CHAPTER NINE

chapter nine: The disappointment:

Aria walked briskly through the quiet streets, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. Her jaw was set, her breath uneven as she tried to suppress the emotions threatening to break free. Every step she took felt heavier, like disappointment itself was weighing her down.

"I was such a fool." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but the bitterness in it was unmistakable. "Maybe I should have waited. Maybe I should have told Ethan before doing this."

A lump formed in her throat, and she felt the sting of tears gathering in her eyes. She bit her lower lip, trying to will them away, but the ache in her chest was unbearable. She had never felt this humiliated before—standing there, waiting in the cold, believing in something that had been nothing more than a cruel joke.

"Maybe someone's watching me right now, laughing at how stupid I was to believe I was admired."

That thought made her stomach turn. She quickened her pace, blinking rapidly to force back the tears. By the time she reached Lily's house, her heart was pounding—not from exhaustion, but from the emotions suffocating her.

She stopped at the door, taking a deep breath. No. Whoever did this didn't deserve to see her cry. She wasn't going to let them win.

Lifting her face slightly, she wiped her eyes quickly, then blew upward with her lips to dry them before reaching for the doorknob.

The moment she stepped inside, she barely took five steps forward before Lily tackled her with excitement.

"Yeeesssss! Alright, tell me everything!" Lily practically bounced on her toes. "Don't leave anything out! Though, you came back early…" she paused, then shrugged. "Doesn't matter! Just spill! Who was it? Was he handsome? Was he worth it? Why aren't you talking?"

That was when she saw it. The unshed tears brimming in Aria's eyes. The way her lips trembled slightly. The sadness pooling in her expression.

Lily's smile faded immediately. "Hey… hey, what's wrong? What happened?"

Aria couldn't hold it in anymore. A sob broke past her lips as she threw her arms around Lily, burying her face in her shoulder. The tears she had been holding back came rushing out.

Lily wrapped her arms around her, rubbing her back soothingly. "It's okay. It's okay. Stop crying. Just tell me what happened."

Aria shook her head against her, her voice muffled. "I was so stupid… I'm a fool to believe that anyone would ever admire me." Her shoulders shook. "I'm not lovable… I'm just a stupid idiot."

Lily pulled away slightly, taking Aria's tear-streaked face in her hands. "Hey, hey, look at me," she said firmly, her thumbs gently wiping away the tears. "You are NOT a fool. You are NOT stupid. And you are definitely not an idiot." She smiled softly. "You're lovely and caring and kind. And beautiful. So beautiful that sometimes I wonder if you're even human and not some angel."

A small, shaky smile formed on Aria's lips.

Lily grinned. "In my eyes, you're the most beautiful, and nothing should ever change that, okay?"

Aria nodded slowly, sniffling as she wiped the rest of her tears away.

Lily squeezed her hands. "Now, tell me what happened."

Aria exhaled, rubbing her eyes with her hands one last time. The anger from earlier began to creep back in.

"Nobody showed up," she said bitterly. "I waited like a fool, and nobody came. Someone must think it's funny to play such a sick prank on me."

Lily's expression darkened. She pulled Aria into another hug. "Oh, Aria… I'm so sorry."

Aria sighed, shaking her head. "No, it's alright. It's not our fault."

Lily pulled back and looked at her with concern. "So… what are you gonna do now?"

Aria walked toward the dining area near the sitting room, leaving the doorway they had been standing in. She grabbed a glass and poured herself some water, taking a long sip before answering.

"Well… I want to find whoever did this to me and deal with him," she admitted, then sighed. "But I don't want to waste my energy on that. Homecoming is in three days. I should just focus on that and enjoy it."

Lily followed her to the dining table, tilting her head. "Sooo… I probably shouldn't bring up the idea of getting you a date tomorrow?"

Aria shot her a dry look. "Oh no, please. I'm over all that now. I'll just go alone and enjoy the dance. Besides, Dad doesn't want me near boys anyway." She smirked slightly. "Or, I could just tag along with Ethan."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "What if he has a date? Which I'm sure he does."

Aria hesitated, twirling the rim of her glass. "I don't think he does… because he would've told me." She lifted the glass to her lips. "And even if he does have one, Eth wouldn't mind me tagging along."

As she took a sip, her thoughts wandered. I really hope Ethan doesn't have a date… The idea of seeing him with another girl, acting all romantic, made her stomach twist uncomfortably. He had never dated anyone in all the years they had been friends. Seeing him with someone now…

Lily studied her. "Then why don't you come with us?"

Aria nearly choked on her water. "Us? As in, you and your date?" She let out a short laugh. "Lily, don't be ridiculous."

Lily sighed dramatically. "Fine. I hope everything works out. But Aria… I'm really sorry. I feel like part of this is my fault. I pushed you into this, you know."

Aria walked over and placed her hands on Lily's shoulders. "I promise you, it's not your fault. I was excited too. This was my choice, so it's really okay." She pulled her into a hug.

Lily hugged her back. "Okay. As long as you're really okay."

When they pulled away, Aria glanced at the clock on the wall. Her eyes widened. "Oh, shoot!"

Lily blinked. "What?" Then realization hit her. "Oh no, curfew! Let's go!"

They both bolted up the stairs to Lily's room, grabbing their bags in a rush before sprinting out the door toward Aria's house.

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As soon as they rushed out of the house, Lily tossed Aria the car keys.

"You drive?" Aria raised an eyebrow, still shaken.

Lily scoffed. "Yeah, right. You're stressed, and I value my life."

They both got into the car, and as Lily started the engine, Aria sighed and pulled out her phone. She tapped the screen, and her stomach dropped at the sight of multiple missed calls.

Mom (7 Missed Calls)

Ethan (5 Missed Calls)

"Oh my God," she breathed, dread creeping in.

"What?" Lily asked, her grip tightening on the wheel.

Aria swallowed hard. "So many missed calls… Mom is definitely going to cook me alive."

"Try calling her back," Lily said, a worried edge in her voice.

Aria quickly dialed her mother's number. The phone barely rang twice before her mother picked up.

"Where did you keep your phone, Aria? I've been calling you!"

"Mom, I'm so sorry—my phone was on silent. What's wrong?"

Her mother sighed heavily. "I'm at the hospital with Ethan's mother."

"What?!" Aria's heart pounded.

Lily snapped her head toward Aria, her face instantly serious. "What happened?" she asked anxiously, her voice rising a little.

Aria's grip on her phone tightened. "Mom, why? What happened?"

"She burned her hand while cooking earlier. It's not too serious, but they're treating her now."

Aria exhaled sharply, trying to process it. "Which hospital?"

"Riverside General."

"We're on our way," Aria said quickly before hanging up.

Lily didn't waste a second, immediately making a U-turn. "Oh my God, poor Mrs. Carter," she muttered, pressing harder on the gas. "How bad is it?"

"Mom said it's not serious, but burns can be tricky," Aria said, her chest tightening.

Lily nodded, her expression tense. "And Ethan? How's he holding up?"

"I don't know. He called too." Aria quickly switched to her call log, hovering over Ethan's name. "I should call him back."

Lily shot her a glance. "Yeah, do that. He must be freaking out right now."

Aria hesitated, then tapped the call button. As the phone rang, she clenched her free hand into a fist, her emotions all over the place. Tonight had already been a disaster, and now this.

She just hoped Ethan—and his mom—were okay.

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As Aria dialed Ethan's number, she tapped her fingers anxiously against her thigh. The call barely rang twice before he picked up.

"Omg, Aria! Where are you? Where did you keep your phone?" His voice came through in a rush, tight with worry. "You scared me."

Aria swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm so, so sorry, Eth… I just saw the missed calls. I'm on my way to the hospital with Lily. I heard what happened. Are you alright?"

There was a brief pause before he responded. "You're on your way to the hospital?" He exhaled, as if steadying himself. "Alright. I'll meet you there."

Aria frowned. "Wait… you're not there? Where are you?"

Another pause, shorter this time. "Yeah, I went out for a bit. But don't worry—I'll meet you there."

Something about his tone made her grip the phone a little tighter, but she let it go. "Okay… see you soon." She ended the call and sighed, rubbing her forehead.

Lily, who had been glancing at her between turns, drummed her fingers lightly against the steering wheel. "Is he okay?"

Aria nodded, though a small crease remained between her brows. "Yeah… he sounded fine. He just said he'd meet us there."

Lily exhaled in relief but kept her eyes on the road, concern still lingering in her expression. "Good. Let's just get there quickly."

Aria shifted in her seat, pressing her lips together. A small part of her couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.