Page 26 of The Pursuit of Happiness (Satan’s Angels #2)

Slater

There was a time in my life when Trigonometry seemed like it would be the biggest challenge I’d ever face.

Then college applications came and changed my mind.

Well then college itself actually came and changed my mind even though I dropped out after only a year.

Now though, Aria Kane is easily the biggest challenge I will ever face throughout the duration of my entire life.

The girl has a stone heart, but what stops me from giving up is that there are moments where I can chip through the stone and see the red beating heart inside of it.

She’s like an addiction that I can’t satiate. I’m an addict for her scent, her presence, all of her. Every time I think I can defeat the addiction, I lose.

I’ve been home from the studio for two hours and she’s all I can think about.

The way she matches my energy and never backs down from me, the way she looks when she smiles, and the sound of her laugh.

No amount of time with her ever feels like enough.

I know it’s selfish to be enjoying this time with her so much considering it’s all stolen and none of it is real to her, but it’s real to me .

I can’t stop thinking about her even two hours later so I did what a love-struck man does and I texted Selene for Aria’s number which she immediately offered with no questions asked.

I’ve been hovering over my phone’s keyboard with my thumbs not quite sure what to say to her.

I’m not sure which angle to take this message from.

Aria has this dark cloud looming over her head all the time, something I’ve noticed more since the sex tape got leaked.

I won’t lie, it worries me. She has these dark circles under her eyes that make it seem as though she hasn’t been sleeping and she’s been dressing so unlike her usual style.

From the comment she made earlier today, I know exactly what the problem is.

She’s afraid of what the media has to say about her and the fear has gotten so much power over her that she’s afraid to wear clothes that she wants to wear.

When I was a kid, my mom would tell me all the time that I was a people pleaser.

I just have this need to fix broken things whether it be people, animals, toys, you name it.

It was no shock to my mom when she found me hiding a baby bird in my shoe box for two days, trying to take care of it and nurse it back to health.

I explained to her that the bird had fallen out of its nest and broken a wing.

That I wanted to help it get better so it could find its family.

My mom was proud of me for being so kind to a wounded animal, for caring about something so helpless.

She and Dad helped me take care of it and when the bird was healed and we set it back into its nest, I was looking for the next broken thing to fix.

I think Aria is broken, but the most beautiful things are. I’d rather have something with a few cracks in it than something pristine. It shows character and triumph over adversity. With Aria, I think she’s capable of putting her pieces together, she just needs a little help doing so.

ARIA

Me

*Image attachment*

Me

I think we look pretty cute together, Kane

I decide to break the ice by sending her the image of her in my arms on the couch from earlier.

As per Selene’s request, I already uploaded it to my social media accounts and tagged her in it, but Aria hasn’t liked or reposted it.

I have a feeling it’s because she hasn’t been active on social media.

I wait for her to respond but nothing comes for a few minutes. Then two more minutes pass and I sigh in defeat the way I usually do when she rejects me. I’m persistent, tenacious even. I don’t give up easily, especially when it comes to her. She knocks me down sometimes, but I get back up.

I’m about to turn my phone off and accept I won’t be getting a response when a message finally lights up my screen.

ARIA

Aria

Hmm, idk

Aria

I think I look cuter.

I smile to myself. The photo of us would make anyone believe we’re a real couple. The way we’re both smiling at each other, the way my arms are wrapped around her, and how perfectly our bodies fit together. We look perfect together. Happy.

ARIA

Me

I agree with you on that

Me

You’re definitely the cute one

Aria

Glad we can agree

I don’t want the conversation to die down. Instead, I change the topic and start a new line of conversation.

ARIA

Me

The internet is loving us together

Me

We’re a trending hashtag right now

Me

#SLARIA

Aria

Horrible ship name

Aria

It sounds like an STD name

I laugh because she’s not wrong.

Me

Holy shit, it does

Me

I take it we’re not using this hashtag?

Aria

I think we should. It’s funny now

Me

We should get T-shirts made

Aria

LOL Selene would love that for our PR

I’m not sure what to say next. We run out of conversation topics pretty quickly. My fingers hover over the keyboard as my brain searches for something, anything to say. She beats me to it though as she asks:

Aria

Do you like horror movies?

Me

I like them. Mostly the classics though

Aria

Which classics?

Me

Scream, Child’s Play, Nightmare On Elm Street

Me

I take it you like them?

Aria

Love them. Scream is my fav

I smile at the screen. We’re having a conversation about personal preferences. I want to continue it, but I get a phone call from Rogan. My smile falls as I debate whether or not to answer. I finally decide to suck it up and accept it. “What?” I greet, not politely.

He sighs on the other end, “Look man, I just wanna apologize for how I’ve been acting. I’m just going through a lot.”

I remind myself that he’s under the impression Aria and I are a real couple, “You went out of your way to disrespect my girlfriend and her friends. My friends.” I consider Ivory and Brody to be my friends now.

It seemed we all got along pretty well. Brody seems to not hate me anymore after I apologized up and down today and kissed her ass.

There was one point where I was fairly certain her boyfriend thought I was making a move on her and was gonna stab me, but I straightened that out.

I only have eyes for one of Satan’s Angels.

I’d still love to be friends with the other two though.

He pauses and answers a moment later, exhaustion in his tone, “I’m sorry. I know it was wrong of me. I guess I was just a little jealous.”

Aria’s explanation of what happened when Nate pulled me aside to calm me down resurfaces. How Rogan made a comment about her rejecting him. “How come you never mentioned she rejected you?”

“Because I knew you liked her too.”

I feel my blood boiling, “I’ve been telling you for years how I feel about her and you still made a move on her at some function or event?”

Silence. Again. “Look-”

I cut him off, “No you , look. I don’t want to hear some half assed apology about how you’re sorry for treating my girl like shit.

I’m not gonna sit here and listen to you twist the narrative about how I’m the one in the wrong and it was totally okay that you asked her out knowing I have been in love with her for years . ”

“Slater, I’m sorry. I fucked up and I’m sorry. You’re my best friend and I haven’t been treating you like it. It won’t happen again.”

I think over his words, letting them sink in. On one hand, I want to rip him apart physically and verbally. On the other, he did just apologize and an apology from Rogan is the equivalent to finding a pig that can fly.

I have a sinking feeling in my gut that tells me I could possibly be making a huge mistake, but I sigh and mutter, “Fine. You’re forgiven. For now.”

“Thanks, Sly, I really-”

“If it happens again, you and I are done. I don’t give a shit about the band, you and I will never play another note together.” I make my stance very clear. I hang up a moment later, the highs of the anger not yet gone and I turn my phone off in case he decides to call me again.