Page 32 of Hunt for the Roses
“To each their own,” she says with a shrug, but then she looks up at me and points. “And you’re crashingmynight plans, so hush.”
I chuckle. “Okay, that’s fair. So why are you coming out here so late anyway? On a Thursday night, nonetheless.”
“There’s less people on a weeknight, and I like to watch the sunset when it’s quieter,” she replies.
“I won’t argue with that.”
Aria doesn’t look at me as she responds, and just looks straight ahead. “My therapist actually gave me advice about consciously finding beauty in the world. I thought it was a ridiculous notion at first, but I’m starting to come around to the idea. It’s like seeing the world from a different perspective. Or maybe for the first time,” Ari confesses.
I lick my lips, almost nervous to venture into this conversation because I don’t want Aria to get upset, and I’m not exactly sure what’s going to trigger her. “I think that’s great. It seems like your therapist has really helped you a lot,” I say honestly.
She smiles, still looking forward as she walks. “Yeah, she has.” Then Aria narrows her eyes as if she’s in thought. “But I want to start standing on my own. I’m not knocking anyone who relies on therapy, but it’s time for me to just take her advice and make my own good fortune.”
“I don’t think that will be a problem. You’re probably one of the strongest people I know.”
Aria looks over to me with a smile. “That means a lot.” Then she turns her head forward and changes the subject. “But the idea of standing on my own sort of brings me to my next topic.” Aria stops walking and faces me completely with her hands shoved in her back pockets. “I don’t want you to feel obligated to me.”
“What?” I ask, completely confused.
She sighs as she turns to continue walking, and I follow alongside her. “I’m talking about the night you had a girl at your house. I don’t want you to feel like you need to cut time short with someone to cater to me. I’m fine, you don’t have to worry about me.”
I stop Aria by placing a hand on her upper arm. “I chose to check on you that night. Iwantedto check on you.”
Aria slightly scrunches her face as she looks off to the side. “I don’t know. I just don’t want to feel like someone’s charity case.” Then she looks over to me with a grateful smile. “But I appreciate you telling me what you just did. So, thank you.”
“If it makes you feel any better, she wasn’t even a good lay,” I joke.
Aria playfully shoves me. “Dane! Ugh!” I’m smiling at her as we both resume walking side by side. “Anyway, this breeze feels nice,” Aria says while holding out her arms and closing her eyes.
“Yes, the perks of living in a coastal town. Not many humid summer nights,” I say.
Aria is still in the same position so she can fully feel the breeze. “Mmhmm, you don’t have to convince me twice.” When she opens her eyes, she walks with her hands stuffed in her back pockets as she asks, “I love living here, don’t you?”
I tilt my head to the side. “It’s definitely got its advantages, but I don’t think I’d mind trying to live in a big city.”
“No, look at this,” Aria responds as she walks over to the wooden railing of the boardwalk. She rests her forearms over it to look out at the view, and I come up to her side. We’re just looking at the lowered sun illuminating the evening sky, and the waves crashing against the shore. “It’s so peaceful here. Quaint. You get to enjoy the simpler things in life, not just expensive restaurants and lounges,” she says.
I take a moment to look at Aria and appreciate the fact that she isn’t a high maintenance girl. I’m looking at her with the evening glow casting on her face, and the breeze catching strands of her long hair, but I can see just how beautiful of a person she is on theinside.
I turn to look over the railing with her. “I think you might be onto something. There’s a crowd of teenagers underage drinking around that small fire over there,” I say as I point to what I’m talking about.
She chuckles. “Yeah, well, sometimes getting drunk is a beautiful thing.”
I laugh, and then tap her upper arm with the back of my hand as I start walking away from where we are standing. “Alright, show me where these doughnuts are.”
It’s another ten minutes until we reach the doughnut shop and head in. “Which doughnut are you getting?” I ask her as we wait in line.
She puts a hand up and turns to face me. “I’m getting half a dozen. I need some for the rest of the week.”
“Okay, well whichsixare you getting?”
“Five of the chocolate frosted with sprinkles, and one strawberry frosted with sprinkles.” When I give Aria a confused look, she elaborates. “Everyone knows the chocolate frosted with sprinkles is the best.”
“I don’t know. Double chocolate with sprinkles is a good time,” I argue.
Ari throws me wide eyes. “Oooo, I forgot about those,” she says, and I nod my head with a tight-lipped smile. “Okay, four chocolate frosted with sprinkles and two double chocolate with sprinkles,” she says matter-of-factly, as if this is very serious business.
“So, can I just pay you for the one double choc-”
