When Reserve & Audacity Intertwine

Chapter two "Swaying to The Heart's Beat".

When Reserve and Audacity Intertwine.

Chapter two
"Swaying to The Heart's Beat".

Time skip

Before the fresher's party, Nia and Emma approached me with concern etched on their faces.

"Aviva, what happened earlier?" Nia asked, her voice soft.

"I'm fine, just a bit overwhelmed," I replied, trying to brush it off.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Emma pressed, her eyes searching mine. "You looked like you'd seen a ghost."

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just got suffocated by the crowd."

Nia and Emma exchanged a knowing glance. "So, you're coming to the party, right?" Nia asked, her voice laced with excitement.

But I shook my head, my mind still reeling from the earlier encounter. "No, I'm going to skip it. I don't want to risk getting suffocated again."

Emma and Nia looked at me with understanding eyes. "We'll miss you, but we understand," Emma said, giving my arm a reassuring squeeze.

I sighed, my mind racing with excuses to avoid the party. If Ken sees me, he'll definitely come over and start questioning me. I can't face him, not now. I'd rather avoid the awkwardness altogether.

"Why, God, why?" I muttered to myself. "Why do you keep throwing me back into this nightmare?"

Just then, Nia's voice pierced the air. "Aviva, Emma, come here! I've got news!"

I rolled my eyes, wondering what drama Nia had conjured up now. "What is it this time?" Emma asked, exasperated.

"Senior Ken is dating!" Nia announced, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's all over the G-Committee. He's dating one of his friends. I would love to photograph them - I should ask them to model for me. He seems friendly, anyway..."

Emma's eyes lit up. "That means we'll get to see Mrs. Owen today!"

Nia and Emma exclaimed in unison, "We can't miss this! Let's wrap up fast and leave!"

I shook my head, my heart heavy with anxiety. I was not ready to face Ken, not yet. But it seemed like fate had other plans.

I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "He has a girlfriend! Ha! He seemed happy, too." But why did I feel a pang of disappointment? "Nah, I'm going mad," I muttered to myself. "He's off the market, and that's a good thing. I shouldn't be thinking about him anyway."

But my mind was a jumble of conflicting thoughts. "Why am I confused? That guy always messes with my mind!"

After a few minutes of internal debate, I finally made up my mind. "I should go! Yeah, I should go!" I exclaimed, joining Nia and Emma.

But Nia was frantic. "It's 6:30 already! We're late! If we wait any longer, we'll miss Mrs. Owen's and Ken's entry!"

Emma calmed her down. "Quiet down, Nia. Aviva, go get changed while I do my final touch-ups. Go, go, go! We're late, but it won't matter if we're a little more late. And we can always catch up on the Owen's entry on the G-Committee later. Stop worrying, Nia!"

I nodded and rushed off to get ready, my heart still racing with excitement and a hint of nervousness.

Thirty minutes later, I apologized, "Sorry, guys, I tried to hurry, but I'm still late!"

Nia teased, "Damn, Lord, look at you! Who cares about being late when I have two stars in my pocket?" Emma and I laughed at her playful compliment.

"You look like the moon, dear," Emma said, smiling.