5. The argument

Aria

It’s all bullshit.

Every single word that comes out of Theo’s mouth is absolute, infuriating bullshit.

Five minutes ago, we were actually talking. Really talking. Not the awkward sympathy conversations everyone in town keeps trying to have with me. Not the careful, tiptoeing exchanges people use when they’re afraid you might break.

It was normal.

And for one stupid, fragile moment, I thought…

I don’t even know what I thought.

Maybe Liam’s world wasn’t completely closed to me.

Maybe someone in this strange, secretive group actually saw me as more than just Liam’s unwanted sister.

Then Theo flipped the asshole switch.

I curl my fingers to deny myself the growing need to pull his stupid manbun out of his hair.

You have to leave.

The words echo in my head like a slap.

Now I’m staring at him across the small motel room, anger building in my chest like pressure in a shaken bottle.

“Excuse me?” I say.

Theo doesn’t move from where he’s leaning against the wall. Arms crossed. Expression carefully neutral.

“You heard me.”

My jaw tightens.

“Oh, I heard you,” I say sharply. “I just thought maybe I misunderstood.”

“You didn’t.”

The calm in his voice only makes me angrier.

Because he’s not yelling.

Masking his cruelty in a reasonable facade. Like he’s doing me some sort of favor by telling me what I should do in a situation like this.

His dark eyes hold mine. Stoney, unmovable.

And somehow that makes it worse.

“You can’t stay here, Aria,” he continues.

“Oh really?” I cross my arms, mirroring his posture. “And why exactly is that?”

He hesitates.

“Because you have a life, back in the city, and Liam has his. Everyone was doing just fine that way.”

I let out a sharp laugh.

“Right. Of course.”

He frowns slightly.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

I take a step closer, heat rising in my chest.

“You guys show up out of nowhere, act like you’re part of some secret club, interrogate me about how long I'm going to stay in my hometown, and now you’re telling me that what, my brother is better off without me?”

His jaw tightens.

“You’re not listening.”

“No,” I snap. “You’re not explaining.”

Silence stretches between us.

Theo sighs.

“Aria… you and Liam—”

He stops himself.

But it’s too late.

“What about Liam and me?” I demand.

His eyes harden.

“Your lives don’t fit together anymore, and it will only hurt you to pretend that it does. Some people…” he swallows and his adams apple bobs. “Some people are better to love from a distance.”

The words land like a punch to the gut.

For a second, I can’t breathe.

My voice comes out quieter than I expect. “That’s… a really shitty thing to say.”

Theo looks away for a moment.

Then back at me.

“It’s the truth.”

Anger explodes through me. “The truth?” I laugh bitterly. “You want to talk about truth?”

He doesn’t answer.

“Fine,” I continue, my voice rising. “Here’s a truth for you. The only reason Liam and I don’t ‘fit’ anymore is because of you and your psychopathic boys only cub. I dont know what you did to my brother, but one day he's going to wake up from your brainwashing and realize that he threw away his family for…”

Theo’s brow furrows.

“What?”

“You,” I repeat. “You and your weird little group.”

His expression darkens.

“That’s not—”

“I don’t care,” I cut in.

His eyes flash.

“We didn’t do anything to Liam.”

“Oh, please. Say it for someone who hasn’t lived my life.”

Theo shakes his head.

“This isnt meant to hurt you. Maybe one day you'll look back and see that, but right now your feelings dont matter. Only the truth.”

“Oh, I would love to hear what it is,” I snap. “If someone would actually tell it to me.”

He steps forward now, towering over me.

I notice just how small I am compared to him.

“We’re different, Aria.”

The words are quiet.

Serious.

“And that difference means your life and Liam’s life were never going to stay on the same path.”

I stare at him. Does he even hear himself when he speaks?

“You’re unbelievable.”

“You already have a life in the city,” he continues. “A good one. You should go back to it.”

My stomach twists.

“So you can all move on?” I ask coldly.

He doesn’t answer.

Which is answer enough.

My voice comes out sharp.

“Wow.”

The door opens behind us.

Liam walks back into the room.

His eyes flick between us immediately.

“What’s going on?”

I point at Theo.

“Your friend is an asshole.”

Theo exhales slowly.

Liam rubs the back of his neck.

“Aria—”

“No,” I cut him off. “You don’t get to smooth this over.”

The room feels suddenly too small.

Too full of things nobody will say.

Liam looks at Theo.

Then back at me.

“Ronan wants us to head out,” he says quietly. “We’re leaving.”

I let out a hollow laugh.

“Great.”

Silence stretches.

Then Liam says softly,

“Theo is just trying to look out for you.”

My anger spikes again.

“Look out for me?” I repeat. “By telling me I don’t belong in my own brother’s life?”

“That’s not what he said.”

“It’s exactly what he said.”

Liam sighs.

“You’re twisting his words.”

“No,” I say firmly. “I’m hearing them.”

My chest feels tight. The truth I’ve danced around shining in my face like cops flashing in the window of two randy teens in the back of a car at midnight.

“Is this it?” I ask suddenly.

Liam freezes.

“What?”

I swallow.

“Monday,” I say quietly. “After the lawyer meeting.”

His silence tells me everything.

But I push anyway.

“Is that the last day I’m supposed to expect to see you?”

Liam looks like I just stabbed him.

“Aria…”

He doesn’t answer.

That’s worse than if he had.

My throat burns.

He opens his mouth.

“I was going to—”

“Don’t,” I snap.

He pauses.

“I was going to explain—”

“I said don’t.”

Anger and hurt mix until I can’t tell them apart.

“Just leave.”

“Aria—”

“Leave!”

He takes a step toward me.

“Listen—”

“Get out! GET OUT!” The words tear out of my throat.

Liam stops.

The room goes completely silent.

For a moment, he just looks at me.

Then he nods slowly.

Theo watches me carefully.

Like I might break.

Maybe I already did.

They walk out.

The door clicks shut.

The quiet crashes down on me like a wave.

My chest tightens.

My heart feels like it’s splintering into tiny pieces.

I stare at the door for a long moment.

Then I grab my phone and send a quick text.

Me: Everything’s fine. I’ll call later.

Hazel replies almost instantly.

Hazy: You sure?

I type back.

Me: Yeah. Just need some air.

I shove the phone into my pocket.

“It’ll be fine,” I mutter to myself.

It has to be.

I grab my jacket and head outside.

The cool air hits my face as I step into the parking lot.

My old vintage buggy waits near the curb.

The car is older than I am, technically.

A beat-up little thing with chipped paint and a stubborn engine that only starts when it feels like cooperating.

I slide into the driver’s seat.

“Come on, girl,” I mutter.

The engine coughs.

Then roars to life.

“Good enough.”

I pull out of the lot and drive into town.

I don’t know where I’m going.

I just know I need to get away from that motel.

From Liam.

From Theo.

From all the things nobody will explain to me.

Eventually, I turn down the road leading to the thrift store on the edge of town.

The place hasn’t changed in years.

Same faded sign.

Same crooked parking lot.

If there’s one thing that has always calmed me down, it’s thrifting.

Treasure hunting.

Finding forgotten things and imagining what they could become.

I push open the door.

The bell above it jingles.

The smell of old books and fabric wraps around me like a familiar hug.

I wander slowly through the aisles.

Vintage lamps.

Stacks of records.

Random kitchenware.

My mind drifts as I browse.

Back to my old dreams.

I always wanted to be a sculptor.

To create something with my hands.

But life had other plans.

Graphic design paid the bills.

Still…

That doesn’t mean I can’t make things for myself.

I turn a corner and spot something on a shelf.

A stained-glass tea set.

It’s delicate.

Colorful.

Completely impractical.

But the moment I pick it up, something sparks in my mind.

My chest warms.

My heartbeat speeds up.

Images flash through my head.

Flames.

Blue.

Purple.

Red.

Orange.

Like fire dancing through glass.

I imagine my hands shaping it.

Infusing color.

Bringing the flames to life.

But where would that energy come from?

What would fuel it?

“Didn’t take you for an afternoon tea kind of girl.”

The deep masculine voice makes me jump.

The glass nearly slips from my hands—

But a hand shoots out and catches it.

Fast.

Too fast.

I blink up at the man standing beside me.

“Right,” I say, clearing my throat. “Thank you.”

I take the teacup back.

And then I actually look at him.

Hazel eyes.

Bronze skin.

Wavy dark hair that brushes his collar.

A rugged beard frames a crooked smile.

Oh. Well. That’s… distracting.

And suddenly, flirting feels like the perfect escape.

“And I’ll have you know,” I say, lifting my chin playfully, “that I am a connoisseur of tea.”

He folds his arms. “Oh, really? What type of tea?”

“Oh, you know… black and green and all kinds of…” I pause. “…fruity leaves.”

There’s a beat of silence.

Then we both burst out laughing.

“Okay,” I admit. “You got me.”

He chuckles. “I thought so.”

“I’m not a tea girl,” I say. “But I am a tea cup girl.”

He tilts his head. “For collection or…?”

I grin.“Or is more like it.”

He extends a hand. Fingers glinting with silver rings, “Ransom.”

I shake it. “Aria.”

He studies me for a moment. Then asks casually. “Can I take you out for a quick meal?”

I think about the motel.

About Liam.

About Theo.

About the ache still sitting in my chest.

And I smile.“Yeah. “I’d like that.”