>"I'm not going to sleep with you."
>Aria says, arms crossed and glaring daggers at you.
>In a crowded school hallway no less, not that anyone's really paying attention to you.
"What?"
>"I'm. Not. Going. To. Sleep. With. You."
"Who's even asking you to?"
>Not that anyone would need to.
>You've known Aria for maybe two weeks.
>That is, she's only been going to this school for maybe two weeks.
>The first few days she stuck close to her only two friends, Adagio and Sonata.
>But after the whole Battle of the Bands thing they've started at least talking to the other students.
>The other two, that is.
>Aria just makes snide comments in class and annoys the teachers.
>But you've been sitting next to her and joining her in that, just out of boredom.
>You thought maybe you were just the sort of boring friends that could do that kind of thing
>Maybe she thought you were flirting.
>Maybe you were.
>She stares at you a moment, eyebrows still furrowed.
>"Adagio might jump into bed with some random guy. I don't."
"So don't. What do I care?"
>"Don't pretend you don't want to. You're always hanging around me lately."
>You can't help letting an irritated sigh out.
"My classes are boring. Misery loves company."
>She frowns and looks aside.
>Suddenly she seems less angry and more... insulted? Annoyed?
>it's hard to place
>"You're an idiot."
>She walks off as Sonata skips by, joining her friend in a much more subdued manner.
>Aria's not in her seat during the next class.
>Or the following.
>After classes are over for the day, you find yourself more miserable than you expected.
>Yeah, maybe you were flirting, or at least thinking about it.
>But she didn't have to be such a bitch and just take off like that.
>When you close your locker, you jump in surprise as you see Sonata standing there smiling brightly at you.
>"Hey! No standing around complaining with Aria today?"
>What.
>Have people really been noticing? Or is it just Sonata?
"She didn't come to classes after lunch. I think she's mad at me."
>Sonata just smiles vacantly.
>Not that you'd mention it to Aria, it's not really cool to bitch about someone's friends to them.
>But Sonata has never really seemed all that bright.
>More like a damp match in a dark cave.
>"For real? But she talks about you like ALL the time, and--"
>Sonata suddenly stops talking, a startled look on her face.
>"Wait, don't tell her I said that, okay? I'm not supposed to say that."
"Aria talks about me?"
>How interesting.
>Sonata glances side to side nervously, as if she expects to find a glowering purple girl hiding in a locker
>"Yeah, but like... look, she's not good at that, okay? She's never been good at that."
"Good at what?"
>That's right, play dumb. Maybe she'll get confused and just come right out with it.
>Sonata tilts her head a little at you.
>She points her finger at you, and then waggles it between you and herself.
>"You know, this. Talking and stuff."
>Yeah, okay.
>She's always sort of out there with it.
>Says what she's thinking unless it's something positive
>And then she just glosses over with a bitchy joke.
"So, what? She likes me then?"
>Sonata's bright grin could light up the hall by itself.
>"Maybe! Come on, I bet she's back at home! You can come over!"
>Before you can even respond, Sonata has grabbed your hand and is tugging at you while you stand there.
"What? I'm not going to go over uninvited."
>"I'm inviting you! Come on, I'll make dinner. You and Aria can watch a movie and complain about it!"
"But that's stupid."
>But you close your locker and follow along
>Sonata lets go of your hand after you start following, and smiles as the two of you leave school
>It's a nice, sunny day, and the other students all leave at the same time, going to cars and busses
>But you walk behind Sonata instead.
>You're not even sure why you're coming along
>it's not like you were pursuing Aria.
>But maybe she was thinking about it.
>Besides, it isn't like you haven't thought about it.
>Especially when she could sing, damn.
>You're pretty sure every guy in the school thought about it then.
>"Where are you going?"
>You stop walking and look around.
>Sonata's waving from the staircase up to an apartment complex.
"Oh, just spacing out."
>She smiles like she understands, and you follow her up the stairs.
>When she opens the door, the first thing you notice is that the place is a bit of a mess.
>But not terrible, not like they'll be getting rats or anything.
>"Hey Aria! Look who I brought!"
>Aria glances up from the couch, and her eyes widen a moment before she forces her features into a scowl.
>"Ugh, Sonata, why'd you bring him out here? You're just the worst."
>"YOU are!"
>Sonata says it with a complete lack of malice or conviction.
>She closes the door behind you and walks off toward the little kitchen area.
>Aria looks at you
>You look back at her.
>A few seconds pass in a weird, tense silence.
>Suddenly, a weird smile creeps across Aria's lips
>It's weird in that she's smiling.
>Not a sneer, not a smirk, not a grin. A smile.
>"Sit down."
>You walk over and toss your books to the floor beside the couch, and sit down next to Aria.
>"She thinks she's setting up a date or something, right?"
"Something like that."
>"Let me guess. Watch movies and complain?"
"Yep."
>Aria points to a stack of DVDs that have been casually piled next to the small TV.
>"Pick one then."
>An hour of boring movie with dry commentary later, Sonata delivers a few plates of spaghetti
>She sits down on the other side of Aria and smiles at the both of you.
>Aria doesn't touch hers until you try yours.
>You can't help but make a face at the taste.
"What is this?"
>Sonata keeps smiling as she swallows her own bite.
>"It's spaghetti! But with cumin, and habanero, and some curry powder."
>You take another taste, and once you know what to expect...
"It's... not bad?"
>Aria rolls her eyes and jabs at a meatball on her plate, but doesn't make any real comment when she starts eating as well.
>Sonata keeps mostly quiet as the movie keeps running over the course of this mid-afternoon dinner.
>As soon as she's done eating, she takes you and Aria's plates and goes to wash up.
>The evening drags on with the second movie, Aria seemingly content to just sit there next to you, her shoulder barely touching yours.
>Making comments about the movie, the acting, Sonata's cooking, whatever.
>Sonata walks by to go into one of the bedrooms, giving you a thumbs up before she closes the door.
>The new movie keeps on being boring, but after a while you notice a weight on your shoulder
>Aria is leaning her head against you, one of her pigtails draping lightly down over your arm
>She doesn't notice you noticing, and you decide not to mention it
>You don't think she wants to be noticed.
>Another twenty minutes pass before the apartment door opens
>Aria sits up immediately, and scoots a bit away from you on the couch.
>Adagio walks in, arm in arm with that guy she's been dating, from school.
>He glances at you as he walks in, and there's a sort of vague nod of recognition.
>They just immediately walk toward another bedroom.
>Aria glances at the room, and then to you.
>You open your mouth to speak, but she holds up a finger to quiet you.
>You wait for her to say something, but then she speaks quietly.
>"Three, two, one, and..."
>A shuddering moan comes from Adagio's bedroom.
>Aria smirks, a more familiar expression.
>"Yeah. That's like all they ever do when they're over here."
"Wow, you weren't kidding about her going right to bed then."
>"They're just getting started."
>The movie doesn't quite drown out the noise.
>The bed creaking, the moaning, it's all still there, just at the limit of audibility.
>You try to ignore the sound of some dude getting laid in the next room, but it's admittedly distracting.
>Even before you feel Aria's hand suddenly lightly grip the bulge in your pants.
"Agh! What the hell?"
>She's scowling at you again, but with a little light of amusement in her eyes.
>"Knew it. You like her."
"Hey, come on! They're being loud, any guy would get like this!"
>"I told you, I'm not going to sleep with you."
>This again?
"I'm not asking you to. We're not even together."
>She raises an eyebrow at you.
>Her fingers tighten around that bulge, not entirely pleasantly.
>"We've been sitting here for hours. We had dinner, we're watching a movie."
>Her glowering frown changes into a grin.
>The kind of grin that sends a shiver up your spine.
>"We're together. You know, until Adagio drags Sonata and me off somewhere else."
"What, you three are leaving?"
>Aria pulls her hand away, and tries to look bored of the topic, looking at her nails.
>"We don't really stay anywhere too long. Or we didn't, anyway."
"But she has a boyfriend. You're all going to school."
>Aria glances around nervously.
>"We never stay. Or at least before..."
>Her eyes stop somewhere for a moment.
>You follow them over to the broken gemstones on the little desk in the corner.
>Oh, shit, right.
>They were magic or something. You asked Sunset about it, but she just kind of waved you off without explaining.
>When you look back to Aria, something in her expression tells you to keep your mouth shut.
>A moment passes, and then you speak anyway.
"Maybe now she won't. I don't mind just sitting here. Do you?"
>Aria looks at you for a moment.
>A long, drawn out, somwhat awkward moment.
>You feel like you're being judged, for something more than what she was expecting.
>Finally, she runs her fingers down your arm, and then interlaces them with yours.
>She holds your hand, and she leans against you again, watching the bad movie that's still playing.
>Maybe it's not perfect.
>Maybe Aria's got some issues even.
>But for right now, the important thing is that you're here with her, and she's here with you.
>Even if you're just watching dumb movies
>At least you're doing it together.