Love Yourself (JB+AG)

[23]

Ariana

Monday, 8:53 am

"I told you to stop walking." Justin says.

"I'm fine." I limp halfway to the door before Justin makes me go sit down.

"What if they don't wanna come in?"

He doesn't respond and there's muffled voices in the entryway before he walks in followed by my cousins in my dads side.

"Ari!" Tyler runs to hug me and I smile.

"Ty, how are you, my little prince? You've gotten so big."

"I'm good. I'm eight now!" He shows a big toothless grin and I giggle.

"You're so adorable."

"Ariana, what happened to your ankle? It's blue. Did somebody run over it with a car or something?" Michael asks, sitting down on the couch and placing Ashlynn's carseat next to him.

"No, Michael." I start to answer him but Justin cuts me off.

"She was wearing heels, like always and she tripped. I tried to warn her." He says.

"No you didn't." I look at him and he shrugs.

"You're Justin?" Tyler asks.

"Yes, that's me. Are you Tyler? The one who likes basketball?"

"That's me!" He squeals.

"Well, I have something for you then." Justin says.

Tyler looks at me and I shrug.

"Ariana, do you want Ashlynn?" Michael asks me.

"Yes, I do want my princess. How old is she now?"

"Almost 8 months." Michael unbuckles her from her carseat and gives her to me.

"Hey, baby girl. It's Ari." I kiss her forehead and Michael stands up.

"I guess it's time for me to go." He says.

"I'll walk you out." Justin stands up and takes him to the door while I play with Ashlynn.

"What's the surprise?" Tyler asks.

"Come to the backyard with me. I wanna show you something."

Tyler's grin stretches from ear to ear as he follows Justin outside.

I hear him talking excitedly and he walks in, rambling on and on about the basketball goal in the backyard.

"You wanna come play? I mean, we all know I'm gonna win, but you can still try." Justin says.

"Actually, Justin, Tyler is pretty good for an eight year old." I say.

I stand up and Justin takes the baby while we walk outside. Once I'm comfortable in a chair, Justin places Ashlynn in my lap and starts a game with Tyler.

9:41 am

Tyler ended up winning the game, 21-23, much to Justin's disbelief.

"I tried to warn you." I say, repeating what he said earlier.

"Whatever, Ariana." Justin sits down in a chair in the living room and turns on the TV.

Ashlynn was always a quiet baby so watching her was never really a big deal. She loved to sit in someone's lap and just watch them. Her green eyes were huge, and they always reminded me of a forest.

"Ariana, if I call your name one more time. Do you wanna go to waffle house or not?" Justin says, interrupting my thoughts.

"I do like waffle house." I nod.

"So?" Tyler asks, practically jumping out of his seat.

"Sure. Why not?" I shrug.

"Yay!" He squeals, jumping up and down the living room.

"But, I have to get ready first. I won't take too long, I promise."

After giving Ashlynn to Justin, I stand up and make my way upstairs. It takes longer to get into the bedroom then to actually get dressed, but once I am, I walk back downstairs.

"Do you want an ankle brace? It'll make walking easier." Justin says.

"Yeah, sure." I start buckling Ashlynn into her carseat while he goes to search for an ankle brace.

"Do you like waffle house?" Tyler asks.

"That's what I said earlier."

"Ariana, he's a poor defenseless child. Chill." Justin says.

"It's okay. I'm used to her sass." I finish buckling Ashlynn in and sit down, propping my foot up on the arm of the couch, allowing Justin to put the brace on my ankle.

"That's not a good thing, Tyler." Justin says.

"Ow!" I wince and Justin looks at me.

"Stop being dramatic." Tyler says.

"Do you want me to twist your ankle and have someone touch it so you can see how it feels?" I ask him.

He shakes his head, tickling his little sister. She giggles, kicking her little feet in the air, with the cutest grin on her face.

"All done, Ariana." I put on my other shoe and stand up.

Walking is not as bad as before, but it still hurts. The pain medicine Justin gave me did nothing.