Fallen Angel

1. The beginning

Aurora woke up at 1am. She had been nervous for days and she didn't quite know why. Probably, the fact that it was the last year of university made her feel anxious. What would she do after her studies? She had always wanted to dedicate herself to art, but after years of studying, she found it more and more complicated. Her world was full of doubts.

She sat up on the bed, her breathing still fast. She had just had a nightmare, although she didn't remember it. A shiver ran through her body and it was then that she realized that, before falling asleep, she had left the window a little open. The morning breeze crept into the room pushing back the curtain. She got up and closed it. She walked around the room with her arms crossed, thinking what to do to fall asleep again. Then she looked out the window again and noticed a boy walking his dog. "What time do they take the dogs for a walk?", she asked herself. She thought it was crazy to be out in the street at that hour. She thought that perhaps, precisely, a night walk would make her feel better. "I'm crazy", she said to herself, but she put on her shoes, put on a jacket and went outside.

She passed by where she had seen the boy walking with the dog and noticed a sign hanging on the lamppost. It announced the opening of a new amusement park soon. It delighted and surprised her in equal measure. An amusement park would bring joy and celebration. Maybe even he would come... no, surely not. It was a stupid thought.

She turned around and headed back home. The neighbourhood was very quiet at that time. When turning to enter her street, she collided with a person.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Aurora apologized.

"Don't worry, it's okay" answered a male voice. When Aurora turned to see his face, he was gone.

She continued until she was in front of the door to her block of flats, opened it and went up the stairs. She entered the apartment, drank a glass of water, and finally crawled back into bed. Nothing special had happened, apart from finding out about the new amusement park and the meeting with the mysterious boy, but she had done very well to calm the nervousness that had awakened her. She covered herself with the blanket and, after a few minutes, fell asleep again.

***

The next morning, she didn't hear the alarm clock. She ended up leaving the house still swallowing her breakfast and running as if she was running for her life so as not to be late for class. It was thanks to her best friend, Olivia, who insisted by ringing the doorbell countless times. Olivia always waited for her to go to class together, and it used to be that way because Aurora was a sleepyhead and there was no way to wake her up in the morning.

"Come on, Aurora! Open the damn door, we're late!"

"I'm not asking you to wait for me..." she mumbled, opening the door while yawning.

"Come on, Aurora!"

"Listen, do you know they're going to open an amusement park nearby?" Aurora tried to change the subject as she closed the door and quickly left the building.

"Oh, really? This is interesting. We could go there, when they open!"

Aurora smiled in approval. It was Monday morning and the day was supposed to be quiet, at the faculty. They had no exams or assignments to hand in, just go and listen to what the teacher had to explain to them and take notes. But it wasn't just any Monday.

"Girls, you're late," the teacher scolded them when they entered the classroom.

"Ah... sorry."

And their eyes met. Aurora blushed and immediately turned her head away in shame. Olivia couldn't stop smiling at him. In front of them there was a new boy introducing himself to the class. He was tall, with hair as dark as night and eyes as blue as a cloudless sky. He looked at them with a smirk in his face.

"He is Ethan Hedger. From today he will study with us. Ethan, you can sit at the free table next to Aurora"

The teacher pointed to the place and the boy sat down. Aurora sat next to him, and Olivia right behind her, as always. Ethan kept looking at Aurora, a detail that Olivia did not ignore. During their free time, Olivia invited Ethan to spend time with her and Aurora, although Aurora was feeling a bit uncomfortable because she noticed that this guy didn't stop looking at her during the whole class. They introduced themselves properly, but Aurora decided to stay quiet the rest of the time and allowed Olivia to win his heart, which is what it seemed she wanted to do.

After classes, Aurora and Olivia came back home together. When they reached their block of flats, a boy with dark hair was leaning against the wall, staring at the floor. Hearing footsteps, he raised his head.

"Oh, it's you, girls."

"Ethan! What are you doing here?" asked Olivia, excited. Aurora stayed behind her friend.

"I wait for my last boxes to arrive. Today I finish the move for good"

"The move?" Aurora asked, surprised.

"Oh, Aurora speaks, this is new. But yes. From today I will live in this block of flats."

"What?!" she asked, horrified by that idea and ignoring the first part of his sentence.

It was the same block of flats where she lived.

"It looks like I'll have some beautiful views," he said, smiling.

"Well, if your apartment faces the other side, there's the river..." commented Aurora.

"Oh, no, I didn't say it because of the landscape."

Aurora looked in the direction he was looking and realized he was looking her up and down, analysing every part of her. He didn't stop smiling.

"You are disgusting!" she shouted, trying to slap him on the cheek. He stopped her just in time by grabbing her wrist and moving even closer to her.

"It was a joke", he said in a more serious way and looking at her. Aurora felt intimidated by these blue eyes. "Anyway, I guess we'll see each other often." He turned to her friend. "Do you live around here, Olivia?"

"Yes! In fact, I live on the first floor of this same block. It's amazing that we will be that close! Isn't it, Aurora?"

"I guess so..."

Aurora looked at him accusingly. He just smiled at her and entered the building next to Olivia.

Aurora stopped at the mailbox. When she opened it and saw that it was empty, she closed it again, sad.

"Hey, Aurora, are you coming?" asked her friend, already holding Ethan's arm.

"Ah... yes, yes, go, I come now," she said, with a sad smile.

Ethan looked at her and couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl who suddenly looked like sadness herself.

A few seconds later, Aurora went up to the fifth floor, where her small study was. She came in, exhausted and sighing. She left her backpack on the floor and went out to the balcony to breathe fresh air.

"Wow, looks like we'll be neighbours!"

A male voice shook her. She turned and saw Ethan on the balcony to the right, dressed in sports clothes.

"What?! This can't be happening to me..."

"It seems I wasn't kidding that much when I said I'd have good views." He winked at her.

Aurora glared at him and went back inside. What a nightmare to have that guy living next door!

//

Hi guys! This is just the first chapter, but what do you think so far? I hope you liked it!