Timeless Ties || Volturi Kings

25. Late Night Talking

Things haven't been quite the same
There's a haze on the horizon, babe
It's only been a couple of days and I miss you

— Harry Styles

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Alessia slid on her headphones and selected a playlist carefully tailored for chilly days.

Her day had begun with a shiver as she woke, nearly freezing without her blanket. She wanted nothing more than to stay in her warm bed, perhaps drifting off again instead of getting up, but alas, she needed to. The cold signaled approaching rain, and she had to retrieve her clothes from the line to prevent them from succumbing to dampness once more.

After gathering all her clothes to iron later, Alessia managed to squeeze in her morning dance class using YouTube videos, grumbling about the incessant ads interrupting her flow, contemplating whether investing in YouTube Premium might be worth it to avoid these interruptions every morning, before indulging in a slightly longer-than-necessary shower.

As Alessia stood beneath the shower's warm cascade, her breath came in harsher gasps than usual, a futile attempt to quell the rising tide of anxiety within her. She already knew all that was to know about the changes that would come, and she knew she would get used to it soon enough. There was little point in dwelling on it now, only serving to invite unnecessary inner turmoil.

To distract herself, Alessia played with her gift, experimenting to determine if there were constraints on what she could bring along when time traveling. Alessia amassed an assortment of items, ranging from garments to miscellaneous objects. After her eighth journey through time, laden with 19 additional items beyond her usual attire, she abandoned her endeavor.

Perhaps the limit rested on her capacity to carry the items, and with Corinthians set to clash against America Mineiro later that day, Alessia aimed to conserve her energy. Fully prepared in her Corinthians attire — sporting the team's t-shirt, hoodie, and pants — she intended to spectate the match, and she needed energy for that. Because what better antidote to anxiety, frustration, and negative feelings than immersing herself in soccer, passionately shouting at the screen as if her will and harsh words could magically improve the players' performance from kilometers away?

(One day, when Alessia was rich and didn't depend on her father's money anymore, she was going to watch Corinthians play at the Neo Química Arena. She would even travel to wherever the World Cup was held to witness Brazil triumph in the stadium firsthand. But for now, she contented herself with watching from the comfort of her home, indulging in popcorn and consuming more Guaraná Antártica than was probably advisable for her health.)

As the day progressed, Alessia took a moment to check her email post-lunch, discovering that the day for selecting professors for the upcoming semester was slated to begin the following week, kicking off on Monday. This served as yet another welcomed distraction for her, one that she was very happy to immerse herself in when the time came.

Alessia set an alarm on her cellphone to remind herself to check the site for selecting professors. She planned to compile a list and then reach out to Julia and Jade, asking them to join her in deliberating the pros and cons of each potential instructor based on their past experiences with them. Alessia believed their insights would help her make a well-informed decision before finalizing her choices.

To brighten her mood a little more, Alessia brewed herself some tea — a comforting blend of honey, ginger, and turmeric, one of her favorites — and spent a considerable amount of time contemplating her plans for the evening. She knew she needed to have a discussion with Helios, as she had gathered at least some insight from Aro, Caius, and Didyme. However, their debate regarding the events of the meeting was still ongoing, and Alessia felt it prudent to conclude those discussions before sharing all the information with Helios.