Athena
"Who is that guy who met you yesterday? You still haven't told me," I felt a nudge on my arm, and my gaze moved to the very curious co-worker of mine, even intrusive may I say.
"It's an old friend, Georgia."
"An old friend? It didn't look like it when you were melting in his arms," She stretched out all of the words to the point where it was impossible to avoid her question anymore though in my mind I'd decided to not give her a response to a question like that. I'd already perceived something like this coming my way.
However, before I could answer, Shelly's loud shriek broke through.
"In his arms?! They were doing the lovey-dovey out there?!"
As I glanced back, tearing my eyes away from the baking tray, I saw a very excited face of Shelly and an ineffable amount of enthusiasm fluttering in her light grey eyes that successfully said out all the words that she hadn't and supposedly would utter in the next few minutes.
"Was that your boyfriend?" She strode towards me like an excited child being served the sight of candy.
And I'd expected deep down in my mind, she didn't even give me the chance to speak before opening her mouth once again.
"Wait a minute, You have a boyfriend and you haven't even told me about it? What the hell!" She strode towards me, standing in front of me with her hands on both sides of her hips, her excitement turned to anger within the flash of a second leaving me bewildered at some point.
God! This woman's mind functioned in the weirdest ways possible.
My attempt to speak was drowned by her continuous loquacious lecture, and I ended up standing there with shock written all over my face and my mouth sealed shut.
"How could you do this to me? You kept a secret boyfriend and didn't even bother to tell me about it, moreover, you pretended in front of me as if you didn't know him at all. I thought you always shared everything with me and I'm your little secret keeper but you decided to betray me like this, how could you?! I'll never ever talk to you, from now on I'll ignore you. Your way and my way are separate." The machine, aka, her mouth started in its incessantly speedy manner, almost perpetual.
Georgia watched her with shock, looking to go through a strange deja-vu as she witnessed the unforeseen ability of Shell who was in no way near stopping.
Her lecture could easily go on for hours, till dawn if not seized right now.
So I did what was needed.
"He's not my boyfriend, Shelly. He's JUST an old FRIEND!" I nearly shouted at the top of my lungs and damn, my own voice hurt my ears.
On the other hand, Shelly seemed hardly affected by any means though her mouth ultimately closed shut.
"That's a lie." It was a curt remark from her side, her judgemental stare moving up and down my face, eyes trying to spot any sign of dishonesty.
"Well, that's not a lie. I met him....in the previous city, I used to live. I got a bit emotional because I saw him after so long and that's it."
I was glad that the situations taught me how to lie and how to hide. It was a favour done on me by nature itself that I'd forever be grateful for.
"Are you sure it's all that worth mentioning?" Shelly asked, her anger fading away and finally, she looked somewhat normal, if not taking the light bit of suspicion dancing on her face.
"Yes, Shelly. I'm sure."
She doubtfully stared at me for a few more seconds, before she finally spoke, "Okay fine, I'll let it slide."
I let out a sigh of relief, finally seeing the rays of hope as Shelly walked away to finish her prior task— Preparing her signature cheesecake
Warily I looked at Georgia, hoping in my mind that she'd leave this unnecessary conversation unfinished like it was supposed to. And when she too returned her focus to her work, the profound ease burned in my excessively stressed mind.
Just like them, I shifted my focus back to my work, not bothering to think about anything else other than the enormous number of chocolate chip cookies I had to make for the next batch of orders.
****
After a long day of work, the bakery finally closed. A little later than usual.
I grabbed my stuff and headed for home. Deeply hoping to find the nearest coffee stall open since the last thing I wanted to do in this warm-cold strangely inclement weather was rather than go home and tuck myself under the warm fluffy blanket, get into the task of preparing a cup of coffee through the task nearly as much labour as doing nothing.
A coffee maker did come in handy but I was too lazy to do anything else today; It was not a regular event, it had been a long time since I felt any sort of tiredness, the need to feel lazy, however, today was interesting.
It wasn't as if I was incapable of working extra and putting hard work into something that needed to be done. I could work all day long without having to deal with an abrupt lack of energy. So what was the actual reason behind my body's reluctance to let me use its strength today was the biggest mystery of this century for me.
Perhaps it was the weather or it was just me. Who knows!
After a few minutes of very slow walking, I found sight of the coffee stall and to my fortune, it hadn't closed yet.
But, then again, to my misfortune, there was a huge number of customers huddled up in front of the shop, just like penguins. Waiting there, to be handed their orders and get a dose of caffeine to wipe off their weariness after most presumably a long day of work. Almost all of them were here for the coffee, it was obvious, the unappetizing-looking sandwiches couldn't be the reason under any circumstances.
Judging by the number of people gathered there, and the sluggish speed of the worker, if less it'd still take an hour for my turn to come.
Alas! My poor luck and my—
Before even completing the thoughts in my mind, I saw none other than Aaron—Advancing towards me with two cups of coffee in his hands as if he'd read my craving long before the thought of having a strong cup of coffee burned in my mind.
"I thought you'd like some Coffee after a long day of work," Without even having to ask for it, he handed me one of the cups.
I stared at him bewildered, having a tough time understanding, how did this man pop here out of nowhere.
"Um— Thank you," I nearly stuttered, it was hard to digest his sudden appearance, "How did you know that I was coming here for a coffee?"
"Well...I might have seen you stopping here a couple of times, so I thought you'd be here today and shot my chance." He nervously scratched the back of his head.
"So Mister Aaron, as far as I can remember, it was yesterday when you promised not to follow me anymore. Then what are you doing here exactly?" I sceptically examined his face.
I did not know why I wasn't angry or irritated at any point. Perhaps because it had been a long time since I have had anyone's company, or it could just be that his presence comforted me.
"Oh no! It's not like that. I am not following you anymore, trust me. I haven't been here all day, just came half an hour ago and parked straight here to buy coffee for you, you see my car's still there," He let out in a rush, motioning to his black Mercedes parked beside the street, "I am here to meet you. That's it."
"Okay okay, I trust you with this," A small laugh left my mouth on its own and I began to walk, in the direction of my home knowing that he'd follow me anyways.
"Thank you," He released a sigh of relief, walking side by side.
I took the first sip of the coffee, the bittersweet taste on my tastebuds relaxed my stressed body and mind. However, the man beside me didn't seem that interested in the coffee in his hand, his gaze was fixed on me as if he found something very bewitching that I, myself hadn't found yet.
"You see, the coffee of this stall tastes really good while it's warm," I spoke, without shifting my stare at him but I was well aware that I indeed startled him with my statement, "You wouldn't like it cold. Besides, there's nothing much interesting about my face as far as I know."
"Oh, I..." Seemingly taken off guard, he took a sip within the flash of a second, pupils dilated like a deer caught under red light, "The coffee tastes good." He let out, and a nervous stutter left his mouth at the end.
Aaron was...kind of confusing.
I did not know if I was actually doing right by trusting him or if it was just a mistake that was calling me towards itself.
It could be very much possible that, the slight worry residing inside me in the deepest depth was valid and there were higher possibilities of it being completely irrelevant; Either way, I did not know— After having myself shattered by the hands of the person I loved with all of me, I was at a place of my life where I had many paths to take off to but I could see the light in none of them.
What I wanted in life was a puzzle I needed to solve and trusting a person, who was nearly a stranger, was a choice I'd made with no consideration at all.
Yes, I couldn't deny how messed up everything was in my life right now. And whether it was evident or not, Aaron indeed made me believe that I could actually give this life a chance and that undoubtedly fixed a part of the puzzle.
Maybe, that could be the reason he has gotten a place, even though it was still, awaiting amidst the pieces I had to collect and put together. I just knew that I did not feel any threat from him; His being around did not make me feel unsafe— That's all the assurance I needed.
"Tell me something Aaron, did you drive all the way from the city, nearly ninety miles, just to buy a cup of coffee for me when you weren't even sure that I was actually gonna pass by the stall?" I eventually looked at him, "Don't you find it absolutely absurd?"
He seemed to notice the confusion written all over my face in bold letters, and a deep, throaty chuckle left his mouth, "Well, it could be absurd for some people. But I found my own delectation in it, besides a long drive is never a boring option." He did not sound frivolous.
"So would a 'thank you' be enough to show my gratitude for your thoughtfulness?"
"Yes, that should be more than enough," He flashed me a smile revealing a perfect set of pearly white teeth.
This was the first time I'd seen him smile.
"You know you don't really have to do all of these for me. It's not like I am ungrateful or do not appreciate you, but it just makes me anxious. I don't have an idea why, but knowing that someone is giving their efforts for me and caring about my safety and life, it adds kind of a weight on my shoulders," I let out a sigh, for some reason I didn't really concerned about the straight the way they came from my heart.
"You see, if you are taking this as a favour, you'll always feel the need to pay it back —That's where it's coming from. Your concerns and constantly bugging thoughts. However, if you consider it something I'm doing for myself, my own satisfaction you can say, you wouldn't feel that weird pressure on you," His voice was soft, the words like a gentle caress soothing my distress.
"Why would you need to help me...for yourself?"
"It's simple— I don't want you to be alone and all on your own," He didn't hesitate for a second before speaking, "And you are very much welcome to consider that it gives me a better sleep at night knowing that you are safe and sound."
"Why?"
"Because I just do. I don't have any explanation for that, sometimes you care for someone and sometimes you don't— There always doesn't have to be a reason. And the less we think the better," He smiled and suddenly I saw him stop walking.
It took me a few minutes to actually get through his words. Of course, they were confusing and somewhat letting on a meaning I didn't truly wish to discover right now at a point of my life where I was just trying to find my own self who I have lost trying to mend someone who ultimately destroyed me.
"We have arrived, Athena," Aaron took the initiative to speak, noticing my stillness and gaze fixated on him whilst I drowned in the pitfall of my eerie thoughts; I finally noticed that I was actually standing in front of the apartment complex.
"Oh, I see," I blurted out, for some reason clutching onto the coffee cup a bit tighter, as I took off, "Bye."
But then his sudden voice made a halt midway, "Athena...."
I whipped around to look at him, a bit too quickly may I add, "Yes?"
He walked closer, shrinking the distance more than he had till now. Slowly he raised his hand and tucked a piece of my hair strand behind my ear, "I'll have to be away for work. Need to handle a few businesses. Will see you again a few days later," He said, a soft smile stretching upon his lips, "Till then take care of yourself and if you need anything or face any difficulties, you have got my number— Don't hesitate to contact me, okay?"
"Okay," I nodded, slightly unsure of how I should react, "Stay safe and....take care, too."
"Goodnight." And then with one last warm smile being flashed at me he walked away. Igniting a strange warmth in the middle of my chest— With the manipulation of his touch full of care I had always searched in Sebastian's.