The Starling Saviour

Chapter 77

The hospital room Elliot was being housed was surprisingly welcoming when I visited him for the first time since the explosion, he not initially being allowed any guests for a few days while he peacefully tried to recuperate.

'Hi,' I smiled as I sat next to Elliot, extremely happy to see my friend once again.

'Aria,' Elliot smiled back, even happier to have company after being alone during one of he worst experiences of his life. 'Thank you for coming to see me, it really means everything.'

'How couldn't I?' I grinned, glad to see that Elliot was coping well. 'I've missed you.'

'So, what's been happening in Aria Coleman's life?' Elliot asked me, genuinely interested in what I had been doing.

'Nothing much, really,' I answered him vaguely. 'Well, I did maybe quit my job...'

'What?' Elliot was surprised at this new drama. 'Why? Was it Oliver?'

'Wow, you are correct,' I was just as surprised that Elliot could guess what happened so easily. 'But how did you know?'

'I know you love Tommy too, so I predicted that there would be some love triangle going on with you all,' Elliot shrugged his deduction off as if it was nothing.

'Well, it's probably more of a love square or something,' I informed him slowly. 'Laurel may also be involved, which makes everything so much more complicated.'

'You really are in trouble,' Elliot shook his head comedically. 'How are things with the other part of your life, anyway? Your alter-ego?'

'Well, my 'alter-ego' may have also quit her night job,' I grimaced.

'Now it all makes sense,' Elliot sounded overcome with realisation. 'The Hood, he's...'

He mouthed the word Oliver to me in fear of someone else hearing us.

'How you pieced that together so quickly, I don't know,' I marvelled at Elliot's ability. 'But yes, you are right, again.'

'So, Aria, the main question is, are you Team Oliver or Team Tommy?' Elliot inquired cheekily, but I knew he just wanted to take his mind of his own life by listening to mine.

'Neither,' I concluded almost immediately. 'But, Tommy is a good friend. He managed to look past our history and now I couldn't imagine my life without him. I know that sounds stupid and slightly cringey, but seriously, he's wonderful.'

'What did he do?' Elliot was like a hawk, latching on to what had happened a few nights ago. 'Why do you think he's so amazing, all of a sudden?'

'He kind of took me to an art gallery, and then out for dinner,' I tried to explain, but did so poorly. 'But, it wasn't a date. It was more of a nostalgic thing to take my mind of everything.'

'It sounds like a date to me,' Elliot contradicted me rather sassily.

'I know it sounds like a date, but it wasn't,' I shook my head at once, denying mine and Tommy's relationship was anything other than platonic. 'He just wanted to do something nice, for his friend.'

'Friends don't do that, Aria,' Elliot almost laughed at me. 'Maybe you're best friends, but best friends who used to go out with other don't take each other on dates just to cheer them up. Now, I definitely am Team Tommy. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?'

'I am not going out with Tommy!' I exclaimed, slightly scornfully and shocked Elliot would ever imply our union once again. 'He is a friend, as I have told you many times now, and you know how it ended last time I was with him. It was scandalous, remember?'