Ari walked down to the hallway to the kitchen.
Struck by the blaring silence she looked around for any prying ears.
Unable to find her father or aunt, she shrugged and grabbed a piece an apple as she headed out.
Walking up to a nearby coffee shop she took one last bite of the apple and eyed up a trashcan.
Taking a step to the side, she aimed it like a basketball and landed it in the trashcan.
Walking into the café she looked around for a familiar face.
Not recognizing anyone in sight she walked up to the counter.
"Hey, can I get a medium hot chocolate and a large chocolate chip cookie" she said with a smile to the cashier.
"Sure, one hot chocolate and a large chocolate chip cookie coming up" the blonde cashier said typing into a tablet.
"Pfft stop!" sounded from the back of the store.
As the sound peaked her curiosity she looked around the cashier's shoulder to see Tom grinning from ear to ear with his hand on a short red headed girl's shoulder.
Moving back into spot to try hiding behind the cashier she tucked her shoulders in and crouched against the counter.
"You okay?" the cashier asked with a half raised eyebrow.
"Um yeah...that time of the month ya know" Ari said with her head facing down as she sat cringing.
"Oof yeah, sorry for asking. Here's your receipt" the cashier said as she slid a paper in front of Ari.
"Thanks" Ari said keeping her head down as she took it and scurried over to a window seat.
Pulling her phone out she looked at the chat with Tom.
[Ari: I'm here :)]
She hit send as she fought her natural skepticism about what she saw Tom doing.
Feeling her phone buzz she picked it up immediately.
[Tom: Cool I'm in the back rn I'll be right there]
[Ari: k]
She set her phone down and watched the counter.
Tom came out from the back, with black rings under his ocean blue eyes and his short buzz cut black hair perfectly in place two women immediately started giggling as he passed them.
Removing his apron and placing it on a nearby hanger he smiled in their direction and nodded.
Noticing this Ari kissed her teeth and looked down.
"Order up for Ari! Ari your order is ready!" the cashier said catching Tom's attention.
Grabbing the order off the counter he looked around spotting Ari who immediately dropped her scowl.
"Lemme guess... chocolate milk and a chocolate chip cookie for the coco fiend" Tom said flashing a pearly white smile.
"Oh so you've always been a cheater huh..." Ari said aloud eyeing up a glint of fear in Tom's eyes.
"You probably made this yourself" she continued and grabbed her food from him and flashing a quick disingenuous smile.
"Haha yeah you caught me" Tom said nervously chuckling to himself as he took a seat.
"Thanks by the way" Ari said taking a bite of her cookie.
"No problem" Tom said as he nervously looked at Ari.
"So what's up" she said taking pleasure in watching him squirm.
"Oh I don't know how to say this... I mean not like we were close at all before the... you know" he said trailing off.
"Oh yeah definitely...sorry for not being there for you... I mean like you said we weren't close but she was your girl and my bestie. We should be there for each other more" Ari said losing herself in empathy as she placed a hand on his.
"Oh yeah... great" he said awkwardly moving a hand onto hers.
Both looking down at their hands together they awkwardly pulled them back to their sides.
"Um...mhm. So what did you wanna talk about?" Ari said while still cringing.
"Um there's no easy way to ask you this but...I know you and Zoe went to the roof cause you were mad about something..." Tom said unable to make eye contact.
Squirming in her seat Ari swallowed spit as her gaze dropped.
"There's no easy way to ask you this but I know you and her were tight as fuck. Did she tell you anything before she you know..." Tom said as his voice cracked and he cleared his throat.
Immediately dropped back onto the roof where she thought she had finally won out for Zoe's heart, Ari was sunk into a pit of guilt.
"...I don't know how to put this but... no sorry she didn't tell me anything that she said I can't tell you" she said as her legs shook under the table.
"Oh nothing at all?" Tom asked leaning in as a smile crept across his face.
Looking at him Ari could see him perk up as a weight was seemingly lifted from his shoulders.
"Yeah, nothing at all" she said looking over at the girls who were giddy over Tom before continuing:
"Yeah nothing at all... why do you ask?" she asked sitting up in her seat.
"Well... oh um the... oh the baby... I was asking cause well she was pregnant and I didn't know and I'm celibate so it wasn't mine so... I was wondering if you knew she was pregnant or who's kid it was" he said nervously stumbling and stammering through his words.
"No... she never said who's kid. Didn't say she was pregnant. So you saying she slept with someone else" Ari said sitting back in her seat.
"Well I mean yeah... sorry I mean... sorry I shouldn't have asked" Tom said sitting back in his seat looking away.
"Hey. I don't know why what happened happened. But I can say for certain you and her fit together and you made sense together. I have no idea why someone in such a seemingly perfect couple would cheat and lie" Ari said tightening her fist under the table.
Rising to her feet she grabbed her food.
"Sorry I'm in no place to speak about this. You look tired, I can imagine this has been a tough time. Get home Tom, give it a rest. I'll see you around" Ari said putting her coffee down and slapping him on the shoulder.
Taking her coffee and cookie with her she kissed her teeth silently as she walked off.