Trapped in his paroxysm

Chapter |04|

When I got back, Didi and Asher were eating bowls of cereal.

"What took you so long?" Didi asked, looking up with mild curiosity.

"I couldn't decide which painkillers to get," I said, leaving out my encounter with Mr. Painkiller Connoisseur.

Didi gave me a skeptical look but didn't push further. Of course, Asher thought otherwise. "Hmm. I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want," I shrugged, placing the painkillers on the table and grabbing a bowl from the rack.

"You see, that's exactly what someone hiding something would say," Asher retorted, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Oh, please." I rolled my eyes, pouring cereal into my bowl and adding milk. "By the way, where's Emelie?"

"Still in bed," Didi replied, a slight frown creasing her brow.

"Avoiding the topic, are we?" Asher's voice was sharp, almost cutting.

It always annoys me just how well Asher knows me. Taking my bowl of cereal, I sat opposite Didi, trying to ignore Asher's probing gaze.

"Not avoiding anything," I shrugged, eating a spoonful of cereal and forcing a casual demeanor.

Before Asher had the chance to ask me any more questions, I quickly finished my cereal. Just as I was about to make my escape, Emelie came downstairs, her hair tousled and eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Where are you off to?" she asked as I was midway up the stairs.

"I need to head back to my apartment. I've got work tomorrow and I need to finish a report," I replied, trying to sound convincing.

"Aww, too bad. Can't you do that later?" Em pouted, her disappointment evident.

"It's a pretty long report and it has a deadline," I lied, my heart sinking slightly at the deceit. Well, technically not everything was a lie. I had a report, but it wasn't due until tomorrow evening.

"Okay, if you say so. Safe trip," she said, her tone tinged with resignation.

I quickly made my way upstairs and gathered my things. Sitting at the edge of Em's bed, I glanced around, feeling a pang of guilt. I hated lying to them, but I needed some space to think. To breathe.

After a brief goodbye to everyone, I headed back home. Stepping into my apartment, I made a mental note to do a little tidying up later. The place was a mess, much like my thoughts.

As I dropped my bag on the couch, my mind wandered back to the encounter with Ajax at the store. His intense eyes, the way he spoke – it all lingered in my thoughts, refusing to let go. Who was he, really? And why did our brief interaction affect me so deeply?

I sighed, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts. Focus, Aurelia. You have work to do. I opened my laptop and tried to concentrate on my report, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Ajax. Why did he leave such an impression on me?

Deciding I needed a distraction, I started tidying up my apartment. As I picked up scattered clothes and organized my desk, I couldn't help but replay our conversation in my mind. There was something about him, something that made me want to know more. But was it worth the risk?

My phone buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was a message from Didi.

Didi: Hey, just checking in. You okay?

I smiled at her concern and quickly typed a response.

Me: Yeah, just got home. Thanks for asking.

As I hit send, I realized I couldn't keep my encounter with Ajax to myself forever. Maybe talking about it would help. I made a mental note to bring it up the next time I saw Didi and Em.

For now, I needed to focus. I sat back down at my desk and opened my report, determined to finish it. But as I typed, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever see Ajax again. And if I did, what would I say?