serendipity
(n.) finding something good without looking for it.
zoya and julien have a cousin named serenity winters and her arrival turns everyone's life upside, including a pink haired skater boy.
"I'm not the jealous type, not like the other guys..."
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Aki and I walked side by side, his arm linked through my own. "Why are you so quiet with your friends?" I questioned. He just sat there looking pretty as they did most of the talking.
"I don't want to stand out, I like doing my own thing." He explained. As though he didn't already stand out just by being himself.
I realized that whatever I was feeling for Aki was most likely a sense of familiarity. He was the only one here who reminded me of home, where the rich kids I knew were kind and didn't have delusions of grandeur. I already knew we would be good friends.
"You can't help but stand out Aki, might as well embrace it." I teased, mirth sparkling in my eyes.
"But honestly, I can see why standing out isn't a good thing here. Where I'm from no one tried to take down popular kids, there was room for everyone." At this a wistful expression came over my face.
Aki looked down at me. "You must have been pretty popular then." He nudged me with his shoulder.
I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips. "I was decently popular I won't lie. But, I left that all behind to join the only family I have." I smiled warmly at the thought of my cousins.
"Do you regret leaving? I meanㅡ not leaving to be with your cousins. But, all the people you left behind." Aki stated, sounding very much like a therapist.
I turned to look at him, no one had asked me that before. "I had close friends...and a boyfriend." I completely missed his lips pull into a frown at that.
"Why? Are you trying to give me grief counseling Mr. Menzies?" I asked lightly, somewhat grateful someone asked me.
Aki turned flustered at that. "W-what no, I'm sorry. Audrey says I act like a therapist a lot, I just try to be...helpful." His voice held a tinge of guilt, this made me somewhat angry at his girlfriend.
I gave him a sweet smile, "thank you for asking me, if you ever need a patient I'm in search of a good therapist." I felt proud when he smiled back, removing any guilt from his features.
•••
As we arrived on the stairs where everyone was gathered, I let my arm slip from his. Shooting Aki one last smile, I giddily fast walked to where my cousins sat.
If I felt Audrey's distrustful brown eyes following me, well I would ignore it. "Gosh, it's brutal out here." I thought. If she trusted her boyfriend in the slightest there would be no need to worry.
Zoya clung to me the moment I sat down, as Julien passed me a strawberry smoothie. "One of the few people I know who hates coffee." She sighed in mock exasperation. A chorus of gasps soon followed.
I braced myself for the incoming "how can you hate coffee?!" questions.
Max, who was sitting mighty close, leaned in. "How can we build our relationship if you hate coffee? That should be a criminal offense." His deep gaze burned into me, getting me flustered inwardly.
