positions (Ariana Grande/You)

11. meet you wherever you are

You weren't one to celebrate birthdays, usually spending yours like it was every other day. The only difference was receiving a gift from Olivia due to her insistence. It was easy getting you one since you don't ask for much, and are appreciative of whatever you do receive. But that cannot be said the same for Ariana. What do you get someone who could get anything they wanted themselves, on top of what they already have?

It was a tall order, having to find something thoughtful but not too personal, luxurious but not too expensive, and practical yet valuable. Luckily for you, a quick Google search told you a bottle of wine and a bouquet are appropriate gifts.

On the day itself, you arrived at the given address four minutes before the event was supposed to start. You wasted 10 minutes pacing outside, waiting for Zendaya, and second-guessing your attendance. You might not have entered the premise if not for Victoria spotting you and ushering you in.

"It's been a while." She hugged you lightly once you crossed the threshold. "Ariana's at the bar area, just so you know. But feel free to mingle around and give some refreshments before the cake-cutting ceremony." With that, she left you to your devices.

It was an unfamiliar place - a house overlooking the hill that could easily appear in Architectural Digest. One you often dreamed of being in but now, it only made you feel out of place.

While you were on time, so were the other guests. Seemed like Ariana's birthday party was the one event to which the phrase "fashionably late" doesn't apply to.

It was easy to pinpoint where she was. All you had to do was look for the biggest circle of a crowd, and she would be in the middle like worker bees and their queen.

There was hesitation in your steps as you made your way to the birthday girl. However, you figured it was only polite to make your presence aware and greet her.

With people swarming around her, you could only catch glimpses of her; strands of black hair, a flash of a smile, a silver of skin. You shouldn't underestimate these sightings, no matter how fleeting they were.

Like needles, they were enough to draw blood. It was death by a thousand cuts, it was your worst fear being true. If seeing her again made it feel like no time had passed, how are you ever going to move on?

Ariana looked happy, surrounded by people who love her, people who she loves. You were happy for her, truly.

It would have been a complete truth if pain didn't ripple from your heart like a stone thrown carelessly into a pond. It was nothing you couldn't handle, but you wished you didn't have to, not when you had experienced needles on your skin. There were still remnants of bitterness that tainted your emotions and you couldn't let them stain hers too.

So you retreated slowly, turned around, and went to find some air.

You barely made it past the entrance door; your great escape. However, you stopped in your tracks, and couldn't take another step forward, not when your name sounds like that.

Inhaling deeply, you tried on a smile before turning around to face your captor. You hoped it wasn't as weak as your willpower. "Hi."

Ariana looked at you for a long while, like she was making sure you weren't just a figment of her imagination. "You actually came."

"Yeah. I RSVP'd." You swallowed. "Besides, I missed Myron. I wanted to apologize for not visiting him even though I promised to see him soon."

"Have you seen him?" Ariana played along with your half-truth.

"No, thought I might find him outside... in the driveway."

He was not, you confirmed when you found nothing but parked cars. So you gave up your pretense, which Ariana picked up on. "I think he's inside. Let's go back in." Her tone inflicted towards the end, making it sound more like a question than a command. You nodded, it's not like you could ever say no to her.