Before she was even lucid, Aura could feel the aches in her bones that were in contact with the hard floor beneath her. Ugh, then the headache. Where was she? With what felt like all her might, her eyes struggled to open.

[b]”Good morning.”[/b]

In an instant, Aura was ready to defend her case. Why she left. Why she took the laptop. That she had to be out of Apex sooner than later and that she’d be leaving with or without him. But, for once, the [i]mystery man[/i] all too readable, mainly because he looked exactly like she felt.

Tired, out of options. But behind the worries that seemed to present in the lines in his face, a calm that reminded Aura of a lighthouse in a storm sat in his eyes. And it was then, in the sweet, thick silence that hung between them, that she knew that she trusted Kieran no longer just because she had too. 

[b]”…I think it’s time we left Apex. For good.”[/b]

Aura opened her mouth to speak, but only a soft croak came out. There were so many questions, and she was unable to verbalize one. Next, she saw the bags and knew that he meant what he said. He always meant what he said.
She stood up, Kieran’s blanket crumbling around her feet and the hoody sinking down to just above her knees, her large brown eyes glossy with tears. She had never felt so helpless, [i]weak.[/i] All of this was impossible without him, and they both knew it. But Kieran, whether it was because the AA was closing in on them or that he truly wanted to leave with her, he was leaving all he had behind too. All because she ran into him on the street.

And with her eyes on the ground, Aura closed the gap between them and embraced him tightly, his heartbeat in her ear as she carried on squeezing him. Once the silence became deafening, she was unsure of how much time had passed and stepped back abruptly, using her sleeves to dab her eyes.

“I, um, I’m gonna get ready, I –“ She halted as her fingers ran through her hair, which now just barely brushed her shoulders. “My fucking hair,” she mumbled. “I’ll explain everything on the way…” Her cheeks flushed red, and her eyes darted to the doorknob, which no longer held the present she left behind.

In embarrassment, she grabbed a pail filled with water and waved a hand as nonchalantly as she could to Kieran, as if the past five minutes had not taken place. “Just gonna wash up. I’ll be ready in ten.” 

But as soon as she disappeared out of his vision, Aura stopped and leaned on the wall, a smile tugging mercilessly on the corners of her lips. It was not a time for happiness, but she savored the feeling for a moment before shaking herself out of it. They had an escape to plan.