Ariana's POV
I was supposed to be studying, not staring at the same words over and over again.
I sighed, resting my chin in my hands, trying hard to focus on the questions, until I heard a soft knock on the window.
I turned to see Sebastian climbing the window like he did when we were ten.
A huge smile graced my lips as I stood up to open the window for him.
"Hey, Ari," he said while pulling me into a hug the moment he got inside.
My heart skipped a beat as I breathed him in. His cologne always did something to me, like butterflies doing rollercoasters in my tummy.
That's what he did to me. Without even trying.
"What are you doing here?" I asked the moment we broke the hug, even though I wanted him to stay here and hug me forever.
He raised his perfect thick brows. "What? Can't I see my best friend?"
And that shattered my heart.
Best friend.
That was all I was to him, but he was so much more than a friend to me... not that he would ever know.
I kept a straight face, not showing any of my emotions to him.
"So, what are you doing?" he asked. His brown eyes illuminating gold under the lights made my heart skip a beat again.
I shrugged, then his eyes landed on my open biology notes, where I'd been sitting.
"Oh. Book nerd," he teased as he punched me a little, which made me groan from the little pain it caused.
Sebastian flopped down on my bed, his biceps bulging out of his white T-shirt.
And oh Lord, I couldn't help but stare..maybe drool....as he messed up his already messy brown hair.
I gulped.
"Do you know where I can get a heart?" he suddenly said, breaking me out of my reverie.
I raised my brows. "What?"
He sat up, facing me with that messy look he had going on that was making my knees weak.
"You know, heart thing," he mumbled again, making me more confused, even though I wanted to jump on his bones right now.
I went to sit where I originally was before he came, knocking on my window.
"Heart pendant," I completed.
"Yeah, that," he said, while rubbing the back of his neck. Something he does when he's super excited.
A smile tugged at my lips as I remembered tomorrow was my birthday. Maybe he wants to give me a gift like he always does.
"Hmm... I wonder what you want to use a heart pendant for?" I stated, feigning ignorance, hoping the pendant was for me.
A huge grin lit up his lips, and I tell you, if I wasn't sitting down, I would've fainted by now.
"Well..." he started.
I raised my brows in anticipation of him saying the words that it was for me.
"Well..." I continued.
"It's a surprise. I can't ruin a surprise," he responded, making me pout.
"C'mon, tell me. You promised not to hide anything from me," I pouted, using a child-like voice.
"Well, I promised that when we were what? Eight?" he muttered, making me roll my eyes.
"Are you gonna tell me or you're going to sit there talking shit off my ear?" I muttered, which he responded to with a huge grin that flipped my stomach.
"Fine. You're gonna find out anyway if I don't tell you," he muttered, which I responded to by giving a sheepish grin.
He rolled his eyes. "Such a brat," he muttered under his breath.
"It's Dyla," he said. "The pendant is for Dyla," he finished, and my heart crushed into a million pieces.
Dyla is Sebastian's new girlfriend. She's a nice girl living around here in Chicago. Everyone adores her.....everyone except me.
It may be because she practically has my man wrapped around her fingers.
But one thing is for sure: their relationship won't last.
I blinked, hiding the tears that were about to slip from my eyes. "Oh, Dyla," I muttered before facing back to my biology notes.
He didn't seem to see the change in my emotions, as he continued,
"Tomorrow is her birthday, so I'm planning a huge party for her, and I'm going to give her a heart pendant."
I nodded, trying my best to look okay, while my heart was cracking more and more the way he spoke about her.
Like she was his world... while he was mine, but he couldn't see it.
Her birthday... what about mine?
He never forgets mine.
And now he's throwing a party for her and not me.
I choked back the sob that threatened to escape my throat by clearing my throat.
I forced a smile as I muttered, "So, you should give her something extraordinary, like a diamond, like a Dior necklace, not some typical heart pendant."
His eyes lit up, and he stood up from my bed.
"That's a great idea, Ari!"
He dragged me from my cushion and spun me around his shoulder.
"Seb!" I muttered in surprise.
"You're so brilliant, Ari," he muttered as he dropped me.
I rolled my eyes, trying my best to hide my emotions.
"What do you expect? I'm Ariana."
He flicked my forehead. "Ouch, what was that for?" I asked.
"For being a brat and smart," he muttered.
"You're the brat," I muttered while punching his arm, which didn't make him groan in pain.
He just stared at me, amused. "Is that all you got, Ari?"
I glared at him jokingly. "I hate you!" I muttered. Which was a lie.
I could never hate him, even though he breaks my heart over and over again.
"Such a liar!" he said while trying to hug me, which I avoided. Though it shattered my heart, I really craved his touch, but I had to cover it by being annoyed with him.
"Don't touch me, Arnold!" I muttered, trying harder to avoid his touch.
But my efforts became fruitless as he lifted me off the ground and spun me... again.
"Seb, drop me!" I yelled at him, even though I was internally enjoying it.
He didn't listen as he continued. "Seb," I muttered, giggling.
Suddenly, my door opened, revealing my brother. "Oh my goodness!" Nick groaned in annoyance.
Seb stopped twirling me and dropped me, while holding me in place because of how dizzy I was.
"Sup, Nick," Seb muttered.
Nick massaged his forehead. "Don't 'sup, Nick' me. Look at the time," he pointed to my digital wall clock which showed 12:30.
"Twelve-thirty, and you guys are making a whole lot of noise. Don't you guys have school tomorrow or something?" he rambled, making me roll my eyes after regaining my composure.
"Look who's talking. You threw a party in the house when Mom and Dad weren't around and that same day I had exams going on," I muttered.
"Well, how was I supposed to know when you're having exams?"
"Well, I dunno, maybe when you were trying to get me to clean up the party," I muttered.
"Ooh, sick burn!" Sebastian muttered, which earned him a glare from Nick.
"Leave my room," I said, throwing him a pillow that was beside my bed, which he dodged effortlessly.
"I'm leaving, but keep your voice down. You don't want to wake Mom and Dad up."
I rolled my eyes, because despite how annoying he is, it's the truth. If Mom and Dad wake up, all of us are dead because we are awake at this time.
"Fine, we'll keep our voice down, Robert," I said.
"Don't call me that, Sunday," he muttered before closing the door of my room.
"Ugh... I hate him," I muttered while turning back to Seb.
"He does make a point, Sunday," Seb said teasingly, and I threw him a pillow which directly hit him in the face.
"Don't call me that, Arnold," I muttered, then he jokingly rolled his eyes, which I found hot. Super hot.
"Tomorrow is the day, then," he said suddenly.
My birthday. He remembered.
"Yeah, I can't wait," I said, very excited, with a huge smile on my face.
"Dyla would fall more in love with me," he responded with a super geeky smile on his face, which broke me.
My smile fell, while I played with the hem of my nightie.
"Yeah, can't wait," I muttered, with emotion in my voice.
He stood up and kissed my forehead. "It's getting late now, Ari. You should rest now," he muttered before heading towards the window he climbed through earlier.
"I'll call you tomorrow about the party," he muttered before going down the window.
Tears gushed down my face. He didn't even remember my birthday.
I switched off my bedroom lights, not wanting even the light to see me cry over someone who would never love me the way I love him.
Quiet sobs escaped my lips as I laid down on my bed, crying till I couldn't cry anymore.
I guess the darkness cared for me, because it drew me toward it, making my eyes flutter shut, pulling me to a dreamless sleep.
---
The rays of sunlight flashed through my face, making my swollen eyes flutter open.
Sitting up on my bed, I remembered today was my eighteenth birthday. An age I was waiting for.....the day I would confess my feelings to the person I love.
Dear diary,
When I turn eighteen, I'm going to confess my feelings for Seb, 'cause I love him so much that it physically hurts.
I remembered the words I wrote in my diary five years ago.
I was twelve, basically finding out that I was madly in love with him.
Tears streamed down my face as I recalled him saying her name.....Dyla....like it was the only sweet thing in this world.
Heart pendant. Her gift.
Knock, knock.
The knock broke me out of my reverie. I quickly cleaned my tears before saying,
"Come in."
My dad appeared, looking handsome like he usually does every morning, with his white robe and messy black hair that I inherited.
His warm brown eyes stared at me with adoration.
"My princess," he said as he sat down on my bed and pulled me into a tight hug that I could barely breathe.
"Dad... can't breathe," I muttered.
He quickly released his grip on me. "Happy birthday," he muttered before kissing my forehead.
A small smile graced my lips. "Thanks, Dad," I muttered.
"I can't believe my mochi is eighteen. Oh my God! You're gonna get married someday and leave me alone with Nick," he muttered, making me laugh.
"Stop, Dad. At least, I'm not getting married anytime soon," I muttered, earning a huge smile from him, then a worried look.
"Are you okay, Princess? Do you want anything?" he asked, making my smile fade. Did he notice anything wrong on my face? Maybe that I cried through the whole night?
"Why would you ask that, Dad?"
He lifted his hand to touch my face. "You're burning up. I think you have a fever," he said.
"I'm fine, Dad," I muttered, trying to reassure him.
"I don't think you are. You look pale and your eyes look puffy."
Of course, he did notice.
"I'm fine, Dad. I was just watching a rom-com movie that had a sad ending," I said, lying my way out of this situation.
He stared at me then sighed. "Don't cry over such things, okay?"
"How can you say that, Dad? I'm just a girl. I have the right to watch those things, so don't restrict me," I mumbled while standing up from the bed.
An amused smile played on his face. "Oh, now you're giving me sass right now, young lady?" he asked.
I turned around to stare at him, looking him up and down, then turned toward the bathroom door and shut it.
"Ariana Fox Sunday," he called out my full name from outside the bathroom door while I giggled.
"Go away, Dad," I muttered.
"Fine then, just get ready. We're heading out for your birthday," he muttered before leaving the room.
I sighed.
I stared at my reflection in my bathroom mirror.
Dad was right.... I do look sick.
Love sick.
My heart wants Seb, but I don't think he's ever going to be mine.