Whirling Storms: Darius

18

"Are all of your things here?" Neo asked as he put my luggage at his car's trunk.

"That's all Neo. You have been asking that question for how many times already." I pointed out because it is becoming a little annoying to the ears.

"Just wanted to make sure. Who knows if you left something important?" he reasoned out but I just rolled my eyes as an answer.

I entered the car first and wore the seatbelt. I pulled out my mirror to check my makeup as I wait for Neo to enter the car. The car door opened and finally, Neo sat on the driver's seat.

"We need to swing by Walmart. Mom is asking me to run an errand." Neo informed as we zoom to the quiet streets of my neighborhood.

"Okay, I'm fine with that. Let's go and buy burger and fries too on the way." I suggested to him.

"Why? Didn't you have breakfast?" he asked and gave me a swift glance before looking at in front again.

"Nope. I'll eat brunch with the burger and fries." I answered and Neo nodded.

"Where do you want to buy your brunch?" Neo queried as we were entering the highway.

"Zack's would be fine. I'm okay with anything. You can choose, Neo." I reiterated as I scroll on the screen of my phone.

"You seem busy with something. What are you doing?" he asked as my attention was glued on my phone.

"I'm flooding likes on Alexa's feed. She might message me after this." I mumbled while pressing heart on all of Alexa's posts.

No matter where she is and whatever she does, I want her to know that we are still here. She might have left us without any notice but that won't stop me from being here for her. She will remain my friend forever.

"Sydney..." Neo called with worry and pity in his voice.

I looked at him and let out a laugh. He looked so worried about me checking on Alexa. I can understand where he was coming from. I was the one who received such shock from Alexa's urgent retreat. I do understand why he is worried and takes pity on me.

"I'm just checking how she is doing, Neo. I'm fine now." I assured but Neo's expression didn't changed.

He was still looking at me with brows creased and an uneasy expression.

"Really! Stop making that expression. I don't need your pity, my friend." I said and tapped his shoulder lightly to lift the mood.

"I'm sorry if I haven't told you sooner. It was Alexa's request not to tell you." he still explained and I chuckled at that remark.

"It's fine, Neo. Let bygones be bygones, okay?" I said and Neo didn't budge with that awful expression on his face.

"She left for some acceptable reason, Sydney. She just really needed to leave." Neo then started giving me excuses.

"I know, Neo. I know that she did that for something. And I understand." I pointed out because I really do.

Alexa is like a sister to me. There's no way that I will hold a grudge against her. I know she left us for something even more important. And I understand that. I fully understand why she made such decisions. She still have a personal life that she needs to tend to. It's not like her world only revolves around me and Neo.

"So please stop looking at me with such pity. I don't want to really feel down with everything about Alexa." I informed and our journey went on.

We did the errand Neo was asked to do and even got brunch at Mickey D's drive thru. The atmosphere around us turned bright again which I am thankful for. I don't want to start this small get together with a bad mood. That'll be so awful.

"I'll be swinging by the mart and grab lunch. You should come with me, dear." Aunty suggested after Neo finished unloading my stuffs from his car's trunk.

"She just had brunch, Mom." Neo interfered but I gestured him to close his mouth.

"Is that so, dear?" Aunty asked and I didn't the want her to have lunch alone.

"It's fine, Aunty. Besides, the brunch already got digested so my stomach has space now." I persuaded and I saw how Aunty smiled in glee.

"You should wait for me in the car, dear. I'll just get my handbag and drive us to the mart." Aunty said before entering their house with a smiling face.

When his mom disappeared from our sight, Neo looked at me. He sighed and shook his head in disapproval.

"I'm fine. I'll just eat lunch with Aunty. I don't want her to just go and eat lunch all by herself."

"But we just ate, Sydney. You said you were full just a minute ago."

"No buts, Neo. I'm going with your Mom." I defended and Neo looked at me while shaking his head.

"Suit yourself, scary bear." he said and went inside their house with my luggage.

I didn't wait for long until Aunty drove us to the mart. She said she needed extra stuffs for our night party at their house.

The whole touring around the mart was going so smoothly. We were just striding along aisles over aisle, looking for what Aunty needed. She was just basically buying random stuffs that I don't think will help for the party.

As we enter the aisle of cookies and other pastries, my eyes caught the guy on the far end of the aisle, looking at some bread. My eyes bawled in shock as I saw Darius's face. What is he doing here at this moment?

Maybe I was staring so hard and it made Darius look at our direction. My head instantly snapped away from his sight because I didn't want him to recognize me. Neo doesn't even know that I'm acquainted with Darius. I can't let Aunty know him first before Neo. I'll be super duper doomed.

"Is this okay, Sydney? This is what you and Neo likes, right?" Aunty asked so loudly that I was sure Darius heard it.

My gut feeling wasn't wrong when I saw Darius walking towards our direction from my peripheral view. Don't tell me he is going ti approach me or anything? He won't, right?

"Miss Aronson." his deep voice greeted and I bit my lip.

Does he really have to greet me here? I'm fine with him ignoring me during these kind of times. I crumpled my face into a face that shouted 'no'. While I was doing such a ugly expression, I was looking straight into Darius.

What the hell is he planning?

"Were you talking to me, young man?" Aunty asked Darius and I furiously shook my head.

As I was trying hard to show him not to mention my name again, I remembered that they can read minds.

'Please go away Darius. Don't even say that we know each other.'

I basically replayed that sentence in my mind hoping that Darius read what I wanted. He reads mind! He should use that ability in times like this. He shouldn't waste such gift and must use it everyday.

"Miss Aronson, it's nice seeing you."

My whole world basically fell as Darius muttered those words in front of me and Aunt Nympha.