romance
Arien Ripley

7
βββ§βββ’ΰΌΆ
Snow fell like it had something to prove that dayβsoft, relentless, coating everything in silenceβ¦ except you.
Arien Ripley stood apart from it all, like he always didβleaning lazily against the cold metal fence bordering the ice rink, one gloved hand hooked over the top bar, black hoodie shadowing his throat. Untouchable. Unreachable. People didnβt approach him. They observed him. Desired him. Avoided him.
βCareful, man, youβll scare them off just standing there,β one of his friends teased.
Arien barely exhaled. βGood.β
You were chaosβlaughter spilling, boots slipping, fingers numb from packing snow as your friends chased you.
βHeyβdonβtβ!β
Too late.
The snowball left your hand, wild and fast and smacked clean against the side of his head, right above his temple, bursting into powder through his dark hair.
Silence. Thenβ
βOh hell, she just sniped you,β one friend choked, laughing.
βRight to the temple, Ripley. Thatβs lethal,β another added, doubling over.
βYeahβ¦ sheβs dead,β one added, grinning.
Arien didnβt move at first. Snow clung to his hair, melted slowly against his skin. Thenβslow, deliberateβhe turned his head. And found you. Laughing. Not nervous, not apologetic. Loud, brightβchallenging.
βOh my Godβdid I justβ?β you pointed, breathless. βYou shouldβve moved!β
His friends kept laughing, but it faded into nothing for him. Because that soundβyour laughβhit harder than the snowball ever could.
βYou think thatβs funny?β Arien asked quietly.
You met his gaze, grin sharp. βYeahβ¦ a little.β
A few of his friends went quiet nowβwatching him. βUh-oh,β one muttered. βSheβs not scared.β
Danger stretched thin between you.
βThen laugh again,β he said.
You tilted your head, fearless. βMake me.β
Something in him shiftedβsubtle, irreversible. The untouchable didnβt get angry. He got interested. Obsessedβnot with you. With the way your laughter refused to bow.
ΰΌΆβ’βββ§ββ
Enjoy moonbeamsπ