Not a Fan (Wilbur Soot)

A Name to a Face

"Sorry, excuse me." She said quietly with her head down, nearly walking directly into another person entering the store as she exited. He didn't even acknowledge her as she moved passed him. She rejoined the bustling street, still swarmed with pedestrians enjoying the last few rays of sunshine before the inevitable rain came.

She put in her headphones, trying to at least gain control over what colors clouded her vision as she stared at the sidewalk for her trip back to her apartment. 

The walk was quick, the route officially engrained in her mind. She shifted her bags into one hand as she pressed the elevator's button. Her orange playlist became muddled with yellow and maroon flashes as she entered her hallway. She rolled her eyes, walking directly passed her neighbor's door and into her apartment. 

She set down her bag of groceries, turning up the volume on her music to drown out the laughing echoing through her walls. She pulled out her phone, already desperate for another reason to leave her apartment. She knew she wasn't actually going to file a noise complaint about her neighbor. No matter how obnoxious he and his friends were, she couldn't imagine the awkwardness that would follow her report. 

She raised her phone, Niki's contact photo on her home screen as she requested to FaceTime. Niki answered after a moment. She had her makeup done, her hair in small pigtails, and large headphones resting around her neck. 

"Hi Rori!" Niki chirped, a smile already growing on her face. 

"Hi! Are you working? I can call later." Aurora answered, not wanting to burden her friend. 

"Not yet, I'm just getting everything set up. You alright?" Niki asked, her eyes now looking back up at her monitor. 

"Yeah! Well, actually. Not really." Aurora admitted. Now that her music wasn't constantly playing she could hear maroon and yellow through the walls again. 

"Wait, what's wrong?" Niki asked, her attention diverting back to her phone. 

"Remember that obnoxious neighbor I told you about?" Aurora sighed, leaning against her kitchen counter, placing a hand on her aching forehead. 

"Oh no, is he at it again?" Niki responded instantly, hearing the muffled sounds of laughing through the phone. 

"Nonstop. Just maroon and yellow constantly. I think he has a friend over." Aurora groaned. She was quickly getting a headache from the loud pedestrians on the sidewalk, her blaring music to drown them out, and her lack of control on getting maroon and yellow to quiet down. 

"Do you want to come over? I'm planning on doing a just chatting stream, it should be pretty lowkey!" Niki offered, a reassuring smile on her face. 

"I couldn't do that, you're working!" Aurora countered. Her intention of calling Niki was hoping to be invited over, but now she was afraid she'd be intruding. 

"Not at all, they'd love to meet an old friend of mine! Please, come over and help me finish eating those cookies." Niki insisted. 

"You promise I won't be a nuisance?" Aurora asked, already slipping her purse strap back over her shoulder.

"You're never anything short of a delight!" Niki grinned, watching as Aurora was already heading for her door. 

Aurora was off, making her way back out onto the street. The rays of sunlight were gone, along with the many pedestrians, now replaced with dark clouds and winds that promised rain would soon come. 

Aurora headed towards the nearest bus stop, keeping true to her promise of trying out public transport. She was relieved for the bus to be fairly vacant, making her trip peaceful. The rain had just begun as she stepped off the bus and onto the sidewalk outside of Niki's apartment.