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Ariels POV

Raphie remains distant throughout the entire shopping experience, which the boys quickly realized I hated but Ana never seemed to clue in. In fact, the boys are all distant as Ana pulls me this way and that.

It's Victoria's Secret that I finally pull away from her.

"Yeah, Aerie is right over there. So bye." I walk into my preferred store. Victoria's Secret is too flashy for me, Aerie is a hell of a lot nicer.

It's a moment before I realize Ana has joined me.

Liam and Raphael surprisingly come in, leaving Justin and Parker bickering outside about whether to go in or not. I snicker as I watch before turning to find myself something I like. Not Ana. Despite hating shopping, I did need some new undergarments.

Raphie ends up having to help me because I can't reach the higher racks. I may not have got mom's looks, but I got her height. He pays in the end, like everything else. I don't pay for anything, not that I brought my money because I wasn't going to get anything. But Ana made me and then Raphie paid.

Ana wants to go into another store after, but I'm done. Very done.

"I'm hungry." I state, Ana takes my arm and starts to pull but I don't budge. "I'm hungry." I say again.

"Yeah, I know. Cmon." She says.

"Where are we going?" I narrow my eyes.

"One last store?"

I pry her hand off me and drop it like its a disease. I turn my back to her and walk to one of the nearby benches.

"Go. I'm waiting here." I say, waving my hand and pulling out my phone. When no one moves, I glance up. "Well? I'm starving. If we aren't going to get food yet, I'm waiting here until we are."

Ana looks shocked and almost hurt. "You don't like shopping?"

"Did you finally realized? Congratulations, you deserve an award." I say dryly, clapping my hands slowly.

Ana sighs. "Okay, we can go eat."

I smile and jump up. "Let's go!"

We drive to a bar restaurant type place and head inside. It's full of life, people crowded around one screen watching a game for football I think. We take our seats and look through the menus.

Parker and Justin argue about what to get, which I find cute and funny. Every time someone seems to ask about them or give them a weird look and Parker notices, he blushes and looks away. He seems so embarrassed about it.

"So, what can I get you couples today?" A waitress comes out, looking our age.

We order drinks and food considering the boys had finally chosen. She walks away and we're forced to wait, the absolute worst part of anything.

"So... Wanna tell us about yourself?" Ana asks and I look over.

"I'm an extremely boring person with no life." I reply before looking away. The table is one of the ones with a brown paper table cloth. I smile, I remember loving these, I'd always draw on them, not that I was any good at drawing.

"I doubt that." Ana snorts.

"Correction," Parker adds. "You're a very rude person with no life."

"Thanks." I roll my eyes.

"Welcome." He smiles.

"I don't think so," Ana says. "You seem like a very nice person."

I laugh. "Oh darling, are you sure you've paid attention to me?"

"Just because someone says you have a rude exterior doesn't mean you have rude intentions." Ana states.

"Too much thinking for my brain, no thanks." I say quickly, confused with her words at first. I don't want to take the time to make sense of them.

The food comes pretty quickly and the small talk of our table dies down as we dig in. I finish my food before the others considering I'm starving. After a while of still being hungry, I eat off Raphie's plate. He lets me, but doesn't say anything about it. Typical.

Justin and Parker for once aren't fighting over the food. Well, fighting isn't the right word. It's like they have a full blown heated debate over everything. It's suits Parker with his childishness. I think Justin is the responsible one in this relationship.

Ana talks to Liam and he says little in reply. Meanwhile, I'm still taking from Raphie's huge meal. It's really yummy.

"You eat a lot." Ana states after a while. "Like... A lot."

"I like to think I have a mans stomach." I reply, shoving a forkful of food into my mouth.

Ana raises an eyebrow and I smile a little in return. "And a child's brain." She snorts.

"And a woman's heart." I conclude.

"I like you." Ana giggles.

"Huh, I thought you hated me since I ruined your shopping session." I reply honestly. I mean, she didn't seem happy with me, so it was a safe assumption.

"The boys weren't enjoying themselves either. It's alright, I have other friends I can shop with." She shrugs.

Other friends. Woah, since when were we friends? I never said that we were. She's jumping to that conclusion already? I've hardly known her! People get attached too quickly.

When Raphie and I have finished his plate, the others are already done. Raphael pays the bill and we leave the restaurant, finally to go home.

The mid-afternoon sun left the car hot and muggy. It's suffocating to sit in there and I don't like rolling the windows down. I watch as the world passes by, Raphie's sleek car gliding on the road. We sit in silence and when we get home, we walk in sharing the same silence. It's not necessarily uncomfortable... But it isn't a nice silence either. Like we both want to speak but don't know how.

The house is cool and I relax, sitting in the living room. I listen to Raphie, walking upstairs. Me, being curious, decide to follow. I run up after him and follow him into his office.

"You spend your free time working?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Well," he shrugs. "Most of it."

"You don't have any hobbies?"

"I didn't have time for hobbies growing up." He explains softly.

"Well... Well now you do." I decide. "We're going to find something you like. Okay?"

Raphael's gaze flickers over me. His brown eyes pierce through me. It's like he can really see me if he looks, like he can see my thoughts and hopes and fears just by looking.

"Where do we start?" He finally says, though his eyes stay on me.

"What did you like to do before getting thrown into the alpha business?" This is a good place to start. Maybe he'll still enjoy the same things as his child self did.

"I liked sports?" He says slowly, sounding almost unsure. "And... I think I quite enjoyed reading."

"Well, there's a start. Let's find you a good book!"

***

We spend a good while in the library in the city looking for a book for Raphie. It was fun, surprisingly.

Raphael spoke more, and I so did I. Even if it was about books, he never talked to me so much. I don't understand why he distanced himself from me, but I guess I returned the favour sometimes. It's only fair.

When we finally get him a novel, it's time for dinner, in fact, I'm starving. Well, then again, I'm always hungry it seems like. I'm surprised when Raphael goes ahead and makes dinner, I wasn't even aware he could cook.

It's only after a while I realize he's making Kraft Dinner.

"Um... Raphie... You're making KD?"

"I'm sorry," he mumbles. "I don't know how to make anything else."

"Well, thanks for making something." I smile at his effort. It's sweet of him, considering he could've asked someone else in the pack or even me.

I guess he isn't so bad... Then again, Raphael is a strange man. I think he's bipolar, one day he's like this, the other day he's like that. It's frustrating. Some mornings during our shower talk, he will hardly speak. Only saying a few words.

I sigh and go sit down in the dining room. Raphie comes in soon with two bowls of KD. I smile a little and we eat together quietly.

That night we once again go our separate ways to separate beds. Though, one thing changed. Half way through the night, I make my way over to Raphie's room and he's awake for me once again. I crawl into bed with him and my nightmares don't come back.