ARI

My mother and I avoided talking about Alex and I was glad. Today was finally Friday, meaning it was Jen's party tomorrow! I was going out with her today to go dress shopping.

"Hey, I'll meet you by your car!" I closed my locker and ran to my moms office.

"Okay, hurry!" Jen shouted after me.

I reached my mom's door and without knocking, I barged in.

"-just a couple of days!" Her back was to me so I slipped back outside before she could see that I had come in.

I strained my ear to hear what was happening. Her heart was thumping at a fast pace and her voice sounded worried.

"Please try to understand, I just moved here with my daughter just a week ago! You can't tell me the check didn't clear for the down payment. I was told we could move in as soon as possible! N-no, I-"

Our check didn't clear? Our loan really didn't take. How could the bank do this to us?

I clenched my teeth. Was it Alex?

"You can't tell me after I've already uprooted my life and moved a thousand miles away! But it-no I can't send that much within three days-listen to me-"

Then she was quiet for a while and then I heard a small 'okay' and then a click.

Are we going to lose our house? Crap.

What can I even do? I don't have a job? I checked my phone and yup! Still no calls or messages about any interviews.

I heard sniffling through the door and I couldn't just stand there, so I knocked.

"Who is it?" She asked trying to sound normal.

"Mom?"

"Oh, uh, give me a minute!" I could hear her trying to clear her nose and throat, probably fixing her hair too.

"Come in sweetie."

I opened the door and was about to go and hug my mom but she was just sitting there with a wide smile on her face.

"Um, is everything okay?" I asked, wringing my hands.

"Of course! I was just busy with this paperwork that needed to be done by today." She started to shuffle through some papers, the smile still on her face.

I guess she didn't want to tell me we had problems. I sighed. Of course she didn't. She always wanted to deal with everything herself.

Well not this time.

"Oh okay cool! I was actually wondering if I could go shopping with Jen right now, she needs a dress for her party tomorrow." I faked enthusiasm by flashing my own fake smile.

If my mom thinks she's protecting me by not telling me, then I won't ruin it. I'll just have to help her secretly.

"What party? Where? Who's going?" Now she seemed like my mom.

"Uh, Jen's 18th birthday party, her house and all of her friends. She invited me and I thought it would be rude to say no." I added when I noticed the disapproval on her face.

"I don't know honey, I'm still not comfortable knowing you're with people who don't know the real you. Are her parents going to be there?" Now she was wringing her hands in worry.

"Mom don't worry. I'm actually getting better at controlling it. You've been helping me a lot. Also I don't know if her parents will be there but I'll ask her."

She sighed, which I took as a good sign. "Okay, fine."

"Yay! Thanks mom!" I was about to leave when she stopped me. She dug around her purse until she took out a hundred dollar bill.

"Here." She held out the bill. "But this doesn't mean you buy unnecessary things!"

"No mom, I don't need it, I have the outfit I'm going to wear already. I'm only going to help Jen pick out her outfit."

"Are you sure?" She asked putting the bill back in her purse.

"Yeah, of course! Okay, I'll see you later! I'll text you when we leave from the shopping center." I rushed out before I burst out in tears.

I can't believe that she would still give me money after finding out we would need it now more than ever. My heart beat with guilt and I vowed that I would do anything to help her.

I opened the door to Jen's car and was bombarded with a couple of finally's and a, about damn time.

I stuck my tongue out at Aaron. "Sorry, I was talking to my mom."

"It's cool! Let's go! I'm so excited already!" She blasted Imagine Dragons on the radio and then we were off.

***
"Ooo, ahh." Aaron faked, looking bored while Jen, Anna and Ashley modeled their dresses.

"Oh my god! You guys look great!" I said after glaring at Aaron who rolled his eyes in return.

"Thanks Ari!" They said together sounding super creepy. They giggled and went back to change.

"It wouldn't kill you to say they look nice!" I scolded Aaron.

He shrugged and then pulled out his phone and started to mess around with it.

I narrowed my eyes at him and scoffed. Fine then!

"Aren't you getting something to wear?" Jen asked when they came back out of the fitting rooms.

"I, uh, my mom said I could borrow her dress! Yeah that's it!" I nodded my head in victory for thinking of an excuse so quick.

"Okay then I think we are all set!" They went to pay for the dresses they chose. I walked around while waiting for them and happened to notice the price on a couple of the dresses. $350-$900 seemed to be the price range and I couldn't help but drop my jaw.

To think my mom was just giving me 100 dollars! I wonder how much the dresses are that Anna, Jen and Ashley are getting. They must be super rich to come to an expensive dress store.

I bit my nails because I remembered how bad our situation is at home.

"We're done Ari! Let's go!" Everyone walked out with their large bags.

"Coming! Hey, by the way, are your parents going to be at your party?" I asked Jen.

"No, their going to be on the property but not at the party. They gave us the pa- uh, main house for tomorrow night. Why?" We stopped next a food stand.

Main house? How many houses do they have?!

"Nothing, my mom was asking."

"You guys hungry?" Aaron asked, rubbing his stomach and watching the food court.

"YES!" Shouted Anna. "Finally someone said it!"

It was then that I realized that I had no money to get anything. Maybe I should have asked my mom for at least 10 dollars?

"Uh, guys, slight problem. I have no money." I gave them a sheepish smile and held out my empty pockets as proof.

"Don't worry darlin', I gotchu." Aaron threw his arm's around me and rubbed my shoulders.

I pushed him off and laughed, well actually I snorted. "Yeah, okay, sure pal."

"No I'm serious! It's okay."

"Yeah Ari!" Ashley encouraged me.

I felt bad to agree but I will pay him back anyways.

"Okay." I agreed. "But I'll pay you back when I get the money from my mom, okay?"

"Yeah yeah, sure." Aaron smiled and playfully punched my arm.

"I WANT A BURGER!" Yelled Jen. "AND I WANT IT NOW!"

"Jesus Jen! What the hell!" People looked at us around the shopping center and I couldn't help but yell too.

"SOMEONE FEED THIS WOMEN!"

"BUT WHAT!!" Joined Aaron.

"McDONALD'S?" Ashley suggested.

"THEY SUCK!" Said Anna. "TACO BELL IT IS!"

"BUT I WANT A BURGER!"

We were still talking loudly until we noticed a security women coming our way.

"Um, guys?" I motioned towards the guard.

"Drive-thru Wendy's?" Aaron said in a hurry.

"Yup." We said together.

Then we all took off running towards the car.

***

"BYE ARI!" Aaron waved his hand super fast back and forth like a crazy person.

My mom, who was standing by the door, giggled.

I covered my face in embarrassment and dragged my mom inside, closing the door behind me.

My mom was still laughing, doing a terrible job of covering it up. "Damnit mom! Stop!"

"What?" She asked. "I like your friend! He's funny."

"He's a dork!"

"Okay, okay! What did you do?" She asked getting comfortable on the couch.

"Nothing to fancy." I said shrugging. I wanted to sit next to her but I was so tired.

"I'm going to sleep mom!" I yelled to her as I was going up the stairs.

"Okay! Night!" She yelled back. She turned on the T.V to a channel that played reruns of Friends and watched the hilarious show. I almost went back downstairs to watch it with her but my droopy eyes said otherwise.

I pulled out my phone and connected it to my speaker, blasting my song list.

I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth and then slid into my bed, trading my speaker for my headphones.

I closed my eyes, feeling peaceful. I think I was already in dreamland because I could swear I heard noises coming from outside my window. I was too lazy to open my eyes and actually check to see if I was thinking I heard the noise so instead, I feel asleep.

🔹🔹🔹🔹

"Mom can you give me a ride to Jen's house! She was supposed to pick me up but her cousins wouldn't let her leave."

"Mom?" I called out to her when she didn't answer. I walked into the kitchen to see that she was staring out the kitchen window and washing a plate super slow.

I grabbed her car keys and jingled them in front of her face. "Hello! Earth to mom!"

She blinked a couple of times before she focused on my face.

"Oh! Honey what's up?"

"I was wondering if you could drop me off at Jen's?"

"Yeah, sure!" I started to walk towards the garage when my mom started to laugh.

"What?" I asked. She looked at me up and down and laughed again at my outfit.

I was wearing my pair of black sweatpants with the three white strips down the side which were a cheap knock off of the Adidas brand and my gray tank top paired with my black jacket and my black nikes. I had my hair in a messy bun that actually seemed to0 neat on top of my head and my black Jansport backpack that had Jen's gift, my makeup and my outfit for tonight.

"Please tell me you're not wearing that for tonight!" She giggled.

"Mom seriously! Of course not, I have my outfit in my backpack." I rolled my eyes and made my way to her car. She followed me, starting it.

"I'm sorry, I just thought you were trying to look badass again." She burst out laughing again and slammed her hand on the steering wheel.

"Ha ha, so funny." I said in a monotone voice, not seeing where she found the humor.

Okay fine, it was hilarious but come on! I wasn't about to laugh at a joke that made fun of me!

"Do you have her address?" She asked when she finally calmed down from laughing at her own joke.

"Yeah." I said putting it into the GPS. It was about 10 minutes away from my house.

As we drove, we got deeper and deeper into the woods and for some reason I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me.

My mom slowed down to turn into a small gravel filled road. The road was decorated with signs like, No Trespassing, Private Property, and sign that had the hairs on my arm stand, Beware of Dogs.

Although I was part wolf, dogs still gave me the heebie jeebies. I felt as if they could look into my soul and just know what I am. I shuddered at the feeling.

We drove for about 10 miles in and then finally we passed an open gate that was so huge, I had to stick my head out the window to look at it.

The gate was gold with a statue of a wolf on either side. Warrior, was written across the gate with wide, bold letters.

I looked at my mom who was giving the gate a narrowed look, her forehead was wrinkled, meaning she was thinking about something really hard.

Two more miles in and we finally hit an asphalt covered road that led up to the biggest house I have ever seen.

My mother and I gasped when we noticed the large white mansion that seemed as if four, already large, houses were pushed together to create this house.

We passed a couple of mailboxes that had a lot of different last names. One mailbox was off to the side and in big bold letters, like on the gate, said Lockwood.

Lockwood. As in Alex Lockwood. Were they important or something?

"Did that mailbox say Lockwood?" My mom asked surprised.

"Yeah, why?"

My mom whistled in admiration. "The Lockwood's are the richest people in Little Hill. No wonder Alex kept asking me, "Do you know who I am?" She said mimicking him with a deep voice.

I grew quit at the mention of Alex. My mom noticed too so she tried to change the subject. "Is Jen a Lockwood?" She asked me once we parked next to a dozen of nice looking cars.

"No, she's a Daniels but her mom's brother is a Lockwood. I don't know what's his name though." Then I remembered she said Uncle Nathan out loud when Alex was all upset about his car.

I looked around the parking lot for Alex's car and found it instantly.

He's here. Of course he's here, this is his house.

"Um, Nathan I think." I said finally finishing my sentence. I felt a shiver go down my spine when I said Nathan. The name gave me a cold chill.

My mom clapped her hands together. "Yup! That's him!"

She turned to me, excited. "I can't believe you're about to go to one of the most popular man's birthday party!" She squealed like a school girl.

"I'm going to his Niece's birthday party! I'm pretty sure he's not going to be there." I told her laughing. She frowned in return.

I held up my hands and slowly got out of the car.

My mother backed the car slowly, watching me with narrowed eyes.

She pulled down the window and I backed up even more. "Whoa, whoa! Cool it lady!"

She rolled her eyes. "Call me if you need to get picked up! And remember, please try to control yourself."

"You got it oldie!" I held out my fingers on each hand creating a finger gun and clicked my tongue at her, then I ran for it when I heard her gasp and fumble to open the car door.

I was laughing when I saw her pull out of the driveway and drive through the sea of trees.

I turned too quickly and bumped into a stone hard body.

"Whoa there, buddy!" I stepped away to see it was Aaron.

"Hey, Ariana!" He gave me a wide smile.

"Damn Aaron! Have you been working out jeez!" I grabbed his muscled arm, squeezing it.

"Shut up!" He said laughing. "Will you just come inside already?"

I craned my neck up to look at the roof of this place but from where I was standing, I couldn't even see that!

"Yeah, of course!" I jumped in excitement.

"Come on, I'll show you the inside." He held out his arm for me to take.

Then he led me into the house.