𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐓 | 𝐖𝐋𝐖 |

prologue 03 | and there's blossoming in change

"𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐠𝐨; 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲." — 𝐂. 𝐉𝐨𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐂.

∞ ∞ ∞

With every passing mile, Aurora's grip on the steering wheel tightened, which poetically even mirrored the tight knots forming in her stomach the more her mind continued to torture her. She felt strange feeling like this; feeling as if her words and guilt strung her neck out like a noose, as if her stool was about to tip over, symbolising her chance to say her thoughts in the open freely before she'd be forced to.

To feel overthrown like this made her feel so pathetic in a sense. It scared her.

The scent of the sea, carrying the taste of salt, intensified her unease in the confined space of her car, and even rolling up the windows couldn't help her. It seemed like the feeling of her infidelity followed her around everywhere and she was sick of it.

Her mind continued to race with these conflicting thoughts, and each turn she took echoed the twist in her own conscience even further.

The truth to this guilt, a heavy burden she carried with her since the first night she decided to help Elijah, gnawed at her soul. With her only cleanse being Valerie, it felt awful to her to knowingly hide this from her. Even with her sitting beside her, unbeknown to what her uncle had been doing since she's been away caused further turmoil in Aurora's heart. And it was really starting to break her now that she was back.

Selfishly, part of her wanted to place some of the blame on Valerie.

If she had picked up her phone that night, perhaps this wouldn't be all so bad. The blonde remembered phoning her straight after the door had shut, her hands becoming clammier with each unanswered ring, and her eyes ready to release the tears that began to form once she were to hear the student's voice on the other side of her line. But expectedly, she hadn't picked up; much like the other times she had rung her throughout the week. However, unexpectedly, no tears ran down her face, instead, for a reason still unknown to her, a small chuckle escaped her lips. 

I guess after surviving this torment for that long she had finally felt defeated in a sense. 

Parking the car at their usual spot, Aurora cut the engine, plunging herself into what felt like an uneasy silence to her. She stole one last glance at Valerie, who still oblivious to her turmoil, began to gather the food they bought earlier from the back seat, then shutting the door once she was done.

As Aurora stepped out of the car, her gaze continued to linger on Valerie as she played out the possibilities of tonight.

Her two options involved telling her by the end of the night or to continue hiding this lie. Either way, tonight would end with at least one heart broken, but it was up to Aurora whose it'll be; Valerie's or hers. 

But before the woman could properly weigh out her options, the sound of Valerie's soft-spoken voice pulled her out of her thoughts, cementing her back into the reality that was left waiting for her.

"Do you remember the first time you brought me here?" The girl spoke, turning her head to see Aurora's gaze centre on herself. She watched the woman's dim expression fade into something a little warmer than what she wore moments before.

"Of course I do," Aurora said as she nodded, following Valerie's footsteps in a close pursuit. "How could I forget?"

"I thought you were crazy back then when you asked me to jump." Valerie continued, grinning as her fingers lightly brushed against Aurora's.