Timeless [h.s]

Eighteen

Stuart

I adjusted the tiny black dress I decided to wear and wondered if that was a choice I would've made if Sienna hadn't been rummaging through my closet. She always found clothes I never wore, most of which I hadn't even bought myself, and somehow I always ended up using those items because I felt somewhat guilty.

"I mean, on a scale from one to young Leo how hot is he?" She questioned, adjusting her flawless eyebrows and smirking at me through the full-length mirror I had behind my door. I rolled my eyes in return, finishing my hair and feeling pleased with my newfound dexterity with a curling iron.

"I'm expecting some Alain Delon lookalike." Arthur chirped in. I chuckled, knowing that deep down he expected some hot, old man, perhaps even one willing to become his sugar daddy. Leave it to one of the most privileged people on Earth to have a ridiculous dream of spending an entire month travelling and being spoiled by others. I didn't approve of his life aspirations, but deep down I knew it wasn't my place to judge.

"He's good looking, but you're making such a big fuss. He's a normal guy." I shrugged, not entirely sure what they expected. I couldn't see Oliver as anything but a regular man, although I understood why they were so excited about the entire thing. They had known me for their entire lives, they had seen I never aged a day, no grey hairs, no new wrinkles or flaccid skin; that was proof enough of my story, but I knew they still wondered a lot about how everything happened, how it was possible to live in a world where magic or supernatural occurrences happened. The presence of someone from my past was definitely like Santa meeting the tooth fairy for Arthur and Sienna.

"He's throwing some fancy party at his penthouse and he invited us, so I'm already inclined to liking him." Arthur said, smiling slightly.

"He may be generous and all, but I'm inclined to believe he is just a coward. I mean, he did bail on Charlie when she needed him the most." Sienna pointed out, a smug grin spreading once Arthur's expression deflated. I agreed with her, nodding along. Oliver could be a nice man, or at least someone who wasn't inclined to kill me, but he still needed to prove he was not a coward.

"Sienna is right. His lack of action did alter our entire lives in many ways. I don't want to sound ungrateful, considering he's given me more information than I could've hoped for, but I also can't help but blame him." I admitted, picking up my phone, my charger and my wallet, stuffing the three objects inside a small handbag. We were all ready to go but somehow we knew we needed some time together to discuss what would happen, what we were about to face.

I could almost sense our bond and it was strong and delicate, like the pretty bows in fancy presents. After Arthur walked away when I told them the truth, I considered leaving too, building my life alone in a distant place, without using a lineage of people who always shielded me whenever I needed. I knew it was just a cowardly way out of a situation I didn't want to face, but it still crossed my mind, and at the prospect of freeing myself from this curse I considered the option of cutting lose even more.

The first thing I'd do once this entire ordeal was over definitely would be a nice and long trip to a place I always dreamt about visiting but never did. Galapagos was a great choice, something to keep me humble amongst such a vast world and diversity.

"Well, I guess we can either hate him forever for what he did or try to find a way of working with him. I'm pretty sure that his guilt flared up once he laid eyes on you at that hospital, and it's probably been escalating ever since. The only thing I know for sure is that he seems as interested as you in breaking this curse or whatever." Arthur added, giving us a more detailed insight of his thoughts regarding the entire situation. I wish we could stay and discuss the subject endlessly, much like we did the night before, but we were already past the point of fashionably late. I didn't want to keep Oliver waiting.