Ariel couldn't believe she had sent him an audio message and he said nothing. She could bet he didn't listen to it.
"Breath Ariel," she coaxed herself
"Okay." She finally gave a response to his earlier text.
Sensing something wrong, Daniel asked. "Are you angry?"
"Should I be happy? I sent a message of everything which had been bugging me, trying to make things right, and all you did was correct me and say nothing."
"Am sorry Ariel, I know you would get mad at what am about to say but I'd say it anyways. The thing is, I don't listen to long voice messages. When you send an audio of maybe forty seconds, I play it at a fast speed. Once it exceeds thirty seconds I play it in the highest speed. So if you had broken down the audio into thirty seconds I would have listened. But three minutes? I didn't listen to the audio to be honest. Am sorry but that's just how I feel." Daniel defended himself righteously.
Ariel wasn't having any of his explanation. She felt stupid because in the past, when he always did an audio of two minutes or so she had always listened.
Also, Daniel had sent her like two or so audio's which where boring but she heard it without adding any speed. Was there any justice in this world?
"You didn't listen because it was long? You didn't even try to know what I feel? Daniel, don't make me go through our messages to show you all the long and boring audios you had sent me in the past and I listened. Even if it wasn't convenient at that moment, I'd remember to listen later. But you can't do the same?" Ariel asked aggravated.
She remembered the time when she had sent him a voice message of two minutes plus, he didn't reply her. Now thinking back he never did listen.
Daniel wasn't like this at first, he had always been eager for her to send a voice message and had always been attentive. But now? She didn't need to be smart to understand.
She finally got a response and her face fell at what she saw.
"Princesssss, you complain a lot and it isn't fresh. You complain about every single thing. If you are mad at someone, you could tell them what there have done another time. Not call them at that very moment. It isn't cool."
Ariel gazed at the message for a while, she had to admit it, she does complain but only for the people she loves.
Taking in a deep breath, she decided to be the bigger one.
"I am sorry." Ariel sent with a sad smile.
"No princess, am the one sorry here. Now your making me feel guilty."
"I know I complain a lot and for that am sorry. I'd work on it."
"Please do." Daniel said not trying to be modest again.
After that, the rest of their conversation was normal. Although it wasn't as smooth as before, it was okay. Deep down, Ariel knew she wasn't suppose to be talking to someone who was toying with her feelings but she couldn't help it.
FEW DAYS LATER....
Days had pass and everything seemed normal. Ariel had embraced peace and decided to act normal. She had gone over to Jessica's house for dinner as it had been a while since she had gone visiting.
Ariel sat at Jessica's dinning room as she interacted happily with Jessica's parents.
"Thanks Mr and Mrs Jones." Ariel smiled lovely at the couple who had hosted her.
"Don't mention it sweetheart, we are all family." Mrs Jones replied happily.
After helping to clear up, Ariel followed Jessica upstairs to her room.
Jessica looked like she had a lot to say and had a huge smile on her face.
"You look like you are about to burst. I can see you have a lot to say." Ariel giggled as she stared at her best friend.
"I got back together with Caleb." Jessica said happily as she giggle.
Ariel not looking too surprised stared at an infatuated Jessica. She had figured she had a new boyfriend because of how she had started ghosting her and not disturbing her to hang out.
This always happened when she got a new boyfriend. It was like a normal ritual.
Turns out it wasn't a new boyfriend but her ex. That was a first for Jessica, she really had never gotten back with any of her ex before. Maybe Caleb was special.
With a smile on Ariel's face, she said, "Congrats Jess."
With a small bow, Jessica replied playfully, "Well, thank you."
"Ariel, Caleb has become so much nicer to me, we went to the beach together, we wore matching outfits..." And so, Ariel kept listening to her friend gushing about her man and here she was, feeling sorry for her self and having only her dairy as her companion. Here was Jessica living the life, while she on the other hand, was always buried in her dairy.
"And look, he got me this purse," Jessica continued as she wasn't done showing off her boyfriend's love.
"Your so screwed jess, this guy got you right were he wants." Ariel commented as she watched Jessica's face turn pale.
"What do you mean?" Jessica asked stunned.
"I don't know Jess, but what I do know is, when a guy breaks up and comes to ask for a second chance, he is up to no good. Moreover, he started acting all nice than usual making you fall harder. Don't you think that's suspicious?" Ariel analyse innocently as she voiced her thought. Having being used by Daniel, her instinct told her all guys were evil.
But Jessica wasn't having it Ariel's way as she thought Ariel was speaking rubbish considering the fact that she hadn't even been in a relationship apart from what she had going on with Daniel.
Jessica then said, "where is this coming from Ariel? Have you ever been in a relationship apart from the little thing you have going on with Daniel? What if Caleb really felt remorseful and really wanted to treat me better than he did before? Wasn't it all about fictional guys till I got you with Daniel? I thought you should be at least happy for me."
Ariel scoffed inwardly as she heard Jessica talk about Daniel. She would have been better off with her fictional guys if Jessica hadn't butted in and she, hadn't been greedy for free meal.
"Have it your way Jess, am not going to have this argument with you. But don't say I didn't tell you. Anyways am not in any relationship with Daniel, and I don't like him anymore." Ariel said hoping the last part to be true.
"It's good you don't like him anymore." Jessica scoffed.
Ariel got interested, what did Jessica know? She knew her and Daniel where close so maybe he had said something. But she had doubted because she remembered asking Jessica to tell her if Daniel said anything about her. Because she knew he was acting weird and if he had told josh then maybe he had also mentioned something to Jess.
"Did he say something?" Ariel asked suspiciously as she looked up at Jessica with her bright Hazel eyes.
"He said a lot but never mind that. Just avoid him." Jessica said as she walked over to the mirror hanging the purse she had been holding earlier.
Ariel rolled her eyes as she imagined how many times her friend had gone to the mirror to check how she looked with the purse.
"Just tell me Jess." Ariel said with urgency.
"I would look for the voice message whenever am free and send it."
"But what did he say?" Ariel still insisted as her belly became tensed.
"Something about you always complaining and he not wanting you anymore."
Ariel looked up at Jessica, she didn't know if it was just her but she noticed Jessica didn't care much. Maybe because of their earlier fight? Ariel thought.
Ariel asked with a hoarse voice, "When did he say that?"
"Few days ago I guess." Jessica shrugged.
Ariel ragged her brain and remembered she had told Jessica how she liked him and how he hasn't been acting right, wasn't a normal friend suppose to comfort her? Or maybe Jessica didn't because she just mentioned she didn't like him again? No matter the reason she was hurt.
Remembering something, Ariel asked, "Did you also know he had a girlfriend?" Ariel swallowed hard as she tried her luck to confirm it.
Jessica went quiet for a moment before saying, "I only found out recently Ariel."
"That's alright, I would block him and end it all."
"That would be best Ariel." Jessica said as she placed one hand on her friends shoulder.
"And when he said he didn't want me anymore what was your reply?"
"I don't quite remember but what I do know is that i didn't take your side." Jessica said with a smile as she shrugged innocently. Maybe this wasn't a big deal to her.
"Really Jess? Why am I not surprise?" Ariel asked sarcastically.
"Look Ariel, I promise to send you all the voice message as soon as I find them, okay? Just know I didn't take your side and also, avoid Daniel."
"I would do that. But that would be after I make a call to him." Ariel said, trying her best not to let her voice crack.
"Hold on Ariel, you ain't allowed to mention my name in anything you do. If you do that, I'd also be telling him all you said about him before." Jessica warned strictly.
"So you're threatening me now Jess?" Ariel stared at Jessica unbelievably.
"Take it whatever way you want Ariel. You should know me by now." Jessica said nonchalantly like she hadn't done anything wrong.
"Rest assured I won't mention your name because I still need those audios from you." Ariel compromise.
"Good."
"Do you still want to talk about anything before I leave?" Ariel asked politely with a smile which wasn't pleasant to look at considering the fact that she was hurting.
"All I wanted to talk about was Caleb but you of course thinks he is using me so I guess there's no need anymore."
Ariel could hear the hurt in her friend's voice. Jessica was indeed hurt by her little observation. Maybe Caleb wasn't a bastard like Daniel. But she doubted it.
"I'd be leaving then." Ariel said as she prepared to leave.
"Look Ariel, I know it isn't easy but you have to be brave. Real world isn't as easy as what fictions makes it looks like." Jessica advised like she knew how fictions was. Ariel tried her not to roll her eyes.
"I got that jess." Ariel said dismissively as she wasn't in the mood.
After thanking Jessica's parents she hired a cab and left.
Ariel didn't go straight home, she went to meet her father, her first home.