Lemonade

3. "Atleast A Drink, Aria?"

Aria roamed her gaze closely everywhere around the area. The air was tight, obviously because of the crowd and it was all so hot, flavored with the skunky odor of pot. The smell of beer pierced through her nostrils like a sword. Among the crowd, there were few familiar faces from her agency while others happened to be just faces.

Music shook the window panes and Aria noticed her assistant, Ellie successfully managed to catch the eye of that black shirt guy as she had herself bouncing to the beat with him. A constant grin plastered over her lips. Anyone could easily tell that she'd been having the time of her life. Isn't being chosen over multiple women an achievement?

Well, according to Aria, that's not what happiness is. If someone was really interested, they would find a way to choose you, no matter what may come. She refused to call herself a part of competition, where she had others in a line and waiting for someone important to choose her. Because for Aria, it is there or not. Nothing in between. She considered herself old school for having a thinking like that.

The moment Ellie noticed Aria sitting alone in the corner, she mouthed, "You want to come here?" Aria immediately shook her head in refusal. Ellie sighed at her friend's disinterest.
She again called her mouthing like, "At least have one of these?" She pointed at a drink that she'd been holding.

Aria looked to see and noticed the crystal bottle in her hand, the same bubbly, gold liquid that swayed inside the bottle as Ellie moved along with the guy that she'd just met.

It was already midnight. Aria tossed and turned but couldn't quite find sleep. The fact that she'd seen someone deadly familiar doesn't leave her alone. She'd fixed his image inside her mind, trying to recognise the uncanny resemblance but in vain. She simply couldn't get the conclusion.

The restlessness that Aria had experienced at the moment has clearly become an invitation - to think deeply about him. In a situation such as this, it would be odd not to feel anxious. Aria turned her body so her head now faced the mattress, putting a pillow over her head as she began to count backwards. It was an old childhood trick, "100, 99, 97, 97," her eyelids didn't feel heavy as she expected even after reaching halfway through it.

Finally giving up the idea, Aria lifted the pillow off her head. Getting back to straight position and taking in a deep breath, she rearranged the duvet as she snuggled and pretended to be getting sleep. However, it wasn't even a whole minute after she'd closed her eyes when suddenly a voice uninvitedly barged inside her mind.

"Aria Orea, Orea Aria," the voice repeatedly stumbled inside her brain as she immediately jolted awake.
"This can't happen!" She exclaimed in fright. She blinked her eyes several times to remove the face from her past that kept appearing in her imagination. The mental weariness that she'd imagined instantly vanished as she hopped out her bed. Immediately, Aria ended up inside her closet room, collapsing right in front of the bottom most drawer, where all of her old stuff was secured in a box with all the other memories.

She could never forget that face but it's been years. He could never be that one. Impatiently shuffling the folders and photographs, she hunted for the old album. The moment she found him inside, it felt as if every ounce of breath was taken away from her.

Aiden Woods!

It was him. Aria shared a photograph with him during school and how could she forget him? She desperately tried to remember him from the past and matched his face from today's look. She looked at her picture as she rushed in front of her mirror.

Aria thought that she hadn't changed much. How in the world a guy like him has changed to that extent that she couldn't even recollect?

Involuntarily, her mind ended up thinking about events and memories that reminded her of him. She didn't have to force her mind to think about those bittersweet memories that were associated with him.