Soulless

Twenty Two | After School Special

Lunden Evergreen

He stood in the doorway waiting for me. His eyes were staring down at his loafers against the carpeted flooring. But as he begins to look up his eyes stop and his pupils flared.

As I looked down to see the problem, I noticed my hands and the now bloody doorknob.

"Angelo..." He took my hand into his to see the damage and then I heard a throat clear. It calls both our attention and in the crack of the door a teary-eyed Aunt Kelly stood. This wasn't the most pleasant circumstance of an introduction, but here it was.

"Atlas this is my Aunt Kelly" He cautiously steps into my dorm room and lets the door shut behind me. I knew he was confused but more so concerned.

"Aunt Kelly this is my boyfriend Atlas" Her eyes widened at the mention of a significant other. Something I lacked my entire life, something she'd assumed I'd tell her immediately. Turning back to him I look back to my hands.

"I just told her about my Father" I swallow the lump in my throat as I speak, a harder topic to touch on. But instead, his eyes remained fixated on my hand.

"We need to get that stitched up" He urges and then turns to Aunt Kelly, "It's nice to meet you" He offers out his hand to her while the other holds my bleeding one.

"You as well" She ignores the handshake and instead pulls him in for a half hug. I knew she was shocked, in more ways than one. I'd never been in a relationship and to not tell her was another thing.

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I hated these cold waiting rooms, and I felt even worse that I dragged the two of them here with me. I knew Atlas probably thought I'd need some anxiety medication. It's not that I'm meaning to harm myself, I just get so stressed.

I leaned my head against his chest as the doctor re-stitched my hands. My face was pressed into his abs as I closed my eyes tight. I felt the bandage wrap on and as I opened my eyes it was over.

Aunt Kelly sat patiently in the chair beside the door. I knew she was incredibly curious about me and him, and how I trusted him so much.

The doctor excused himself leaving the three of us, "You ready to go?" His fingers run through the side of my head and I nod. Aunt Kelly hands me my green coat and I step out the door first.

"Thank you for taking care of her" I hear Aunt Kelly say in the lowest of voices.

"She's the love of my life" The words leave his mouth as he whispers back. He had not a clue that I heard him but I did as my heart fluttered sending my stomach into a frenzy.

Making it out of the urgent care we make it to the sidewalks of Boylston and I finally take a deep breath. I felt the flush of my cheeks as the cold air began to set against my face.

"What's up with you?" He asks staring at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked and this time Aunt Kelly stepped forward feeling my forehead.

"She feels fine, you just looked a little red" Now I felt more mortified than before. So instead I shake my head taking a deep breath.

"Perfectly fine Aunt Kelly I promise" She squeezes my arm as she wraps it tight around mine.

"If you insist, how about I take you both to lunch... so I can get to know your boyfriend" She emphasizes the word as I could almost cringe. I get why it was a big deal to her, I was like her daughter. I'd be freaking out too if my daughter who's never shown interest in a soul, now had a boyfriend.