Opposite of You Part III

Chapter 1

Wedding,

The fireworks erupted with gleeful cheers and then everything just went blank. The cheering disperses into nothing and the joyful tears ends with pain.
"See you back in New York," Vanessa says intertwining her fingers with Jake's as her head slowly rests on his shoulder. Of course, he couldn't face me.

After what he told me, "yeah."- I pause as if I was about to add something, "yeah, no I'm sorry I won't...I don't want to do this whole blame Aria when you two can't get your shit together." I vigorously snarled at them.
"A-Aria what are you saying?" Vanessa asks as she watches me stand.
"I'm tired. And I can't do this." I brushed past them separating the two as I walked past them.

"But we're friends," Vanessa said. Stopping in place I turn my head.
"I don't need friends where I'm going."

Now,

Writing in Starbucks so reflectively looking taking notes on my past. To involved I am unaware of my surroundings. I begin to hum as if that made anything any better.
"Aria?"
I ignore the deep sexy baritone voice that called out my name.
"Aria?"
I quickly snap my head upward, gazing upon the man who started it all.
"It's me, Johnny."
I smile, "yes, hi it's been a while."
He laughs while taking a seat right across from me. "Yes, it has, how are you?" He asked.

"I've been good and you?"
He nods, "I'm great, look at you beautiful as always."
I shrug while flipping my bang from off my face. "Well I try and you still look hot."
He smirks, "Whatcha workin on?" He asked hovering over my notes.

"I'm collecting notes for my new story."
He nods, "Oh, I didn't know you write."
I chuckle, "yeah, it was a way of getting me through what happened and then it soon became a passion...anyways what brings you to New York?"

"My cousin, he um lives here with his girlfriend."
I nod, "Jackson and Vanessa?" I asked watching as he laughed.
"Yes, he's throwing a party tonight, he's proposing to her, they've been together since the dawn of time." That's an extreme exaggeration but true.

"Wait how do you know them?"

I shrugged, "went to high school with the two when I moved."
He scoffs, "right, I'm still am sorry that happened to you."

I shake my head,"I'm not, well I am still sad but turns out they weren't my real parents and I've learned I was a bit of a bitch."

"I wouldn't say that." I give him a 'why are you lying look.'

"Yeah well you kind of were I'm guessing you've changed."
I nod, rubbing my arm I smile again before it fades away. "yeah, I did."

"I just had a great idea why don't you come join us."
I shake my head, "no, I shouldn't."-

"Yes, I bet they would love you, you were always the life of the party."-

"Who's the life of the party?" Jake's voice rings in my ears which makes me tremble in my seat. He was standing behind me so he couldn't have seen my face. "Johnny quit flirting with strangers, ma'am I'm sorry he's bothering...you." He slows down the last part of his sentence as he takes a gander at me. My dark chocolate brown eyes blinding him along with my new short bob like hair.

"Oh yeah, you know Aria right?"
Jake is in complete awe he smirks, "Yeah, I do. Hello Tyler."

"Carson, well it was nice to see you two but I have to go," I said picking up my notes and standing to leave.
"You can't always run." Jake says.

"Tell V I said hi." I smiled before walking away.

"She was the one who got away wasn't she?" Johnny asked raising an eyebrow.
"I have no clue what you are talking about, excuse me." Jake races after me. "Aria! Aria, wait." He lunges at me, grabs my arm and turns me to face him. "Is that all you have to say?"

I tap my chin as if I was actually thinking. "Um, yeah it is. I told you I was done with you guys."

"But I am never done with you."
I lick my lips, "that's cute but let me go." I said snatching my arm back. "Let me go," I said.
"I know."
I roll my eyes. I hate when he thinks he knows everything. He scans the tension that arose from the temple of my forehead.

"I know why you left," Jake said.
"Why did I?" I asked.
"You were afraid we were going to leave you."

I shrug, "I'm doing just fine on my own. I've always been on my own, I'm used to people not being here." I said.
"Aria Just stop! Just stop running!"

"Who said I was running? I'm here aren't I?" He smiles. "Anyways you shouldn't you be getting ready for your party?" I question. "Only if you agree to come."
I shake my head., "no."

"Why not?" I look away.
"You tell me and I'll let you go."
I sigh, "okay well let me tell you this, would you come to mines if I was marrying someone else? And another thing I don't watch happy endings that aren't mines." I turn on the balls of my heels and walk away. "Yup there was something, oh boy Jake."-

"What's wrong?" Jake and Johnny turn to Vanessa. "I ran into Aria," Jake said.
"Ooh, how is she?" She asks.
"Fine, I guess. She's still cynical."
Vanessa giggles at that. "I believe that. Do you think she'll ever forgive us?" She asked. "In time," Jake says.

"What did you to do to her?"

"We broke her." Jake breathes as he looks away from Vanessa.

"How I've never known Aria to be broken," Johnny questioned. "That's just it, you never know even when Aria seems the slightest of predictable she hits you with something else."

As I walked into my apartment near campus I immediately kick off my shoes and gaze at myself in the mirror. Brushing the strands from out my face I take a deep breath. It's okay, you're fine...no emotions means no heartache, play others as they played you. SZA weekend, poured throughout my halls alarming me that someone has called me. Sliding my hand to the right to answer I put the person on speaker. "hello?" I questioned before realizing who it was since there was no response.

"Nick, I know it is you, and I am surprised you called, well I have something to tell you...Fuck you! How dare you tell me you still love me but you leave me! I pray to god that your life is all sunshine and rainbows but listen to me when I say this, you will no longer hurt me, or put me down. I am sick of men trying to tell me to be in my place, be a woman don't be desperate but look at you calling me and not saying a damn thing!" I hang up. Screaming I toss my phone across the room glaring down at it I smile with an evil laugh. "Oh, how I miss the bitch."