Wanted (Wanted 1)

Ari……

The moment Jeff turned and walked away I wanted to go after him. Oh god…I just wanted to shout out MOTHER FUCKER as loud as I could! I didn’t want to draw attention to myself so I just stood there because you know……. standing in the middle of their backyard with tears running down my face was not going to draw any attention.

FUCK ME!

Oh holy hells bells…. the way he was holding me so close during that song…. I knew the moment he asked me to dance what he was trying to do. It was his way of saying he was sorry.

I’m so sorry I hurt you baby……… Baby I could never hate you……

I have waited eight fucking years for this?

??…. eight years for him to call me something other than squirt, to hold me like he never wanted to let me go. Son of a fucking bitch!

Oh. my. god. I just fucked up everything……I looked over at Ellie who was now getting off of Gunner’s lap and walking over to me.

“OH MY GOD Ari what did he say to you? I’ll kill him for making you cry again that bastard!” Ellie shouted as she looked back towards the door Jeff just walked through.

I started to laugh. Why I have no idea…. I found none of this shit funny. Ellie looked at me confused as hell.

“Ari what the hell is going on?”

“Oh nothing Ells…. you know……Jeff just did the most fucking romantic thing anyone has ever done for me…. . and I blew it. I fucking blew something I’ve been wanting for so long. ” I started to cry again. GODDAMN it…. the second time I have been to one of their parties and I am crying! JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH!

“Come on let’s go sit on the front porch…. . ” Ellie said as she turned to Gunner and pointed to the front of the house. Gunner looked concerned but just nodded his head like he understood.

“He is in the house…I can’t let him see me crying Ells. ” I said as I panicked at the idea of seeing Jeff right that second.

“We will walk through the gate okay?” Ellie linked her arm with mine and we walked to the front porch.

After I told her what Jeff said to me and how I told him the truth about Jason, she just sat back in the swing.

“Ari, clearly Jeff has feelings for you sweets. You have to see that right. Why didn’t you go after him?”

“I don’t know why I didn’t Ellie. I mean it’s like he wants to be with me but he doesn’t. I don’t know how else to explain it…. I feel like he is attracted to me but he does nothing to act on it. Maybe he just can’t see me as anything more than his little sisters best friend Squirt. He even called me squirt before he turned and walked away. It killed me when he said that it worked……that me trying to hurt him worked. ”

“Well of course it worked. You had to know when you told him he would be upset. Give him time Ari. Maybe he just needs time to get use to the idea of you being something other than my best friend. What you need to do is show him that is not all you are. You are more than Arianna…Ellie’s best friend…. You are more than just Squirt………You need to make him want you Ari…. want you bad! You need to show him how much he wants to be with you!”

Ellie said with a wicked smile on her face. We both started to laugh. Only Ellie could make me feel better when I felt like shit.

“Okay I have other news! So while you were dancing, Gunner asked if we both wanted to go to his grandparent’s ranch next week for a few days. I SO want to go but I need you to go with me. Please say you will go!”

Ellie was so fucking cute when she begged! “Of course I’ll go with you. Is um…. . Jeff going?”

Ellie smiled that big ole smile of hers. ”You bet he’s going! Five full days of us in the country with two really good looking guys and the Llano River runs right through it…. . I’m thinking Jeff might need to see you in your red bikini! ”

“Well, when you put it that way…count me the fuck in!”

We both started laughing so hard we couldn’t stop. So Ellie thought I should go after Jeff huh? I think I was up for that challenge! Just then the front door opened……. . speak of the devil……it was Jeff.

He opened the door all the way and stepped outside. “Is everything okay? Why are y’all sitting out here?”

“Well, we were just talking about how much we were looking forward to heading out to the country with you and Gunner. ” I said as I got up and walked towards Jeff.

Now it was his turn to be stunned. I walked up to him and leaned in so he had to bend down towards me to hear what I was about to say.

“I can’t decide if I want to bring my red bikini or my white one? I might just have to bring both. What do you think Jeff?”

He looked like he was having a really hard time swallowing and if I didn’t know any better I would say that Mr. Big football player was blushing. Oh yes…I liked Ellie’s plan I thought as I let a smile play across my face.