𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 | 𝔞 𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔯𝔱 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔯𝔶

« 🥀 » 𝐜𝚑. 8

-͟͟͞͞➳ 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐧

(𝑛.) 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦.

Things are not okay.

Bomi's thinking of trying to get a job here. It won't be much, but it might help.

Her parents had called again, and they'd discussed technicalities. Bomi's holding onto a strand of hope that seems more and more futile by every second that passes.

The leaves that had turned golden and fiery are now half-fallen from the trees, but Bomi can't seem to find it in her to admire them.

She climbs the flights of stairs up to the rooftop and breathes in the cool air. Ethan's already there, and she turns towards him. Ethan meets her gaze, and his smile is wide and brilliant. To her surprise, Bomi notices a small cake on the makeshift table as she makes her way to Ethan.

"What's the cake for?" Bomi asks him. She wonders with increasing anxiety if she missed his birthday or their first-date anniversary, but she knows his birthday is in the spring, and there's still a month until their anniversary.

"It's for an anniversary," Ethan says to her confusion.

He laughs when she looks at him. "You didn't miss our one-year or first-date anniversary. This is for the first time I saw you."

There's a little blush on his face. Bomi asks, "The first time you saw me? It was in the fall?"

He nods. "I was with Samar in the library because he needed a book, and you were there, studying. I think I've liked you since I first saw you."

Bomi remembers studying in the library too many times to count, so she can't recall that one incident. She tells him so.

Ethan continues. "I figured. You were too absorbed in your work to notice us, but I asked Samar and he recognized you from being in chess. He'd seen you around, being in debate and all."

He seems slightly embarrassed to admit, "That was when I started hanging around his debate club and your chess club around the time it finishes. I wanted to catch a glimpse of you again."

Bomi can't help reaching out to hold his hand- the sheer sincerity and warmth in his gaze sets a smile upon her face.

They share the cake. It's strawberry, her favorite, and she savors it to every last crumb.

Ethan doesn't stand up right away when they're done. "I have something else," he tells her.

He reaches into his pocket and produces a necklace. Bomi stares at it, awestruck- the thin silver chain, the circle charm. Looking closely, she can see two clasped hands inscribed on the charm.

"This is- this is for me?" She asks, because she can't believe it.

"It is," Ethan says. She takes the charm in her fingertips, admiring the simplistic beauty. When she flips it around, she sees inscribed lettering- Always with you, my flower. Love, Ethan.

He offers to help her put on the pendant, and when she agrees, he moves behind her to set the pendant into place, gently brushing her short hair out of the way.

It's getting late, so they head out of the building and back onto the busy streets of the city.

"Wanna stop at a coffee shop or something before we go? The one a block away's nice." Bomi says.

"Sure." Ethan shrugs. He grins after a moment. "Race you there!"

He starts to run, his longer legs giving him a head start. She follows, laughing, cool air beating against her eardrums.