The Promise

9) Aurora

I wake up to the sound of silence.
It feels so strange to be in a quiet place; I look around me not believing that I live here or that I’m far away from home.
I stand up moving towards the curtains, I open them and my breath catches.
It’s the best view of the city and the buildings from above with a full display of the sky at dawn.
After a while of gazing outside; I head out of my room.
The house is so quiet and dark that my steps are the only sound I can hear and the buzzing of the air conditioner and fridge as well.
I pour some water and enjoy the silence while looking outside at the city from the glass walls when I hear the door opening.
“Heyy, you’re up” Dionne says softly as she comes in.
“Yes, I am” I tell her.
“You look better- wait were you crying?” she said when she came in front of me.
“No, I wasn’t” she ignores me and inspects my eyes then takes my hands pulling me towards a chair next to the counter.
“it’s nothing really” I push then she shushes me heading for the freezer to get an ice pack.
“Put those, it’ll be okay” she says softly.
I smile, she says laughing “What?”.
“You’re a lot quieter now, night lowers your voice” I murmur.
She slaps my arm playfully “She has humor!”.
I laugh, “Wow” she muses.
“What “I look at her.
“You have a beautiful smile! He’ll be head over heels” she mutters the second part.
“Thanks, you’re pretty too” I say.
She looks at me expectantly then she asks softly.
“Can I hug you?” I look up at her my emotions getting on the surface tears prickling at the back of my eyes as I say nothing and nod.
She comes towards me and engulfs me towards her, I close my eyes feeling her comfort, vanilla lacing through my nose.
“You smell so good “I tell her voice shaking.
“You smell good too, I was waiting to ask about your perfume” she says softly smoothing my hair.
I sniff pulling away as she wipes the tears that escaped from my eyes.
“it’s okay, you’re not alone” she says as if knowing that these are the words that I need to hear exactly.
I nod smiling “Thank you”.
“Don’t thank me; you ate?” she asks taking her heels off,
“No, I’m not hungry” I look at her and ask “where were you?” wincing as I catch myself invading her privacy,
She laughs and she says “it’s okay no place for thinking here, I was at the company; I work the night shift cause I’m a night owl, not a morning person at all”
She says as she walks around the counter pulling out a pot filling it with water then places it on the stove.
“You like pasta?” she asks crunching an apple,
I nod
“Great! I’ll change then I’ll come so we can make some to eat together” she says smiling as she plants a kiss on my cheek on her way.
I think I’ll have another best friend.
We finished eating then she made us hot chocolate saying “yes it’s July, but chocolate doesn’t have a season” as we talked about random stuff.
“You seem to have good friends; from the way you’re talking about them” she says,
“they’re all I have” I tell her,
“You’ll have more I know it” she winks,
I smile and ask “Any tips about this year?”
She thinks for a bit then says “Enjoy every second of it cause time is precious and we don’t want it to go in vain, sweetie”
I smile at her “I will”,
She smiles and tells me “What do you expect of us, tell me?”
“I think you are very thoughtful, you made me come here and live in this “I say gesturing around me,
“Actually, it’s our boss, he is tough and cold sometimes, but very thoughtful”
“Yes, but does he go around giving orders like that?” I say warming my fingers with the mug,
“He gives orders, yes; he goes changing the places of the residency of interns, no. That’s why you don’t tell any intern anything when you meet them about staying here, sweetie” she continues.
“I get you, but why?”
“Why what?”
“Why is it secretive? I mean a lot of interns don’t live in the same youth hostel” I clarify,
“Cause you’re living a hall away from his place, darling”
I widen my eyes.

   I look into my reflection as I assess my outfit for the day; it’s white straight pants with a white top and a blue blazer and blue heels.
I let my hair down today, adding some makeup touches and some perfume before heading out.
Yesterday after my time with Dionne, she slept a few hours while I unpacked and organized my stuff and toiletries.
After that we ordered take out while watching a Turkish series I recommended, then I slept early and she went to the company.
I was pouring water when she came after she changed wearing a white short dress that brings out the color of her tanned skin with her hair in a ponytail.
“Fuck” she stops as she looks at me,
“What? is something wrong? should I change?”
“Don’t do anything! you look smoking hot!” she squeals,
“You think it’s appropriate?” I ask.
“More than you think! let’s go, we don’t want to be late” she says linking our arms leading us out of the penthouse.

  We reach NV Valley and I descend the car taking the building I’ll be working at in.
It’s a huge one with glass all over it, I saw it in the pictures, but I didn’t imagine it’d be like that.
I walk inside after Dionne, she smiles and greets people while others look at me, I ignore their gazes and follow her to the elevator.
“Look at me, love” she says and I look at her fidgeting with my fingers when the elevator pings and we head outside.
“First things first, you’ll meet our manager then the other interns then at the end you’ll meet your mentor and spend some time with them, okay? Are you with me?” she states reassuringly,
We stand in front of his office door where her office is and other offices as well.
“I am, any tips?”
She looks at me from head to toe and smiles “No, I don’t think so”
She kisses my cheek “Good luck!” she chirps then leads the way in front of me to his office and knocks piping her head in.
“Miss Soliman is here” she says then she looks at me nodding widening the door open for me.

And I forget how to breath.
He sits at his desk wearing his glasses as he looks at me as I enter the office.
Dionne looks at me and smiles encouragingly then leaves.
I look back at him, thick night black locks of long hair that reaches the back of his neck.
Eyes so deep and intense.
And the hugest body ever.
I've never seen someone so big and broad.
I can see just his shoulders and they alone show how big his body is.
He's wearing a black shirt that clings to his muscles with the first two buttons unfastened.
"Come in, Aurora" he says each syllable rolling out as if my name was invented just for him to utter.
His voice is smooth and deep, it's like a blanket of night that calms your thoughts and body.
His aura is so dark, it screams danger and I have the urge to reach towards it. I'm a sucker for pain anyways, but I'll stop now. I'm not here to get myself into something and I'm not here to hurt my feelings again.