if arianna_kiss:
        $ wait(cover_story)

        stop music
        # KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

        "...well, so much for working tonight. I already know who that is before I open the door, and let her into my tiny apartment."

        show john suit normal
        show arianna casual2 worried with dissolve

        play music COOL_AND_HEAVY

        ar "Hey, Mr. Rook... I'm sorry, you don't mind if I come in, do you?"

        "Yes, yes, yes, I definitely mind. This is entirely too much!"

        "But... what, am I going to turn her away? She doesn't look like she's okay. I don't think it would be good for {i}her{/i} if I turned her away just because I was uncomfortable."

        "I glance back at my bed, desperately trying to not let my imagination go where it obviously wants to."

        "I have to focus here. Just because there's a girl in my apartment doesn't mean I have to fuck her. It doesn't mean I {i}want{/i} to. She probably just wants some company. I can do that."

        show john suit uncomfortable
        j "Sure... come in."

        "But while I'm reminding myself to keep it in my pants, another thought comes to mind, a far worse one."

        j "Do your parents know where you are?"

        show arianna casual2 surprised
        ar "What? No! No, lol, not at all, of course not! I know we have to be discreet, I would never do anything to jeopardize your job. I'm good at keeping secrets."

        ar "I told my parents I was at Taylor's. That's what I always do when I go out late, and it's fine, she'll cover for me if need be."

        j "I'm sorry. Of course, I trust you completely."

        "That's a lie."

        show arianna casual2 wince
        ar "Really. Really, really, really, trust me. I would never tell. No matter what happens, I'll never talk about it if you don't want me to. No matter what."

        show arianna casual2 worried
        j "Okay. I believe you. Really."

        j "I just wasn't really expecting company..."

        ar "Sorry. It's not a bad time for you, is it? It's just that... I feel so lonely, I just desperately need to be with someone."

        ar "I didn't think it would be so hard with Isabella gone, but..."

        "They were best friends, weren't they? This must be hitting her really badly. I reach out and hug her tiny, fragile little self tightly."

        j "I'm so sorry, Arianna. Of course, stay around as long as you want. I'll definitely be here for you."

        ar "Thank you, Mr. Rook."

        show john suit awkward smile
        "I let go of her, and smile, a little uncomfortably."

        j "Please. Call me John."

        "It's just... a little unsettling for her to call me \"Mr. Rook\" in such an intimate setting. Like I need yet another reminder of the power disparity here."

        show arianna casual2 surprised
        ar "Oh! Of course, John. And you can call me Airy, if you want."

        show arianna casual2 worried
        j "Okay."

        "There's a long silence."

        j "It's just not the same without her around, is it?"

        ar "No! It's just... I could always talk to her, you know? Now I'm so lonely. I mean, I have friends, but... well... they're not her."

        j "It must have been a big surprise."

        "She pauses for far too long."

        ar "...no, not really."

        j "Oh... I'm sorry."

        j "Well..."

        ar "It's just... I was just thinking, since I don't have any homework, tonight would be great for just hanging out with Isabella, watching TV, but... but we can't."

        show arianna casual2 sad
        ar "I know it's not the end of the world just because she's gone, but... I just really miss her. She's a great friend, and... I miss her so much."

        "I hug her again, and kiss her gently on the forehead. Small comfort. I can't even imagine what it's like for her."

        j "I'm so sorry. I wish I knew what to say."

        ar "Well... if it's alright with you... could I just hang around with you for the evening?"

        "I realize I should completely abandon any hope of getting any work done at all tonight."

        "What am I going to do, say no to her? How awful would it be if I wasn't here for her?"

        show arianna casual2 worried
        j "Why don't you have a seat, then? What do you want to do... you said you just wanted to watch TV?"

        "She sits down right on the edge of my bed, dangling her legs, looking back up at me."

        show arianna casual2 awkward smile
        ar "Sure! You choose, it doesn't really matter what."

        j "Okay..."

        scene bg ariannabed with dissolve

        "We both sit on the edge of my bed, watching nothing really particularly interesting; really, just an excuse to do absolutely nothing."

        "I try to focus my mind on innocent thoughts despite the unfortunate seating. I'm not going to have sex with her, I tell myself, even as she sits right against me, clinging to my arm."

        "I stroke her hair as she weakly holds onto me. Eventually, she seems to calm down, at least."

        "We're not going to do anything improper, I tell myself, even as I let her give me love bites during the commercial breaks. Her mouth is soft, and warm, and it'd be so easy to just let go..."

        "...to just ignore myself in a fit of passion, and take her, right now. Every time she sucks on my neck just a little too hard, I groan a bit, and I tell myself I won't."

        "I won't do anything to her, I tell myself, even as I help her sit on my lap. Even when she giggles at my arousal, clearly amused by my interest, I tell myself I won't."

        "All I do is kiss her ear, and rub her shoulders; she moans softly, expressing her pleasure. And I know she can feel my dick pressing into her thigh, expressing mine."

        "But that's all. All I do is let the kid know that she's not alone, that I'm here for her."

        "In the end, I give her a goodbye kiss, and she leaves to return home before midnight."

        scene bg black with dissolve

        "With a smile on her face."

        $ date = "Wednesday, November 17, 2027"
        $ spill_it = Conversation(taylor, arianna)
        $ spill_it.send(taylor, "Okay, so spill it, how did it go? Did you end up staying the whole night?")
        $ spill_it.send(arianna, "No, no... I ended up home before midnight, actually. Nothing really happened, I just sat on his lap — I mean, actually sat on his lap, not in the dirty way — and we watched TV together. It was really sweet, though! He definitely made me feel a lot better about things.")
        $ spill_it.send(taylor, "Wtf, seriously? You went to visit your hot boyfriend because you were feeling lonely, and you didn't stay the night?\n\nNothing happened? Are you telling me that you didn't even suck his cock or {i}anything{/i}? Isn't that the whole point of that kind of visit? What was I even covering for?!")

# WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2027