona winced thinking that couldn't be romantic. She didn't want to run anywhere with Nic. She felt as if she chased after him enough.

"But..but does Tristan know?" She wouldn't tell him.

"What's there to tell?" Jade gave Mona a look as if she was only dreaming. But she didn't think so. Not the way Ari looked at Jade when he came with milk tea, of all things. It was a coffee shop. What was wrong with him?

"Are you going to say anything?" Mona wanted to know.

"Oh, I dunno." She yawned then as if she really needed to sleep and forget this with Ari. 

Mona went to check on the sweater she was wearing tonight. She guessed it would be warm enough. Afterall,  she had Nic to keep her warm. A knock came to the door. Of course, it was Nic. Right on time as usual.

It wasn't long after Mona left with Nic that Ari showed up. He was grinning as if he wanted to start something up, right on the couch. 

"Hold on tiger." she put her hand on his chest. "There's something you need to know."

"What?"

"I don't want to be your drinking buddy." She looked him in the eye wondering if he could even handle the idea of not drinking together.

He was straight-lipped. She told him then about her father and what monster he could be when he was drunk. "It wasn't that..that he hurt me. Although, my mom would fight him off me when he would want to hug me. But he was a bad drunk. Always trying to go off with the car keys. I saw a lot of things growing up. He had some years better than others. And I did love my father, but I hated it when he got drunk and went through the house breaking things. He broke lives too. Including his own."

There she'd said it. Maybe Ari would go running off to the bar and hang out with some old friends, but he didn't. He just had to be his silly self and hugged her as if this was all good.

"I might have a heart condition. Maybe we can't run," Ari smirked even if he was in a tracksuit. He came close enough to kiss her on the cheek.

"Then go home. I'll run alone." Jade pushed him off her.

"Who is this person?" He wanted to know.

"Somebody, who evidently has to keep you in line." She shot him a look and he cracked up.

She got on her running shoes.

"Are we going to do this every day?" Ari asked.

"Possibly."

"Well, you are pretty fit." He shrugged.

"I won't be if you don't stop buying me, milk tea." She looked him over.

"Oh, come on." He winced a laugh.

She got up then. Made sure she had her keys. She didn't even want to warm up. She doubted they made it around the block.