Evening Affairs

"What are you doing after lunch?"

Kat and I were having breakfast at the kitchen counter for the first time in a while. She had been super busy with work and would always leave early and come home late. This feels refreshing, to finally have some time to chat together calmly. However, the question that had just come out of my blonde friend's mouth broke any relaxation the moment had previously created. I couldn´t lie to her, but I couldn´t tell her the truth either, not yet.

"Umm, I'll probably be busy in the library today."-I end up responding, biting my toast to avoid eye contact. She lightly frowns.

"Wait, didn't you have the meeting with Victor this evening?"

Shit, I forgot.

"Oh my god, you're right. I completely forgot!"-I exclaim genuinely, Kat bursts out in laughter and I join her soon after.

Although I was visibly jovial, my mind was now fixed on thinking about Aiden and the Passage. I had to talk to him before this afternoon and tell him I couldn´t join him this evening.

Hopefully, he would understand.

"That's a bummer, I was thinking about maybe going out to see the stars sometime, with a picnic and everything. But seeing you have so many evening affairs, we'll leave it for another occasion."-Kat softly utters after her laughter dies down.

"Are you asking me out or what?"-I reply cheekily, making us both laugh again.

. . .

Kat had already left a while ago and I had been just laying around the apartment. I eventually got really bored, which I don´t like. I always want to be busy doing something, because if I don´t my mind can get distracted with intrusive thoughts that are quite scary.

In fact, having begun this new life in Atlas had made my mind remind me of memories that seemed more distant but more traumatic every time. Not to mention the recurrent nightmares and visions, which had gotten worse. That's why I was really wishing to start working on something soon so I could take my mind off all those things.

After that little reflection, I check the time and realize I already have to go to lunch, where I'll tell Aiden the news. Before leaving though, I stopped at the little wall mirror next to the door to look at myself. My dark brunette hair framed my soft features and my pale skin. It was weird that only Aiden had noticed my eyes, or at least was the only one who had said something about them. They are a mix of hazel and gold and probably were my worst insecurity. Roman would always say how horrible they made me look and I never understood why, it was so frustrating to hate something about yourself because of someone else.

But it was time to leave all that behind, to begin discovering and loving myself for who I am. I smirk at my reflection, satisfied with that thought.

. . .

The same mysterious aura engulfed the tall black-haired boy sitting alone in the corner booth of the cafeteria. There was something more though... He seems pissed off, stabbing his food with the silver fork. Worry starts invading me; What had made him so visibly upset? Whatever it was, I need to break down the news in a way that wouldn´t make him even more upset.

Any further reflection is immediately interrupted by the second I notice Aiden's emerald eyes fixating on me. I could sense a wave of peace and contentment flow through him as he saw me: happiness. His lips plaster a big smile and a quick movement of the head invites me to go sit with him.

"Why that long face, darling?"-He asks with a smirk as a sit down in front of him. I notice some faces staring at the both of us from the corner of my eye, but decide to ignore them. I convince myself the booth both of us were in was this closed, safe space. At least for this upcoming moment.

"I have to tell you something, Aiden."-I say in a serious tone. His smirk quickly disappears. Waiting no longer, I just spit it out. – "I can´t go with you this evening, I have a meeting with Atlas."

At the sound of my words, his expression turns ice cold.

"Why?"-He snaps, some veins in his collar start seeming more prominent. I tell him I have to attend my interview and discuss what job I want to do. However, that only makes him more upset, he angrily gets up and storms off, leaving me alone in a cafeteria filled with curious eyes, staring.

. . .

I was now on my way to Victor's office, the previous event with Aiden at lunch still being replayed over and over in my head. Even though I was kind of expecting that reaction, the fact that it actually happened didn´t make me feel any better about it. Hopefully, I would get to talk to him tomorrow.

As I arrive at the corridor which led to the familiar double doors, Robert (Victor's sort of assistant who I hadn´t seen in a very long time) was just turning the corner. He looks focused, as usual, on his tablet, with an obviously stressed mood, until he finally realizes who he was crossing paths with.

"Hi Bianca, Victor's waiting for you. By the way, glad to see you're adapting just fine, and great job choice!"-He blurts so fast I had to process what he had told me for a minute after he was long gone.

He likes the job I have initially chosen; Neurology. Interesting.

Victor was sitting on one of the armchairs reading something from his tablet when I entered the wide room. He signaled for me to sit on the other chair in front of him and I proceeded to do so.

"Good afternoon, Bianca. I'm going to keep this brief because as you probably understand I have a very busy schedule. That's why we're skipping the interview since you're already well-integrated. In fact, I have to say I'm very happy about your connection with your flatmate Katherine. So, in order to keep this short, we'll just deal with the most crucial matters."-He begins in his normal polite manner. I simply nod and he continues;

"Firstly, I'd like to discuss your recent relationship with Aiden Atlas, my son…"-He states, staring deeply into my eyes, those emerald eyes.

I'm in complete utter shock, my brain immediately blocking the end of that sentence and all the others that came afterward.