We Fell in Love in Octuber<3

Cigarettes in the moonlight

The sound of the wind blowing was usually the only thing I felt at night. I woke up to a strong smell of smoke at 3:47 in the morning. I looked around my room but couldn’t find anything that could have caused that odor.

The curtain in my room was partially open. I decided to get up, and with bare feet, I went to the window and opened it completely. That’s when I saw Aurora.

Aurora was the new neighbor who had recently moved in.

She was the complete opposite of me. While I was introverted, she was entirely extroverted and ambitious. When she arrived in the village, it caused a complete stir, making her the center of attention at school. I, on the other hand, prefer the comfort of my books.

Suddenly, Aurora saw me. Her eyes sparkled with amusement and recognition.

"Awake at this hour?" she said in an amused tone. "I never imagined the little library princess would stay up late without her parents' permission."

I hesitated a little but responded.

"And what are you doing?" I asked firmly.

Aurora took a drag of her cigarette, speaking in a quieter tone as if sharing a secret.

"Sometimes, you just need a moment to escape routine, and the night has its best ways of helping me."

"You shouldn't be doing that. Smoking isn’t exactly healthy."

Aurora laughed, her laugh light and carefree.

"I know, but it’s a way of dealing with things, right? And for some reason, it’s part of who I am."

She took another drag, but this time, her gaze was more inviting.

"Look, if you ever want, you can always come talk to me." She gave a small smile. "See you around, library girl!"

Before I could say anything, she turned and left, leaving me alone in the dark as she walked back to her house.

As Aurora disappeared into the darkness, I stood still at the window, watching her go, intrigued by her for reasons I couldn't quite grasp. The smell of smoke lingered in the air, but now it touched me differently, leaving me restless.

I sighed and lay back down, but my mind was trapped in that unexpected encounter, replaying every word and expression on Aurora’s face. I couldn’t help but think about our differences and contrasts—her always so sure of herself, and me, locked away in the confines of my books like a mouse.

Still, she made me curious. Maybe because of her boldness or her spontaneous nature.

But why on earth was she smoking in the middle of the night?

While I was lost in thought, I didn't even notice the first rays of sunlight creeping in. I checked the time, 5:23 AM, and my alarm went off at 5:25 for school. I knew something would be different today, maybe because I had seen a side of Aurora no one else had.