Ari's Guide to...Falling Hopelessly in Love!? ~7~

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Erik's P.O.V

This bet was not going in my favor. It was already thursday and I hadn't even managed to hold a conversation with Ari, much less get her to kiss me. I walked down the hall grumbling to myself. How could I have been so stupid.

"Erik," Seth called from behind me. I turned around to see him leaning on the wall.

"Seth, where you there before?" I asked. Could I have seriously walked by without noticing that he was there? Well, Seth did have that effect on people. If he didn't want to be seen, you couldn't see him.

"Yeah, you just walked by. Distracted by something?" Seth was known for not finishing his sentences.

"No, I'm not distracted by anything. I was just thinking."

Seth stood up straight and walked toward me,"you sure?"

"No, I'm not sure. I shouldn't have made that stupid bet, now I'm going out of my mind. I can't make Ari fall in love with me. I'm not even sure that she even likes me," I said truthfully. I could never really understand why it was so easy to pour my heart out to Seth. He always gave me good advice, I guess.

"She likes you, a lot. I can tell."

"She does?" I asked confused. How could he be so sure?

Seth nodded,"back out of the bet."

"What?" I yelled."I can't back out now, we bet the usual. Do you know what I'd have to do."

"You like her, a lot. You know what you have to do." Seth walked past me and down the hall. I hated it when he was right. I had to back out of the bet.

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Ari's P.O.V

Thursday, Thursday, Thursday. I said over and over to myself. School was over for today and tomorrow was friday. Then the weekend would start. YAY!

I walked into the Rings' kitchen and Craig, Gregg, Andy, and the triplets looked at me. Then they went back to talking and laughing about something. I walked over to Gregg.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Go into the living room and find out," Gregg said in between laughs.

"Uh, ok," I said skeptically as I walked into the living room. There was someone sleeping on the couch. I thought it was my mom but as I walked closer I could see that Erik was in a pink rabbit costume. I stood over him as I tried stifle my laughter.

"Go away, I'm trying to nap." Erik's eyes were clouded with sleep as he looked up at me.

"You take naps in rabbit costumes?" I laughed.

"Haha, no." Erik sat up."First of all I'm a bunny not a rabbit and second of all, I lost a bet."

"Really," I said interested as I sat down next to him."What kind of bet."

"I can't tell you. It's part of the rules." Erik looked at me with his beautiful green eyes.

"Ok, so what does dressing up as a pink bunny have to do with the bet?"

"Well, since I lost the bet I have to dress up in a pink bunny costume, which I did. Then I have to walk down to the school yelling I'm a pretty pink bunny..."

I began to laugh hysterically and Erik stared at me.

"I'm sorry," I said still laughing."That's just, really funny."

"Yeah, but you know I started all of this." One of Eriks bunny ears fell over one of his eyes.

"How?" I asked as I reached over and pulled the ear back.

"A few years back on halloween, Kelsie dressed up like a pink bunny rabbit. I made a bet with Mark that I would get more candy than him. He lost that bet so I made him dress up in Kelsie's bunny costume. Ever since then he has tried to get back at me," Erik sighed."Looks like he's finally gotten back at me."

"Uh, so when are you leaving?" I didn't know what else to say.

"Right now." Erik stood up and began walking towards the door.

"Wait," I called.

"What?" Erik turned around.

"Want me to get you a carrot?" I asked jokingly.

"Haha very funny," Erik opened the door.

"No wait Erik." I ran up to him."Do you want some company, cause I'd like to come with you."

"Sure." He looked down at me and gave me one of his heart melting
smiles.

On our way to the school people pointed at Erik and laughed. He glared at them and yelled,"I'm a pretty pink bunny!"

Just to bother him I skipped around him and yelled,"I'm with a pretty pink bunny."

"Ok, stop." Erik grabbed my hand and I just couldn't help but to look into his eyes.

"Why?" I demanded."It's fun."

"It's annoying. When I get to that school I'm going to take this stupid thing off and then Mark is gonna die," Eriks voice was full of anger.

"You won't be able to kill him," I stated simply.

"Why?" Erik asked.

"Cause he's not here." I pointed to the school. Only Asia, Jackie,
Robin, Jess, Shane, and Seth were there.

"Those morons. I'll get them later anyways." Erik said as we walked up to everyone.

"Dude, I can't believe you did it," Shane laughed at Erik.

"I thought that you wouldn't come, just like those two cowards." Erik glared at Shane.

"Oh, I just had to come to see this. Say cheese." Shane took out a digital camera and began taking pictures of Erik.

"Give me that." Erik reached for the camera but Shane pulled away at the right time. I grabbed the camera from Shanes hands and I handed it to Erik.

"Thank you." Erik looked at the camera, then he looked at Shane."I'll just keep this for now."

"Aww man." Shane glared at me and I stuck my tongue out at him.

I noticed that someone was staring at me and when I looked around it was Asia. Regardless of her agression towards me I smiled back at her, which just seemed to make her angrier. Jackie seemed to notice this and she walked up to me.

"Don't worry, she's just jealous cause you came here with Erik," Jackie whispered."I can't believe that Erik walked here wearing that."

"Well, it is kind of funny."

"Kind of, it's hilarious," Jackie laughed.

"That's it I'm taking this stupid thing off," Erik said irritated."Will you wait for me?"

"Yeah, I'll be right here."

"Ok." I watched as Erik disappeared into the school.

"Ari," Robin said.

"Yeah," I turned to face Robin, Jess, Jackie, and Shane.

"We're sorry but we have to go," she said symathetically.

"Ok, I'll just wait inside." I wanted to see if Coral was still here anyways.

"Ok." Robin, Jess, Jackie, and Shane all walked away.

"Hi," I turned to Asia and I said cheerfully."I'm going to wait inside. Do you want to come?"

"Sure," she mimicked my cheerfulness. I ignored her and I went inside. I wouldn't let her get to me. Plus a part of me hoped that she wouldn't follow me. But, what I hope for doesn't matter.
We walked to the library in silence. We weren't even close to being there when Asia stopped.

"Hey Ari," Asia called from behind me.

"Yeah," I smiled at her.

"Do you know what the bet was?" She asked.

"No. Why?"

"Do you want to know?" She smiled mischeviously.

"Not really, it's none of my business," I turned around again.

"It was about you," she said in a sing songy sort of way.

"What are you talking about?" I spun around to face her.

"The bet that Erik agreed to was that he had to get you to kiss him by friday. I guess he couldn't imagine kissing you cause he backed out," Asia sneered."Maybe he thought you weren't good enough for him, maybe your just too ugly for him, or maybe he just doesn't want you."

"Why should I believe anything you say?" I demanded.

"Fine, don't believe me," she shrugged and then pointed to something behind me."Just ask Erik."

I didn't move, I didn't want to move. Instead Erik walked around me and stood in front of me, looking down at me.

"Is it true?" I looked up at him waiting for a responce.

"Yes, but..."

"No Erik, that's all that I wanted to hear," I interrupted Erik and then I looked at Asia."By the way. You can have him since you want him so much. I don't want him."

I looked at Erik one more time before I turned around and ran down the hall. He had the most surprised heart broken face. The tears that I couldn't supress any longer streamed down my cheeks. My vision was blurred with tears but I didn't stop running, I couldn't stop running until I got to the library.
The smack! I fell flat on my back. The tears kept falling though, now I had two things to cry about. Erik and the pain that now spread around my head.

"Ari!" I heard Coral scream and then she stood above me."Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," I grabbed her extended hand and I pulled myself up."It just hurts."

"What hurts?" Coral asked concerned.

"My head and my heart," I looked at Coral through puffy tear filled eyes.

"Oh Ari," Coral hugged me. I hugged her back and when we pulled away from each other she said,"your head I can fix but your heart I don't know."

"Coral," I wiped my eyes."It would be easy to get over him if I didn't practically live in his house."

"So it was Erik?" I nodded and she went on."That jerk. Come on tell me all about it."

"Sure," I laughed half-heartedly as we made our way to the library.