Reflections Rigel Wilde

Laughter Across the Miles

After dinner, I went back to my room and decided to call Rigel on FaceTime. He answered quickly, his hair wet and shirtless, sitting at his desk. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and he game me warm soft smile  "Hey, gorgeous" he said, turning off his video game.

"Hey," I replied, smiling. "Just finished dinner. What were you up to?"

"Nothing much. Just playing some games," he said, his voice warm and cheerful. "But I'd rather talk to you." His gaze swept over me, and he chuckled "Nice pajamas,Did your mom pick those out?"

I laughed, looking down at my floral PJs. "Yeah, actually. She said it's what I'm supposed to wear."

He chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well, I think they look cute on you. But then again, you'd look cute in anything."

"Shut up," I said, rolling my eyes but feeling a warm blush rise to my cheeks. "So, what did you have for dinner?"

"Just some takeout. Definitely not as good as your grandma's cooking, I bet," he said, shaking his head dramatically.

"Probably not," I agreed, smiling. "Tell me more about your day."

"Well, I had this customer today who insisted on having their coffee with exactly two and a half sugars. Not two, not three, but two and a half," he said, his eyes widening in mock astonishment. "People are so weird sometimes."

I giggled. "That's ridiculous. How do you even measure half a sugar?"

"Very carefully," he said, grinning. "And then there was this little old lady who gave me a cookie because she thought I looked sad. It was sweet."

"That's adorable," I said, smiling. "People can be so kind."

"Yeah, they can," he said, his expression softening. "I'm glad you're meeting kind people in Italy too."

"Me too," I said. "But I can't wait to be back with you."

"Same here," he said, his eyes shining with sincerity. "Soon, I promise."

Just then, Adriana popped into the frame. "Hi, Norah!"

"Hi, Adriana! How are you?" I asked, smiling.

"I'm good. We miss you around here," she said. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will. Thanks," I said, feeling warmth in my heart.

"Alright, I'll let you two lovebirds talk," she said, waving and leaving the frame.

Rigel turned back to me, his smile returning. "We should say goodnight, but I really don't want to."

"Me neither," I said, my voice breaking slightly. "But we have to."

"Goodnight, love you," he said, his eyes soft and full of affection. "More than anything."

"love you too," I said, feeling tears prick at my eyes. I quickly took a screenshot of his smiling face and set it as my Lock Screen, wanting to keep him close, even if only on my phone.

As I lay down, a smile spread across my face. Despite the distance and the pain, the connection we shared felt unbreakable. I drifted off to sleep, feeling a little less alone.

-

I dragged myself out of bed, my limbs heavy with exhaustion. With a groan, I shuffled to the bathroom, grabbing my toothbrush and toothpaste. As I brushed my teeth, the minty foam burned in my mouth, waking me up. Grabbed the toothbrush and brushed my teeth, glaring at my reflection in the mirror. After rinsing, I turned on the tap to splash some water on my face, hoping to shake off the grogginess.

Back in my room, I opened my laptop and connected to my online classes, feeling resentful that my mom had forced me into this arrangement. As I half-listened to the teacher's drone, my mind kept drifting back to Rigel. I sighed, tapping out a quick message: "Good morning :)". But as the minutes ticked by, there was no reply.

During lunch break, Grandma peeked into my room, concern furrowing her brow. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" she asked, settling into the chair beside me.

I let out a frustrated sigh, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in my chest. "It's Rigel," I confessed, my voice tense. "He hasn't been answering my messages lately, and I can't shake this feeling that something's wrong."

Grandma listened quietly as I poured out my worries, her expression thoughtful. "Sometimes, our minds can play tricks on us, dear," she said gently. "But don't jump to conclusions. Give him some time, and I'm sure he'll reach out."

I nodded, trying to push aside the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in my head. "You're right," I said, forcing a small smile. "Thanks, Grandma."

We talked for a while longer, swapping stories and sharing laughs. Despite the distance, Grandma always had a way of making me feel better. As we said our goodbyes, I felt a glimmer of hope amidst the turmoil. Maybe, just maybe, things would work out in the end.