Lies for Truth

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

As Ariana got home that night she found Jax sitting on the front porch. “Hi.” She offered weakly as the familiar pain surrounded her chest when she saw him these days. There were so many regrets.

“You went out with Charlie Lowell after everything he did to you and me?”

She lowered her eyes to the ground. She didn’t want to feel anymore guilt for the lies she was forced to tell. “Why did you think I did it? I did it so he’d drop the charges.”

“I’d rather got to court and even serve time then know you spent time with him. Why were you gone so long? Why the hell were you joking with him at the park?” he was furious, it was evident in his tone.

She looked up with shock across her face. “How do you know that?”

“I was there.” He groaned, visibly in pain from what he had witnessed.

She thought of so many different things to say to somehow make this ok and yet they didn’t come out of her mouth. “I don’t have to explain this to you. I went out with Charlie so he’d drop the charges and he did.” Tears fell from her eyes. “It felt nice not to….miss you.”

“Of all the guys in the world.”

“You’re taking it the wrong way. I don’t suddenly want him or even like him all that much. It wasn’t sexual or romantic, it was just two people hanging out and he didn’t have to pretend to be someone he wasn’t and neither did I.” those words he expressed earlier stayed with her as she realized she had been pretending too every moment she was home like everything was ok. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Damn it Ariana it’s too late.” He got up and stormed back inside the house.

She stood there crying and angry. Why couldn’t this be easier? She slowly walked inside and found the house empty, everyone must be upstairs, she mused, no wonder he opted to have that conversation with her now. She hung the keys up and took off her shoes before continuing to the kitchen.

“I thought you went downstairs.” She didn’t expect to find Jax sitting there at the counter. She turned to leave to avoid another argument when she noticed a pretty big cut across his upper arm. “What happened?”

He glanced down at the wound. “Nothing that won’t heal.”

It stung to know he didn’t want to talk to her; it hurt even more to see the anger across his face. She turned away and ran upstairs to her room. She closed the door and went to the closet to grab something to change into for bed.

She continued to the bathroom glad everyone seemed to be in for the night. After her shower she wanted nothing more then to climb into bed and hopefully find tomorrow to be a better day.

It was some time later after she had fallen asleep she felt the bed shift. Jax climbed in next to her under the covers and wrapped his arm around her waist. “I’m sorry.” He whispered against her ear. 

Ariana didn’t want to fight and list all the reasons he shouldn’t be there. She didn’t want to deny him or herself. She laced her hands with his across her waist and closed her eyes.

That set the tone for the following nights, they didn’t really see each other during the day unless it was at the dinner table but when the night came and she was sound asleep he’d find his way into the bed with her. It was something and it made the rest of the day a little better to tolerate.

At school that Monday she saw Charlie again, he still had the bright white bandage around his arm. She wasn’t quite sure how to address him as she opened her locker. He didn’t have any of his friends next to him or some girl clinging to his arm. “How does it feel?” she asked softly.

“Can’t really complain.”

“Can’t seem like a baby in front of the sexy girls and macho men huh?”

He smiled and looked away from his locker into her hazel eyes. “Something like that, the coach would piss a cow if I couldn’t make practice. Your stepbrother looks ready to dig my grave.”

Ariana turned around and sure enough Jax was across the hall watching them, he must’ve seen her talking to him. “He doesn’t think I should be around you anymore then necessary. I should be agreeing with him.”

“You don’t?” Charlie was surprised.

“I don’t know. You got hurt because I led us to the park, maybe I feel responsible.”

“Or maybe just a little bit you don’t completely detest me anymore.” He looked hopeful.

“I don’t know about that.”

His mouth fell into a frown. “Maybe just enough to help me with this massive project Mr. Chou is inflecting on us?”

She shut her locker and actually gave it some thought. She couldn’t flat out tell him no. “I’ll help you as long as you treat me the way you did the other night and the minute you try anything---”

“I won’t, I swear on my life, I do regret hurting you Ari.”

She hated when she saw all that emotion in his eyes, she knew he wasn’t lying anymore. “Ok then we can meet at the library after school.” she walked away and headed inside the classroom first.

She threw all her focus into class and refused to let her mind wander to Jax and what he may be feeling. At lunch she met up with Jolene and Laura.

“Hey, we didn’t see you this morning.” Laura commented.

“I got in a little late.” She admitted while opening her soda. “How was your weekend?” she asked of both her friends.

Jolene spoke first. “I was talking to Michelle who was at the movies this weekend and across from the movies is this restaurant she swears she saw you at with Charlie Lowell and I told her she was crazy because there is no way you’d be out with him.”

Ariana mentally groaned, she had hoped that piece of gossip wouldn’t somehow find its way to the school or her nosey best friend. “It was nothing.”

Laura gasped loudly enough for the whole room to hear her. “You didn’t! He’s a jerk to you.”

“It wasn’t because I like him that way. I can’t get into details but it was a one time thing.”

Jolene narrowed her eyes. “He forced you into it somehow.”

“Can we please drop it and have a nice lunch, please?” she felt stressed and ready to crack at any moment.

“Yeah.” Laura agreed and reached for her food. “I went fishing with my dad this weekend and it was so boring.”

Ariana smiled and wanted to kiss her friend. “I got a jump start on my project.”

“Of course.” Jolene teased and for that short time life felt normal again.