It's x-mas break! that means...absolutely nothing lol. I have some free time so I will try to update as much as possible before I have to go back to the place known as hell I mean college in January.

P.S. screw it, I couldn't come up with a title for this chapter, I don't know why I name these things anyway lol.

"Hey man you've been a little distant since our chat earlier this morning, did I do something wrong?" Michael asked Paul as they came out of the meeting.

"Nope" paul said as he removed Michael's hand with a shrug of his shoulders and walked off leaving Michael standing there confused.

"Hey buddy" Michael said as he saw Shawn exiting the same meeting room.

"Yaaa?" Shawn said as he furrowed his brow. He never really liked Michael, thought he was a dumbass with a horrible sense of humor. And he also didn't like the fact that he always tried to kiss up to Paul when he was in town. To Shawn it felt like he had a personal agenda to ruin their friendship and put himself in Shawn's place.

"What's up with Paul?"

"What do you mean?" Shawn said looking down as he placed a pen in his shirt pocket before putting his attention back on Michael.

"I don't know, he's just been acting strange with me ever since our conversation this morning"

"Well I wasn't there, how would I know what triggered it?" Shawn said in an annoyed/sarcastic tone

"I was just wondering if he had mentioned anything to you about it"

"No, he hasn't" Shawn said looking him up and down "and if he did, it wouldn't be my place to tell you." Shawn said as he started to walk away but Michael placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Listen man, I'm just trying to get some information that's all, no hard feelings buddy"

"First of all" Shawn said removing Michael's hand from his shoulder "i'm not your buddy, okay? And secondly, like I said, I wasn't there, so if you want to know what's got him acting up, you go ask him." Shawn said as he turned around and headed for his own office.

"Damn, what's with all the cold shoulders?" Michael said as he stood in the middle of the hallway and watched Shawn walk away

"So, how do I look?" Stephanie said as she spun around

"You look fine" Aria said as she filed her fingernails

"You didn't even look!"

"How would you know?" Aria teased

"Fuck off" Stephanie said as she started laughing, later joined in by Aria.

"I don't see why you want to look so good for him anyway. I wouldn't get dressed up to go out with a cup of shit"

"Ugh" Steph said face palming herself, "must you always ruin our good moments?"

Just then Tyler walked into the bedroom. "Hey chickadees, how are my babes doing?"

"I'm fine, Aria's being an ass as usual"

"No shock there" Tyler said as he glanced over in Aria's direction and she flipped him off.

"How do I look Tyler?"

"You look good, I'm sure those shoes don't match that though"

"ARIA!" Stephanie yelled as she turned her body in Aria's direction.

"Just kidding" Tyler said as he and Aria began to laugh

"Very funny, making fun of the blind chick, I fucking hate you both" Stephanie said rolling her eyes

"Do you really think I would let you go out looking crazy? I might not like the piece of shit you're going out with, but I'm not going to let you leave the house looking like some"

"Oooh, date night with Mikey?" Tyler teased

"It's not a date" Stephanie said as she put on some perfume "it's simply two friends who used to date hanging out"

"So she says" Aria muttered

"I heard that"

"Bet you can't see what I'm doing though" Aria said as she stuck her tongue out at Stephanie

"FUCK OFF!" Stephanie said before she started laughing.

"Those are the same sort of jokes Michael does, how come they piss you off so much Aria?" Tyler asked

"Because his are not in good taste, when I do them you know I'm playing with Stephanie, when he does them it makes me cringe. It's almost as if he means what he says and they're not funny." She said folding her arms across her chest

"I don't have a problem with them" Stephanie said as she sat down

"that's because you're a fool in love and can't see past his ways…no pun intended of course"

"none taken jackass, and i'm not in love with him. I mean what we had was special.."

"was it?" Aria said cutting her off

"yes, to me at least, and now it's over. As far as i'm concerned we're just mending fences."

"you do know he probably doesn't see it that way" Aria said

"Why do you say that?" Stephanie said

"Though they put on a tough act, guys just don't up and get over girls as quickly as they would like us to think that they do."

"I agree with Aria, he probably has some strong feelings for you" Tyler said

"I wouldn't call them strong" Aria said rolling her eyes

"why did you guys break up in the first place anyway? I forgot"

"If memory serves me right he was always traveling and something about having 'temptations', basically saying he needed sex all the time and since he was so far away and couldn't get it from Steph they needed to break up so he could explore other options."

"You didn't have to put it like that Aria" Stephanie said softly

"well there was no other way to put it Steph, he basically wanted to fuck other women and just used distance as an excuse to get out of the relationship."

"Oh yeah, I remember now" Tyler said "he did say something about the physicality of it all was starting to get to him"

"Yet his father owns a private jet that he had no problem using when he came down to see you, but all of a sudden he couldn't 'make time' Aria said using air quotes with her fingers "yeah fucking right, more the reason not to like him. He's a class one asshole, cheater and liar."

"well, technically it's not cheating if he broke up with her" Tyler chipped in

"whatever, he would have anyway, plus I can see through bullshit like that from a mile a way. He just wanted to come off as a nice guy and didn't want to get a bad rep, and he also used it as a way that if he wanted her back, he could get her back and it obviously worked."

"Since you know so fucking much, where the hell is your man Aria?" Stephanie snapped as she stood up "maybe if you stopped trying to find the bad in people all the time you wouldn't be single and always complaining"

"first of all" Aria said as she stood up "lets get one thing straight, I don't need a man"

"yeah, okay" Stephanie said folding her arms over her chest

"I'm very independent and can do just fine all by myself, it's you who wants the love and support of someone 24 fucking 7"

"You ever thought that that was maybe because I just can't up and attract a man like you? that I can't find a man thats going to want to deal with someone who can't see them or the places they take her, someone who can't do certain activities or live a normal life Aria, ever thought about that huh? ever thought that maybe I attach to guys quickly because i'm just happy that one actually wants to spend time with me? maybe I get attached because I know I might never get another shot a love again so I just try to make the most of it?" Stephanie questioned

Aria was silent while Tyler looked on

"Maybe he saw something in me that I can't physically see in myself and that's why I was in love with him Aria, maybe that's why I had such a hard time letting go, maybe that's why I still want him apart of my life in some shape, form or fashion. But of course you can't see that and you're the one with the sight!" Stephanie said as she ended her rant, she hated doing this, her and Aria rarely if ever had fights. She hated yelling at Aria and she knew Aria felt the same about her. But sometimes Aria would just push her and she was sick of always being so dismissive about things.

"well," Aria finally said "I didn't know that was how you felt"

"because you never ask Aria, you never ask, you just automatically assume that whatever your opinion or your feelings is towards the matter is should be shared by me. You never let me have my own voice in my life, never!"

"I'm sorry" Aria said as she stood up "It won't happen again, you're free as you've always been to live your life, I won't interrupt" Aria said as she walked out the door.

"Aria" Stephanie called out as she tried to feel her way towards the door but Tyler grabbed her arm.

"Let her go, you both need some time to cool down."

"do you think she's pissed?"

"No, just hurt. We both know that even though she can be annoying as hell that she means for the best. I guess it was just hard hearing that from you when we both know all she wants to do is protect you."

"I know" Stephanie said softly "but i'm a grown woman, she has to let me live my life and make my own decisions, she can't always make them for me or force her opinion on me."

"I know, and i'm more than sure everything will work out, you two love one another and I'll be damned if I let the subject of a guy break you apart. You just go out and enjoy yourself and I'll be in my room if you need me, just call me when you're on your way back and i'll walk you up."

"thanks Ty" Steph said as she pulled her friend in for a hug

"No prob, If I don't see him, tell Michael hi for me"

"I will"

Tyler smiled and kissed Stephanie on the head before he walked out of the room.

"Wait, so let me get this straight, the blin…Stephanie" Shawn was quick to correct himself "is dating Michael Vore?"

"I wouldn't say dating, at least I hope she's not considering our little fling or whatever, but yeah, he's the guy she's going out with tonight"

"woah"

"tell me about it"

"so that explains all his questioning earlier today after the meeting"

"what did he ask?"

"just if I knew why you were acting funny with him or whatever"

"what did you say?"

"that I wasn't there during your conversation, therefore I didn't know and he should ask you instead"

"figures you'd say something like that"

"you know I don't like him"

"Yeah, I know"

"So, are you going to confront Stephanie about him?"

"there's nothing to confront her about, I mean that's her life and if she wants me to know then she'll let me. I mean it's not like we've made anything official"

"wait, didn't you tell me that she said something about not minding being 'taken' by you or whatever?"

"Yeah, but you know women, you can never tell if they mean it or if they're just in their feelings at the moment."

"Well I still think you should ask her"

"I might, just depends"

"on what?"

"how I feel and if i'll see her again"

"i'm sure you will"

"how are you so sure?"

"I'm sure you wouldn't gush as much as you do over a chick you didn't plan on seeing again"

"Damn it" Paul said as he got up and kicked a magazine across the room "I'm just so mad and I don't know why"

"Like I said, when you fall, you fall harder than an old white woman in an AARP commercial, and you've obviously fallen for her quicker than you thought you ever would for any girl"

"but that's the thing, she's not just 'any' girl, she's the girl. I mean everything just felt so right."

"look man, you gotta stop all this over-thinking shit that you're doing, you're probably stressing yourself out about nothing."

"I sure hope so, I think we could have become something special, that's why i'm angry. I hate the thought of losing out on someone so beautiful and so perfect."

"Well you know what you gotta do, get up and go get your girl"

"Aria"

Aria's head shot up and her eyes burned with flames as she heard her name called out by the familiar voice of the one she hated the most.

"How ya been? where's my girl?" Michael said as he tapped the front desk

"Listen here you insincere son of a bitch"

"Woah!" He said taking a small step back "still feisty as ever I see" he said smirking "where's my Stephy?"

"If it was up to me you wouldn't get within one inch of her asshole"

"Well now" he said leaning forward on the desk "it's not up to you, is it?", it took everything in her power not to knock him on his ass in front of everybody but that would not be good for business and they both knew it. He was playing his cards well, but he better not depend on his game too much, because at this point Aria gave no fucks.

"If you hurt her" she said through clenched teeth

"Now why would I do that?" he said in a nonchalant, almost teasing tone of voice and then ended it with a smirk. "I'm just simply her to hang out with a friend and reclaim what is rightfully mine"

"She's not a fucking toy, she's not something you can pick up and play with one minute then ditch her the next and then decide she was fun and come back to her"

"wow" he said clapping his hand slowly "Great analogy, that was beautiful, really"

"suck my dick"

"always thought you had one"

"are you mad because mine is bigger?" Aria shot back as she raised her brow

At that he snarled.

"Michael! my main man!" Tyler said as he walked towards the receptionist desk

"Ty-dogg!" Michael said as he hugged him. "How ya been?"

"Great man, how about yourself?"

"Good…until I got here" he said looking over at Aria

"take a picture, it'll last longer"

"Why would I want to break my camera?" Michael sighed and rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to Tyler. "You're still working here man?"

"Yeah, the pay is great, plus I get to live in this fancy shit thanks to home girl over there" he said nodding his head in Aria's direction.

Michael scoffed. "I can get you a job making some real money, and you won't have to depend on your friends for living"

"I don't depend on anyone, but we've been friend's since kindergarten, her father felt it was only right that I lived here since we're pretty much family. That, and i've been promoted since you last saw me, I make some big moves for this place, I choose to work the front deskevery now and then because I truly enjoy meeting new people, and it takes me away from the craziness that is a 'real job'" he said using air quotes

"Well that's good to hear, but the offer still stands"

"then take it and shove it up your ass" Aria said as she flipped through the pages of her magazine

"Whatever" Michael said "so, where's my girl?"

"She's…" Tyler started to say

"right here" Stephanie said as she appeared from behind Michael

"Stephanie" Michael said as he turned around and hugged her "how are you, baby girl you look amazing!" he said smiling

Aria briefly looked up before rolling her eyes and turning her attention back to the magazine

"but you always have of course" Michael said as he rubbed her chin with his thumb.

Stephanie blushed. "Thank you, you smell really good"

"It's your favorite, ever since you told me that a while back I've been obsessed with this stuff"

"It suits you and yes, yes it is my favorite"

"You know what my favorite fragrance is?" Aria asked

"You actually bathed and spray on perfumes?" Michael asked to which Stephanie chuckled a little.

"Ya momma" Aria said as she rolled her eyes "But do you?"

"No Aria, I don't" Stephanie said softly

"It's this beautiful fragrance, it's sweet and gentle to the touch, it treats a lady just right, makes her feel alive and wonderful, yet gets turned away for the likes of this" she said gesturing towards Michael. "It's a beautiful fragrance, it really is" she said walking from behind the desk.

"Oh yeah? where can I get it?" he asked as he leaned against the front desk again

"Oh, you could never get it honey"

"Hmm, I can have anything I want, what is it called?" Michael asked.

"A better man, by Paul" she said as she brushed past Michael and Stephanie

Tyler was quiet, he knew exactly what Aria meant by that but decided not to get involved.

"what is she talking about?" Michael questioned

"Who knows?" Stephanie lied. She felt bad all of a sudden for going out on a date with Michael when she knew Paul wanted to be here with her instead. "Let's just go" she said shaking it off

"your chariot awaits" Michael said with a smile as he looped his arm through hers and they walked out of the gold revolving doors.

Leave Reviews! i'm currently working on Love After War as we speak. Hopefully it'll be update tomorrow or Friday. :)