The Moment I Met You

“So you’re moving out?”

Kris nodded.

“Both of you.. In the same house."

Brittany smiled.

After spending the weekend at Brittany’s parents’ house, Kris and Brittany came back with their exciting news. Kris had proposed! Now the happy couple wanted time, and space for themselves.

Arianne just sat back on the couch and zoned out. It really didn’t matter to her, it’s not like Jordan couldn’t afford it and she’s already paying rent. She really wouldn’t particularly miss Brittany either. She seemed like one of those superficials who took two hours to do their makeup and pick out their outfit. Arianne never really mixed well with those kinds, but they were civil to each other and that was that.

“So.. Arianne, any thoughts?” Kris asked, staring at her.

Arianne’s head snapped back up and smiled, “None, I’ll miss you though!” Liar, she thought as the words came out of her mouth.

So that’s it then, and then there were two.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

If there’s one thing Jordan could do, it was flirting. But that seemed to be at the top of Phil’s list too.

When they ate dinner together, he’d tease her. When they watched TV together, his arm would find it’s way around her shoulders. He’d say goodnight to her every day before she went to sleep. He’d walk in when she was brushing her teeth, and randomly give her hugs.

But after every dinner, she’d be replying to Phil’s text message. After saying goodnight, Jordan would hear her saying ‘goodnight’ to Phil on the phone. He was constantly there, constantly barging in. Phil Davids? Public enemy. Numero uno.

A few days before the first preseason game was about to start, Jordan couldn’t wait any longer.

“Hey Annie, do you wanna go to a movie or something? Just the two of us, like on Tuesday or something?” Jordan asked, nervously. He hid it well, as he was doing the dishes and Arianne was clearing up the table. Kris and Brittany had finally removed their last boxes and the pair had the house to themselves.

“Tuesday? I can’t, I got class till like, six o’clock.’

“I have a game Wednesda, how bout Friday?”

“I promised Phil I’d go to that Shakespeare thing with him and-”

Jordan dropped the dish he was washing with a clatter, “Phil?”
“Yeah, Phil. You’ve met him before,” Arianne said, turning around. Her eyebrows knit together, and and she had a look of annoyance on her face, “Something wrong with Phil?”

“No, nothing’s wrong,” Jordan said, returning to his dishes, “It’s just that you said he was a whiner, and my first impression of him was: JERK. But nothing else is wrong, you have fun with him.” His scowled as he washed the dishes, scrubbing them harder and harder.

“What the hell is your problem?” Arianne asked, looking hurt, “A few seconds ago you asked me to go to the movies with you and now you’re blowing up at me?”

“I just don’t understand why the hell you go around with Phil every single damn day when you were the one who said you hated him.”

“I don’t need this,” Arianne said, she pulled on her jacket and turned the doorknob, and walked out.

Jordan stared at the door even after she closed it, sighed and smacked himself for screwing up.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Arianne walked along the sidewalk, her teeth chattering and still flushed with anger. The night was dark, and she was a bit scared. She walked into a bar and sat at the counter.

“Just a water,” she said to the bartender.

“Water! You can’t have fun with just water,” said the guy two seats away from her. Arianne ignored him and tapped the counter with her fingers.

“What’s your name, cutie?” the guy asked again, slurring his words.

Arianne ignored him, but as he scooted towards her, she sharply said, “Get away from me.”

“What, just having some fun. Still don’t know your name yet,” the guy said, sipping whatever was in that cup.

Arianne pulled her arm out of his grip, and speed walked to the washroom. She pulled out her cellphone, and started dialing.

“Jordan? Come pick me up, please,” she said, as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

Arianne stayed in the washroom for a bit, before walking back out. She sat at a table by herself, pretending to read something off her phone.

“Arianne?” she heard a voice, definitely not Jordan. She turned around to find Phil sitting at a booth, with his laptop plugged in front of him.

“Phil!” she cried, she leapt out of her chair and almost tripped running over. She tackled him with a hug, grateful to see one familiar non-pedo face.

“What are you doing here?” Phil asked, still confused.

“Nothing, uh-” she got cut off by the guy at the counter, who was trying to call her over.

“Was he bothering you?” Phil asked, suddenly angry. He shut his laptop down and started packing up.

“Where you going?” Arianne asked, watching him.

“Taking you home, that’s what,” Phil replied, his blue eyes cold and angry.

“I already got somebody to pick me up,” Arianne said. As if on cue, Jordan walked into the bar and looked around.

“Douche bag,” Phil muttered as he saw Jordan walking towards them.

“Thanks Jordan,” Arianne said walking out of the bar. She left the two boys standing there, and hopped into the Ranger Rover. Tonight was full of bad decisions and unlucky coincidences.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“So she wasn’t safe with you because..?” Phil asked, as if waiting for an answer. He was just a bit shorter than Jordan, and the two blonde guys stood in front of each other both faces hard and angry.

“What’s it to you? I’m here now, and she’s coming with me,” Jordan replied.

“I think she might be a bit more safer, with me. I wouldn’t let her wander off in a city she doesn’t know.”

“You talk about her like she’s some five year old, she’s not. She can make her own decisions.”

“She also needs somebody to care for her.”

“I do care for her!” Jordan said, loudly. The whole bar went quiet and all eyes were fixed on the two guys in the back of the room.

“Really? Cause I wouldn’t let her walk off, I wouldn’t let her walk around-”

“It’s not a matter of letting her or not, she’s a grown woman she makes her own decisions,” Jordan said hastily.

“She needs somebody that will treat her right, and put her needs in front of their own,” Phil said, angrily.

“What, and you think I can’t do that?” Jordan asked.

“No, I don’t think you can,” Phil got his bag and walked out.

Jordan went to the washroom and splashed some water on his face before walking out to the Range Rover. He saw Arianne curled up in the front seat, hugging her knees to her chin. Her long brown hair tangled up but still made her look gorgeous. Jordan stopped and looked at her for a moment, and decided he would put her problems, in front of his. Her needs, then his.

They drove in silence for a while, both tired and had a sheepish expression on their faces.

“So why did you go in there?” Jordan finally asked, breaking the silence.

“I don’t know, I got cold so I walked in,” Arianne replied.

“You walked all this way?” Jordan asked, bemused.

“No, I ran,” Arianne replied, still not looking at Jordan.

Jordan sighed and pulled over, “Okay, I’m sorry I got sort of out of hand alright? I really am. I didn’t mean to get.. Jealous.” Jordan choked out the last word like it was painful for him to say.

“It’s not that,” Arianne said, tearing up.

“Then what is it?” Jordan raised his voice, “I want to know, what I’m doing wrong!”

“You started yelling out of nowhere! I didn’t see it coming,” Arianne said, crying. Her face was wet with tears and her cheeks flushed red.

Jordan was confused for a bit, before the lightbulb went off in his head.

“Is that what your Dad did?” Jordan asked quietly.

Arianne nodded her head as she cried, and Jordan wrapped his arms around her.

“I’m so sorry, Annie,” Jordan said quietly, his face sullen.

Jordan and Arianne stayed in the same position until Arianne stopped crying, then the pair went home.