author's note: I'm really sorry about the slow updates. Writer's block is a b-i-t-c-h. anyways you guys definitely check out my other book each other, it's kind of a poetry, short story, love story. you'd guys really like it I promise.

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ariel sat in one of the swings, her sleeve pressed against her face. she hoped it muffled her thick sobbing.

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aaron heard her as he began walking up the block. he heard her wails of pain and began running toward the sound. her heartbreak was enough to snap him out of his sleep driven haze. he wasn't sure if they were friends or acquaintances but he knew that she needed him right now and he promised to be there.

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ariel looked up from her-now drenched

-sleeve to see that Aaron running up the pathway to her. she couldn't stop the tears as he walked over to the swings and took her in his arm. she hugged him tightly and bawled into his shirt endlessly.

ariel stayed in his arms like this until she couldn't get anymore tears out. breaking away from aaron she wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve.

"i ruined your shirt." she whispered hoarsely, her voice in shambles. she touched the wet spot with mascara stains on it. sighing she sat back into the her swing, facing aaron. "i'm so sorry, i'll buy you a new shirt." she apologized.

aaron laughed, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "it's okay i didn't like this shirt anyway. you just saved me from having to burn it."

ariel stared at him unsure of what to tell him or how she could apologize for crying and waking him up. "i'm sorry." she apologized again.

aaron rolled his eyes, "stop apologizing i offered to come here."

ariel's felt heavy and stung from the crying as she struggled to stay awake. "my mom is choosing her job over me." she told him, sucking in a deep breath. aaron looked at her to go on.

"my dad told my mom that she either cut back her hours and spend more time with her family or she leaves. my mom told him he couldn't have picked a worse time," ariel let out a bitter laugh "she told him she would cut back her hours except that the hospital asked her to go to africa to help the doctors without borders who are working there and she planned to accept it. she's going to be gone for a fucking year and she thinks we're just going to sit and wait for her." ariel wiped away a stray tear.

aaron pushed himself off the gate and wrapped his arms around her. "if she can't see what a beautiful, loving family she has she doesn't deserve you guys okay?"

"whatever. i'm just so fucking tired of her excuses to not be my mom and my dad is still so in love with her he doesn't see what she's doing." ariel told him. "i'm so fucking sick of watching him waste away his life pawning after her. when the only thing she loves anymore is her job."

aaron sighed and rubbed her back. "it's going to be okay."

"will it?"

"eventually."

"i don't want to go home anymore."

"you could crash at my place maybe? i have a performance in like 6 hours but you're welcome to stay at my place for as long as necessary."

"that would be great."

"come on then lil' red."

"lead the way little dick."