Aria pinched Rian's cheeks which were red in embarrassment, "You look soo pretty."

Rian snorted and flung her hands.

​​

He realized when Aria gets near him or even pinches his cheek, he doesn't feel anything but he still couldn't understand why his eyes were scanning Roxy's face when she had pinned him.

Eva and Noah teased him nonstop leaving Aria rolling holding her stomach. Aria never thought she could get a chance to see flushing Rian one day.

"Beauty, If I'm a little devil for beating you, will you call Sweetheart to Roxy Stephen for forcing a kiss on you? You wanted a sweet little girl but got a tough little one."

"Little devil, I don't think you want me to tell about you and Bro to these two. Do you?" He threatened for teasing.

Aria zipped her lips and ran away seeing Noah and Eva turned to her.

Eva chased after Aria to make her spill the beans when Noah got time for the boy talk.

"If she likes you, why did she take Arrie's name?"

Rian shook his head unsurely and sat down leisurely. "I can't let anybody else play me to hurt Little devil again."

Expect Noah, nobody knew how much Rian detested himself for doubting Aria due to Mian Walker. Noah patted his back, "Don't weigh everyone the same. She must be thinking Arrie is close to you and can tell about you. Talk to her if possible."

Rian didn't respond and saw Aria laughing while Eva tickled her endlessly.

Noah saw his line of sight and smiled. "Do you remember how Aria had kicked a senior boy when he had snatched your chocolate?"

Rian chuckled as he nodded.

--

Even though Aria and Rian always fought in the class and whenever they were meeting, Aria who was a chubby fluffy girl around nine years saw Rian crying when his favorite chocolate was taken by another class boy.

Seeing him, Aria had stood on the desk and kicked that boy on the ground before beating him with lunch bag and took the chocolate back for Rian.

Rian had stopped crying and was scared of Aria who was taller and fatter than him.

He was moving away from her but Aria handed him chocolate and announced, "Make my Little beauty cry, I will... sit on you guys and make you cry." She threatened dumbly.

She was chubby than anyone in their class and all got scared and nobody ever bullied him again in junior school.

From the next day, Rian started to bring two chocolates daily and give one to Aria, "Golly molly, Eat more." He wanted to make her even fat so that nobody dares to go near him.

Aria had beaten him too for calling her fat but she never let anybody else make him sad or cry.

--

Noah wasn't that close to Aria at that time. It was probably after a year,

--

When Noah saw Aria crying getting bullied for not having mother and sibling, he had stood by her.

"Who said Arrie doesn't have a sibling? I'm her brother from... today."

Eva who used to sit next to Aria in class also spoke for her, "And I'm her sister."

Aria had stopped crying and faced them, "Noah, you are little than me. That means I have to protect you."

A few who were bullying Aria didn't know what to do looking at them and had left.

Noah didn't know how to respond to it.

Aria had patted on his shoulder wiping her chubby cheeks, "Dad told me elders have to protect younger ones, so I'll protect you."

Noah had scratched his head without understanding whether his parents taught him wrong or Aria's father taught her wrong.

His parents had told him boys should always protect girls. Her father had told her, elders should always protect younger ones.

Eva who knew her birthday was before Aria's birthday had gingerly said, "Then I have to protect you two."

--

Once they entered teenage, their roles reversed by their physical strength still they protected each other every time.

The duo's train of thoughts stopped when the bell rang and went with two girls back to class.

When Roxy tried to reach Aria in a free class on the playground, she couldn't meet her who was playing basketball with the boys' team easily moving and slipping between them to basket the ball.

Rian and Aria cursed and bantered who were in the opposite teams which almost made Roxy doubt whether they were friends or enemies.

Rian ignored Roxy when she tried to talk which made her disappointed. She saw Rian sitting on the shotgun seat when Aria drove her car out of the school leaving the on lookers in awe.

Roxy could only sigh and go to a meeting related to her studio...

Rian made his birthday party huge which he planned himself. Just like a typical heir, all rich heirs and socialites were the guests of the party.

Aria had just applied a fox printed beauty facemask on Rian in the living hall when Alan entered the mansion after work. He saw a cute cat mask on Aria, panda on Amelia.

When a maid announced his arrival. Amelia grinned looking at Aria. The latter took the cue and chased after Alan holding a beauty facemask packet.

Alan knew well Aria wouldn't take his objection hence snuck his room and locked. "Aria, do I look like a teenage boyfriend to play around with all those. I'm not wearing it."

Aria was tired of knocking on the door and cued maid to get her spare keys as she spoke, "Alan, who said it's only for the teenagers? Stop your drama alright. Open the door."

When they continued to argue like kids, Amelia and Rian were betting on them in the living hall.

"My little girl will succeed."

"Bro never will agree to wear it. Little devil's strength isn't enough to force him either."

"Arrie will use her brain."

"She is dumb when it's about Bro and relationship."

.

.

"Fifty thousand bet." Rian said.

"A hundred thousand." Amelia raised leaving Rowan speechless.

"Deal." Rian agreed as he patted on his facemask. Even he didn't want to wear it but Aria had forced him by threatening that she wouldn't give him the gift and the birthday outfit.

Aria rolled room key on her finger opening the door seeing Alan rub his forehead.

The latter felt his head throb. For him, she was looking like a little troublemaker with her mischievously curled lips.

He didn't want to attend the party but Aria was attending for Rian and he wasn't ready to leave her alone in between a bunch of single heirs.

He tried his all to kick her out of the room but was in utter shock being pinned on the couch and seeing her sit on him to stop him from running away.

'Young miss Cooper, how should I punish you?'