Jenna ✨
Luxury Apartment
Los Angeles

Jenna was abruptly jolted out of her peaceful slumber by a series of thunderous bangs that echoed through the stillness of the night. Groggily, she squinted at the digital clock on her bedside table. "3:40 in the morning. Who could be making such a racket at this ungodly hour?" she murmured to herself, her heart pounding in her chest. As the clamor persisted, Jenna reluctantly untangled herself from the warmth of her bed, hastily throwing on her robe for a semblance of protection against the unknown disturbance. With each step towards the door, her apprehension grew. As she reached out for the doorknob, a sudden dread gripped her, and she recoiled, a hand instinctively flying to cover her mouth in fear of the impending danger lurking on the other side. Jenna's mind raced with the chilling certainty that her life was dangerous.

"Quiet, don't make a sound," the voice whispered urgently. It sounded familiar to her. As she looked up, she recognized Arias standing behind her. "Now that you've seen me, I will take my hand away. Please don't scream," he said softly. Slowly, he removed his hand, and she turned to face him. She was filled with a whirlwind of questions, but all she managed to ask was, "Who is at my door?" Her voice trembled with fear as she looked at him.

Jenna barely had a chance to collect her thoughts before the urgent knock on her door shattered the silence. "Open up, Jenna, this is the LAPD. We have some questions to ask you," a stern voice demanded from the other side. Anxiety gripped her as she glanced back at Arias, unsure whether to feel disappointed or upset. With a heavy sigh, she gestured towards her room, silently urging him to hide. Arias wasted no time and quickly disappeared into her room. Jenna hesitantly opened the door, steeling herself to face the officer. She didn't want to deal with this, but it seemed like Arias couldn't stay out of trouble no matter what.

"We were hoping to inquire about a certain Dustin Jackson," one of the officers said. "What about Dustin?" she asked, relieved that the questions weren't about Arias. It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her chest. "He's claiming that you attacked him," the officer continued. She couldn't help but make a face, and both officers noticed. "I attacked him? You've got to be kidding me," she chuckled incredulously. She couldn't believe that this man had told the police that she had attacked him. "He showed up at my door and attacked me. If it wasn't for my boyfriend showing up when he did, who knows what he would have done." Jenna was in disbelief about Dustin's behavior.

"We have reviewed the security camera footage, and your receptionist informed us that he has been coming here," one of the officers said. "We just need to hear your side of the story," he added, jotting down notes on paper. "If you want to pursue a restraining order, you can take this report to the courts to file," he said, handing her the necessary paperwork. After thanking both men and seeing them out, she closed the door and leaned against it, looking up. She couldn't comprehend why Dustin was causing trouble now. She let out a heavy sigh, sliding down the door to the floor, resting her head in her hands, trying to block out the world.

She perceived movement approaching her, and all thoughts of Arias vanished from her mind. He now stood before her and settled down beside her. "Boyfriend?" he inquired, attempting to lighten the mood. Jenna lifted her head to see a grinning Arias. "I don't recall you ever asking me, Jenna," he smirked, but she couldn't help but chuckle at his playful demeanor. "Let's not change the subject. How did you manage to get into my apartment? And for what reason?" She demanded, fixing her gaze on him and awaiting his response to her inquiries.

As he gazed at her, he pondered whether to speak up. Eventually, he sighed and confessed, "I entered your place intending to steal your sugar." She studied his expression, attempting to discern if he was serious. After a short pause, he burst into laughter, leaving her perplexed. "I'm just kidding. I heard a noise from your apartment and thought it was Dustin, so I entered through the balcony," he explained. Locking eyes with her. "I planned to check on you and then leave, but I stayed because of the police presence."She expressed her feelings by rolling her eyes in response to his statement, but it was not out of annoyance. Instead, she felt a sense of safety, realizing he cared enough to stay with her despite having no obligation.

She gazed at him briefly, savoring the connection, before softly expressing her gratitude. A warm smile graced her lips as their eyes met, and they both became lost in each other's gaze. Jenna wished to remain indefinitely at that moment, while Aria seemed equally inclined to do so. "I should probably head out," he finally said, still holding her gaze. Rising to his feet, he offered her a hand up. "Goodnight, Jenna," he murmured, drawing closer to kiss her forehead gently. She closed her eyes briefly, savoring the tender gesture, before reopening them as he pulled away.

Opening the door, he turned and cast one final glance at her before stepping out. She locked the door behind him, leaned against it, and slid to the floor. Jenna touched her forehead where he had kissed her, still feeling the lingering sensation of his lips on her skin. She longed for his kiss on her lips, yearning for it intensely, but ultimately believed it was best not to indulge in that desire. She glanced over at the clock on the table and was struck by the realization that sleep was eluding her. Rising from the floor, she went to the balcony and settled into one of the chairs. Retrieving her phone, she dialed the number of the only person she knew who would be awake at such an hour.

She tapped the Facetime icon, and it emitted two short beeps before she answered. "Jenna, why are you still awake?" Gigi asked, peering at her sister. "I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd call my wonderful sister," Jenna replied with a smile. "Yeah, right. You only call me at this hour when something's bothering you. So, what's going on?" Gigi knew that Jenna only reached out late at night when she was facing problems. Jenna let out a heavy sigh and hung her head. "Arias is back," she said, observing her sister's reaction. "I already knew that. Gustavo told me," Gigi responded casually. "Go on, I know there's more," she urged, sensing that Jenna had more to share.

"He lives in the same building as me, and we've run into each other a few times. Every time we do, those feelings I thought were long gone come rushing back, Gigi," she confided to her sister. "My heart still races every time I'm around him. He kissed my forehead, and I felt those butterflies like the first time we kissed." Overwhelmed with emotion, Jenna didn't know what to do. "Oh Jenna, you're in love again," her sister remarked, looking genuinely happy for Jenna.

Jenna let out a sigh. "I think you're right, Gigi. I still love him, but I don't think he feels the same way," she confessed with a sad look on her face. She knew the timing was off—Arias had a girlfriend, and she needed to push her feelings for him to the back of her mind. "Jenna, please. That man still loves you," Gigi insisted, rolling her eyes at her sister's apparent lack of understanding. "He has a girlfriend," Jenna reminded her. Gigi burst into laughter. "Who? Are you talking about Daisy?"

"Gigi, how do you know her?" Jenna's face showed confusion as she asked, "Gustavo talks about her all the time and how much Arias dislikes her." Gigi persisted, "That man still loves you. He doesn't care about Daisy; she never meant anything to him. She won't leave him alone." When Gigi realized her words weren't getting through to her sister, a lightbulb went off in her head. "He still has that tattoo of your name," she revealed, waiting for her sister's reaction. As her sister's eyes widened, Gigi smiled. "If he didn't care, he would have covered it up, but he didn't. He still loves you, and I think you should talk to him. I'm not saying you should get back with him, but at least talk to him." 

Gigi's words resonated with Jenna as she gazed at her sister and finally relented, "Okay, I'll take your advice," she conceded. Gigi flashed a reassuring smile, "Good. I'm going to sleep now. Call me tomorrow. Love you," she said, blowing Jenna a kiss before ending the call. Lost in her thoughts, Jenna pondered about Aria and what he might be doing at that moment. Unaware of his presence, she sighed and made her way back into the apartment. Little did she know, Aria was outside and had overheard their entire conversation. He swiftly reached for his phone and dialed a number, the recipient picking up after the second ring, "What's up?"

Arias emphasized the importance of handling the situation with Daisy and preventing her from coming to LA to disrupt his relationship with Jenna. After ending the call, he felt a renewed determination to fight for his love with Jenna, knowing that Daisy's lingering feelings for him could potentially jeopardize their future together. As he gazed up at the sky, he whispered a heartfelt "thank you" to express his gratitude.

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