❝It's impossible to be anxious while listening to reggae.❞ -rightbythebeach, reddit

◽︎◾︎◽︎

"Tinkerbell? No--I--it's you? Really?"

"I thought we... weren't talking."

"What do you think we're doing now?"

"Breathing?"

"Well, duh."

"So, why are you talking to me?"

"I missed the mangoes."

"..."

"Okay, you got me. It was because I couldn't stand not talking to you. Because I missed you like hell. Because the other people in my life just couldn't help me the same way you could."

"I thought you had a guy."

"Asking him to call you was the worst mistake I've made ever since we became friends. Well... second to ever dating him in the first place, I guess."

"Why did you do it?"

"I was selfish. I wanted to find out how you were doing, but I also thought it couldn't hurt to make you jealous. I thought you might try harder to talk to me if you knew there were other guys in my life. Dangling Kale in your face would help with that, I thought. But I was wrong. And I'm sorry."

"Then you don't know me, Aria. Other guys don't make me jealous; they just flat-out scare me away."

"I know that... now. I'm so sorry. For everything."

"Dang, that's a pretty expansive apology. You're gonna need a personal airline to hold that one."

"So, you forgive me?"

"The past is in the past. I missed you too much to stay mad at you. Does that settle it?"

"Aww, Tinkerbell--"

"Hey, I never did tell you my real name, did I?"

"Yes, you did. It's Tinkerbell."

"I mean my other name. I have multiple names. It gets me around easier."

"Hmm."

"That way I can show up in a place where no one knows me and introduce myself as Tinkerbell and no one would know otherwise. And then when weird girls who forget they're holding a phone accidentally call me, I can just tell them my name is Tinkerbell and balance the weirdness."

"Are you serious?"

"No, not at all. Do you even know me?"

"What is your real name then?"

"Let's do this formally. My real name is... drumroll, please..."

"Insert drumroll here."

"Oh that's lame; you sound like you're reading from a script."

"Your real name is..."

"... Bob Marley!"

"Why does that sound familiar for some reason?"

"Um--"

"Well, Bob, I'm Aria. Nice to meet you."

"What? Dude, you're supposed to respond; that's POLITE."

"That joke went right over your head, didn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I... Never mind."

"Seriously; what's the joke? Darn you, Bob! Humor me!"

"That's... just it. Jokes are never funny when you explain them. I'd be flattered if you keep calling me Bob Marley, though."

"Wait... so that isn't your name?"

"'That' was the joke."

"... Huh?"

"Wait... ohhh..."

"Three Little Birds? I Shot the Sheriff?"

"YOU SHOT THE SH--"

"It's a song, you gnarly idiot."

"Oh."

"And there's my personal favorite... Is This Love?"

"Oh--I--well--"

"Is this love, is this love, is this love, is this love that I'm feelin'? Is this love, is this love, is this love, is this love that I'm feelin'?"

"You're for real?"

"Whoa! Oh yes I know, yes I know, yes I know now; oh yes I know, yes I know, yes I know now--"

"Oh my gosh. I love you too!"

"I... Isn't that what we were doing? I thought you..."

"I was singing my favorite Bob Marley song, yes."

"And you're Bob Marley, so..."

"You're making me blush."

"Aww! Am I that embarrassing?"

"I just... I missed your voice."

"You did?"

"Yeah, I did, and keep talking, because it's giving me the most thrilling feeling I've ever experienced."

"Even better than surfing?"

"Uh... I'm ready... I think..."

"Here it is--I've never actually been surfing."

"... Wait, what?"

"Yeah, you can't believe it, can you?"

"No--it's not that--I just thought--"

"Thought I was about to tell you my real name?"

"No--I thought--"

"I love you."

"Wha--"

"About time I admitted it."

"..."

"Should I take this as a bad sign for the outcome of our relationship?"

"What's your real name?"

"I... I love you too, Nicholas."

◽︎◾︎◽︎

a/n: aaaaaahhhhhhh guys, it happened!! you have no idea how much fun i had writing the instant these two reconnected--just further proof they're soulmates! having kale intercept 90% of the dialogues for the past twenty chapters was starting to become a chore *sighs* but our two faves are backkk so it's okay to party now. i'll bring the mangoes!

tina

p.s. did you guys ever come up with a shipname for nicholas and aria? i'm curious to hear :)

p.p.s. guys PLEASE, plaster my book with your comments. i love reading them :)