Ari winced as I placed the icepack over his swelling eye. "I'm sorry, baby, but I have to," I told him, running my hand along his cheek.

Ari didn't say anything. I sighed as I put the icepack down and held his cheeks in my grasp. He tried to turn away but I turned his face to mine so our noses were just touching.

"It was an accident," I said, attempting to convince him for the twentieth time these past few hours. However, he still didn't say anything. I sighed and kissed his forehead. "I'll be right back."

I went into the bathroom- grabbing my make up bag as I passed- and inspected the bruise in the mirror. I poked it softly and winced the slightest bit.

It wasn't the worst thing I had suffered in the sense of physical pain but it was by far the worst if we were to talk about emotional pain. Ari didn't have control and I would never leave him because of anything remotely similar but between you and me, when it happened I so badly wanted to run home to Gazzy and cry as he held me in his comforting big brotherly grasp.

I winced as I applied some base make up such as foundation and blush and inspected my handiwork with the makeup brush. I smiled in satisfaction when I saw that the bruise was now barely visible.

I walked out and over to Ari where he was still sitting on the lounge looking very vulnerable.

"All gone," I whispered as I sat on his right leg. Normally his arm would instantly wrap around me but this time, whether because of the pain or the lack of self trust, he didn't. Not that I was expecting anything less.

I sighed, "Why cat's you just forgive yourself already?" I picked the icepack and placed it back over his eye. "It hasn't even been five hours yet I miss talking to you so much!"

"Time, Angel," Ari said. "I need more time. I don't know how long it will be, I just need time."

I nodded and leant down, giving him a quick peck on the lips. "I'll give you all the time you need," I said.

I looked at the clock on the living room wall to see I only had five minutes until my curfew. "But you have to take me home before I get grounded," I told him.

He nodded and wiggled his legs, signalling for me to get off as well as showing me a little of the normal Ari. I smiled as I stood up and waited for him to get the keys. When he returned we headed out the door and go into the car.

"What are you going to tell your dad?" I asked as I pulled my seatbelt on.

"I'm not going to tell him anything," He said straightforwardly. "When we first got here he told me straight out that if I started one fight here he'd..."

Ari mumbled the rest of the sentence which kind of annoyed me. "He'd what?" I asked

"He said that he'd send me back to live with mum," He repeated.

My eyes bugged out of my head as he said that and I shook my head as fast as I could. "No no no no no no no no no no no no NO!" I said, my voice getting louder with each word. "You can't go back to Phoenix, you can't leave me!"

"I'm not telling my dad," He assured me, his hand moving to cover mine where it sat on my lap. "If he doesn't find out, then I won't have to leave. It's as simple as that."

I nodded, smiling as I looked at his hand on mine. "Seems like it didn't take that long for the real Ari to come back anyway," I said in response. A smile graced his lips as he pulled into the drive.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow," He told me as I got out the car. I nodded and we exchanged 'I love you's before I shut the door and headed up the path to the front door that Gazzy was bound to be on the other side of.

I waved goodbye to Ari and opened the unlocked door. Sure enough, the first thing in my site was Gazzy. "Don't you have a life," I asked.

"I do," He answered simply. "Nudge left about an hour ago."

I nodded and looked around into the lounge room. "Mum and dad aren't there," He assured me. "They decided to extend their holiday. Still just you and me until Wednesday."

I smiled at him but he frowned. "How much makeup are you wearing?" He as his thumb grazed my cheek, wiping a thin layer of blush away. It must have been enough for him to see what lay hidden underneath.

"Angel," He said his voice rather cold. "Did he hit you?"

I shook my head speedily. "No... Yes... Maybe..." I answered. "It was an accident! He got into a fight with Rudy because he was trying to get in it with me. He didn't know what he was doing and accidently hit my backhanded across the face..."

Gazzy turned away and I could tell he must have been thinking some pretty unpleasant thoughts about my boyfriend.

"He feels horrible about it," I said, trying to clear Ari's name a little. "And I'm scared that he's going to have to leave now."

The last sentence caught my twin brother's attention. "Why would he leave?" Gazzy asked. "He loves you..."

"His dad said if he got into one more fight he'd have to go back to Phoenix and live with his mum but if he does then I'll lose him..."

Gazzy shook his head and hugged me tight. "You won't lose him. He'll call you every day, no matter what."

"And how on earth do you know that?" I asked defensively. "A minute ago you were ready to kill him for hurting me."

"The way I see it is that if he leaves now, it will hurt you more."

"Well you don't have to worry about that," A voice mumbled from the doorway. "Apparently I'm too much of a disgrace that I've been disowned."

"Ari?" I asked.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG! I haven't updated in ages and fro that I am very very very very very sorry! I've had stacks of schoolwork and stuff but this is my first night of holidays and I already have a chapter up so let's hope I'll get to finish this by the end of break.