Earth Is Mine

Chapter 39

My phone buzzes in my pocket noisily and I quickly pay for my coffee before leaving the cafe. I take a huge sip before using my free hand to pull it out and answer the call.

"Aria, happy birthday!" Joon's voice echoes through the line. "How does it feel to turn twenty six? You're finally catching up with me." 

I smile and side step someone who nearly walked into me. Thankfully, my reflexes have toned down considerably over the last five years. 

The last person I beat up was a guy in my arts class two years ago. I had almost broken his wrist when he had leaned in my comfort zone thinking he was about to attack me. In truth, he was really just trying to steal a paintbrush. 

Now I've learnt that the people here do things like this. They touch and hug each other when they are happy. They sneak around and try to pick pocket or steal from you when you are not looking. There have also been some perverts that I had to deal with but I made a point to never break any bones. 

I guess you could call it progress. 

"Joon, I will never be able to catch up with you, old man." 

"Ouch," He replies. "So what's the celebration? Drinks at your place tonight?" 

"Katy and a few friends have invited themselves over. You might as well join." I take another sip of the vanilla latte that has become my addiction and weave through the crowd towards my studio. 

"Katy is coming as well? Count me in then." Joon has had the biggest crush on Katy, one of my  friends from the arts course I took in university which I joined using the fake credentials I had.

She has warm brown skin and very curly hair that surrounds her head like a halo. Her fearless nature and brazen personality remind me so much of Rosie. I guess it's one of the main reasons why I grew so close to her.

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" I admonish. Joon's flirting around sometimes could rival Remulus.

 I feel a small stab of longing the moment I think of my ex squad member but quickly brush it aside. I don't want to think about them more than I already do.

"Didn't work out," He said. "I think Katy is the one. Anyway what about you? Is Zack coming tonight? Or that Reed guy who is head over heels in love with you." 

"Reed is coming," I reply and then I tuck the phone under my chin as I unlock the door to my tiny art studio. "But only as a friend. Sort of lost touch with Zack."

I went out for coffee one day with someone Katy had introduced. Zack was a nice, well established lawyer who'd just made senior partner in his firm. He'd asked Katy about me after seeing me in one of her pictures and my friend thought it would be a match made in heaven. 

But like all those other coffee dates, this one fell short again. There was always something missing. No one ever piqued my interest and I never bothered keeping in touch. 

I was fine with my solitary life in my studio with my art. 

I walk through the plain white walkway and head to the back where my workshop is. The front houses all the paintings I've done previously, some of which have sold for thousands. 

People who loved them said they were futuristic with all those spaceships and stars. 

But he was always my bestseller. 

The silver haired beautiful alien in my paintings with the pale blue eyes and sharp, angular face. I never drew the real thing, only versions of him and they were still enough to make my heart ache.