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Chryston's POV

"Aura, this is a dinner not a funeral." I chuckle, putting my fork down.

She looks up at me. Her cheek still resting on her clenched fist from the moment we came into the restaurant.

"I am an awful person. Did you see the way I lashed out on the therapist?" She says as she pokes her pasta.

"You make it seem like you threw a fit there. You only got irritated." I tell her with another chuckle.

"Yeah, which I shouldn't have. She is trying to help me or whatever psychology thing she is trying to do." Aura finally removes her fist from her cheek and twirls the pasta to take a bite.

"You are not an awful person, Aura. It happens. And I do trust she is going to help you. I kind of miss the sappy-happy Aura." I give her a smile and nudge her leg with my shoe.

"Yeah, you sure darn well miss the me from high-school." She finally lets out a laugh.

"The you from high-school? You mean the one that never quits? The one who continued to plan small things for us, even though I would pretend that I am not interested? Darn right I miss her."

"Well, if it weren't for me smacking your head into some sense, you would be the loneliest man alive." Aura gives me a quick wink and laughs again.

Her laughter. It warmed peoples hearts. My heart by the least.  There is just something about a female, a woman, laughing because she finds something genuinely funny. There is something about the fact that she can feel free to be herself and laugh.

That is the Aura I know. Or knew. She doesn't laugh as much as before. But when she does, it does warm me up. I feel comfortable around her. Comfortable enough to talk and joke about anything and everything without judgement.  She is still that same person, who keeps her heart open to conversations we have and doesn't take things too personally like other people.

I sometimes got lost her in eyes but I am too afraid to ever admit that. They held so much innocence and pain at the same time. Yet, she would try her best to cover her pain with that smile of hers. But the eyes are windows to the soul. And her soul is still broken.

I knew Aura loved me at some point. I saw it in her eyes. I teased her about it in my own way. Afraid to give in. I didn't want to accidentally ruin her. So I lied about how I felt and how I was feeling. We became enemies and avoided each other like the plague. Instead of the love in her eyes, I saw hate. I saw that if she has the chance to watch me die, she would. But I fixed everything in some way. It is why we are here. Casually having dinner at a restaurant. She was willing to fix. That is the thing about her, she is willing to give second chances, even third chances.

"Lonely? The entire globe is befriended by me." I laugh, pulling myself out of those thoughts I was having.

"Yeah yeah. Wanna go for some ice cream? It's on me." Aura says, while wiping her lips.

I take a glimpse of her lips and then look quickly into her eyes.

"Ice cream sounds wonderful." I tell her and wave my hand for the waiter.

"There is this place called 'Saporito' it sells some really good ice cream. You get to customise everything!" Aura went from a sad mood to being an excited child. I am not complaining. Seeing her happy is very refreshing.

"And you can add SourPatchKids too!" Now she is overly happy.

"Okay, I am in. I love those gummies." I pay the waiter and we leave the restaurant hand in hand and she doesn't notice.

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