Chapter 8
was really to blame for this one. I felt like a real witch when Nicky
phoned me the next Saturday night, saying that Kate had said no when he
asked her to go out with him. It immediately put me in a depressed state of
mind and I was feeling horribly guilty when there was a knock on my door.
"Go away." I said, trying to wipe away my tears with my top. "Ari?" A
voice said, hesitantly. It was Rowen.
I got up reluctantly and opened the door. He took one look at my face and
wrapped his arms around me. "I'm such a stupid idiot, Rowen." I said,
burying my face in his chest. Wow, did he smell good…. "Hey, no one calls
my girlfriend a stupid idiot." He said, in a scolding tone. He laid a kiss
on my hair. "It wasn't your fault, Ari, she just said no, it's not the end
of the world."
"But Nicky's really upset now, he's been hurt twice. And even I've let
him down." I said, refusing to be reasonable. Rowen made a 'tsk, tsk'
noise. "Ariana…. Come on, you know it isn't your fault. Tell you what,
there are other ways to get me to baby you. If you would just tell me, I'd
do it gladly…." He said, lifting my chin up. His eyes were twinkling
mischievously. I had to laugh. "Have I ever told you that you make
the sun shine for me?" He asked me, sitting me down on his lap. I smiled
through my tears. "No." I said. "Well you do. When it's raining, I think of
you, and I suddenly see the sun, peeking from some corner." He said, laying
a kiss on my neck. "You are such a smooth talker." I told him, returning
the kiss. "Ah well, it's just one of my many hidden talents…" He said,
cheekily, holding me close. God, how did he always manage to make me smile?
Later that night, Mark came over. He was carrying two bunches of flowers.
I guessed one was for my mother, and the other for me. "Hi, Mrs. Wickey."
He said, handing her the bunch of daisies in his hand. "Hello, Mark. Are
you going to stay for dinner, I've made a roast lamb." Amma asked him,
accepting the flowers with a smile. "Roast lamb? God, do you expect I'll
say no to your roast lamb?" He said, grinning. Amma smiled. "I'll take that
as a yes." She said.
I smiled at him from the top of the stairs. "Thanks for the flowers." I
called as he came up. "Who said they were for you?" He asked me with a
smile. I cocked my eyebrow. "Who else in this household do you bring peach
roses to?" I asked him. "You remember that very pretty 13 year old in this
household called Anika? Well, these are for her." Mark said, laughing. I
had to smile. Anika was going to have a heart attack. Rowen and I watched
Mark knock on her door.
She had Westlife blaring on her radio. "Who is it?" She yelled. "It's me,
Anika." Mark called. The music immediately stopped, and the door opened.
She poked her head out. "Mark?" She asked, her eyes as big as saucers.
He smiled. "Hey. Here, these are for you." He said, handing the flowers
to her. She took them, slowly. "Thanks." She said, the smile on her face
reaching from one ear to the other. "You're welcome. I was wondering,
there's going to be a Westlife concert on the 29th of June at Dublin Point,
and I need a date, so would you like to come with me?" He asked.
I smiled. Mark had already invited us to the concert; Seemingly it was a
very big show. It was the last one of their Summer tour. It was so sweet of
him to do this. Anika's eyes were nearly popping out of her head.
"You….. want…. me…. to be your date for the last show of your summer
tour?" She asked, incredulously. He nodded. "Oh my God…. I mean…. I'd love
to!" She exclaimed. Mark smiled. "Great! And you can bring a few friends
along, if you want to." He said. Anika nodded, wordlessly. "I'll see you
downstairs at dinner, then." He said, laying a small kiss on her cheek. He
turned to us with a smile, and followed us into my room.
"That was by far the nicest thing you have done for someone, mate." Rowen
said, shaking his head. I nodded. "You were far too sweet, Mark! Thank you!
She's going to be so happy now. She won't stop talking about this till the
show!" I said, laughing. Mark smiled. "Hey, it's the least I could do.
Anyway, I wasn't hear for her birthday this year, so I wanted to do
something for her. And it's not a very big sacrifice, she's gorgeous, which
guy wouldn't like to go out with her?" Mark asked with a broad smile. "Tell
me about that one." Rowen said, rolling his eyes, meaningfully.
"Hey!" I said, hitting him on the head with a pillow. "Owww! That's not
what I meant…" He protested, rubbing his head. "She's still a baby. Mind
you keep your hands off her… And on me…." I added, slyly.
"Ooooooooooohhhhh, you're a meeeeeeeeaaaaaan one, Ari…." Mark said,
laughing. Rowen grabbed me for a quick kiss. "That's what makes her so
irresistible. It's part of her charm." He said, nuzzling my neck.
"God, you kids can't keep your hands off each other, can you?" Mark
asked, shaking his head unbelievingly. We looked at each other and burst
out laughing. "Nope!" We said in unison. "Tell me you haven't done anything
you'd regret." Mark said, warningly. We shared mischievous smiles.
"Nooooooo……. Not yet, anyway!" I said, giggling.