SOLUM ✓

𝐈𝐕

    𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐃 helped Mara to push the counter to her shop, they got to talking. Sitting on the floor, because she didn't have any other furniture yet, they kept up a conversation like it was nothing. Thor found out that she's 26, had recently moved to New York, and liked dogs. But also, that she apparently didn't care about him being a god. When he told her, she just shrugged and said she figured. 'With the name and all'. Whenever he looked at her, he seemed to be startled. 

    "You know, I never thought I'd see you again." She smiled as he agreed. "Yeah, but I'm glad we did. Otherwise, I wouldn't know this wonderful person." Mara felt her cheeks warm up again and quickly looked down. Hopefully, he didn't see that, she thought. He did. Thor saw the rosy tone on her cheeks and found it super cute. "I'm glad we did, too." 

    One quick glance at her watch and Mara jumped up in shock. "Oh my god. It's almost five!" She hastily grabbed her bag, while Thor got up too. She took out her pen and paper. He looked at her confused as she wrote some numbers on it. "Here's my number. Call me." She gave him the piece of paper and shoved him out the door with him, locked the door, and ran off to wherever she had to go. 

    Thor was taken by surprise, she really just gave him her number. He didn't even have to ask. With a stupid grin on his face, he walked back to his apartment. He'd known the girl for a day and it felt like a lifetime. 

    What he didn't know, was that Mara felt the exact same way. While rushing back to her apartment, she was smiling like crazy. She didn't even know why, but she couldn't stop either. At her apartment, she quickly changed into her 'formal' clothes, which consisted of brown corduroy pants and a white blouse. She slipped on her newest  -and therefore least torn up- shoes and hastily left her place again. With the phone in one hand, calling her father, she called for a cab with the other. She got into a cab, but her phone got sent to voicemail. "Hi, dad! I'm sorry, I totally forgot the time. I'll be there in 20!" She put on the seatbelt. "To the Big Apple, please." The cab driver nodded and took off. 

    Oh no, she thought. She was always late, as always. Her dads gonna complain about it for at least a month. Suddenly, her phone rang. A message, from an unknown number. 

Hello, Lady Mara. This is Thor! I'm writing you so that you have my number, too. I hope that is alright with you.

    Mara smiled. She quickly sent a 'Hello, Mylord Thor! Sure, it's okay.' back and felt herself impatiently waiting for his reply. She added a quick 'Sorry I had to leave that quickly, I have a meeting with my dad.' and watched the three bubbles pop up at the bottom. 

No problem, Lady Mara.

I was wondering if you'd want to meet again sometime?

    The cab reached its destination and Mara paid for the ride. She smiled at Thor's text. Was he asking her on a date? Okay, now don't come off desperate, she thought. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she thought for a reply, that didn't make her look stupid. She settled for a simple 'I'd love to.' and then put her phone away, as she walked towards the building with her family name on it. 

    Her dad greeted her with a forced smile, he had waited for half an hour. "Glad you decided to show up for once." Mara gulped. She always hated meeting her dad. But he insisted. It was her mothers' last wish for them to keep up a somewhat healthy relationship. It was nowhere near healthy, but these dinner meet-ups were the only thing keeping any contact up. "Hi, dad. I'm sorry, I totally forgot the time." He waved it off, but it was obvious he disliked her being late. 

    They went up into his office, he had ordered a salad for her and a steak for him. Of course, she thought. A salad. He always found a way to make her feel insecure about her weight. Although she couldn't be slimmer. One pound less and she bet he'd say, she looked anorexic. But that was her dad. 

    He sat down behind his desk and put a napkin on his lap. Mara sighed and sat down herself. "So...", she began and took a fork. "Don't slouch Mara." She rolled her eyes but straightened her back anyway. "So, how you been?" Her dad huffed. "Works been keeping me from sleeping, but otherwise good." He didn't even bother to ask how she had been doing. 

     "I've decided to take you off my will." The words came out of his mouth as casually as if he was talking about the weather. Mara furrowed her brows. "Okay", she said, not really caring anyway. Since she had finally found her café, she wouldn't need her fathers' money anyway. "Why though?" Her dad cut a piece off his steak and put it in his mouth. "Because", he said while chewing. "I do not like how you spent my money and I will not support that." She put her fork down. "What do you mean, how I spent your money?" Her father frowned and decided he had finished eating. He took the napkin and wiped his mouth, before putting it next to the plate. "I've been noticing on what kind of nonsense you spent my money on and I do not approve." 

    "What kind of nonsense exactly do I spent your money on father? Food, rent?" Mara's voice sounded angry, but she held herself back. He always did this. Making her feel bad about everything, just because she looked so much like her mom. "Oh, I don't know, maybe that 150k place at Timesquare?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "You know what that's for", she said. The man stared her down with a hateful glare. "God, you're so much like her. You know, she would be ashamed of you." Mara jumped to her feet. "You take that back." Her voice shaking in anger, she couldn't believe it. "No." 

    On the verge of tears, she grabbed her back and rushed out of his office. "Just so you know, I don't need your stupid money anyway!" And with that last sentence, she got into her elevator. Just before the doors closed, her dad walked out of his office. "Good! Because you're getting none of it no more!" 

    Crying, Mara walked down the streets. She wasn't in the mood to take a cab. Her phone rang two times, but she didn't care to even look at it. She felt numb, only her hurting feet reminded her she was still alive. Yet, she couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face. How could he say that? She sniffled. Her mom was the only one who had actually believed in her. She was the only one who had encouraged her to open a café. But then, Mara got snapped away and when she came back, her mom had died. So, she had no one. Her only friend moved all across the goddamn world. She was alone. 

    Just like him.