SEEKING 7 | boys of tommen

p a s t

I stood awkwardly at Aurora's door, my feet
hesitating as she sat on the edge of her bed, kicking her shoes off casually. Her room was tiny, two beds squeezed into the space—one hers, the other Shannon's. The air smelled faintly of her perfume, a soft, vanilla scent. Aurora glanced up at me with a smirk, her blue eyes catching mine.

"C'mon then, don't just stand there like a statue," she chuckled, patting the bed beside her.

I shuffled over and sat down, the mattress sinking slightly under my weight. Her bedside table was surprisingly clean, with only a few items scattered across it: a lip gloss, a small bottle of perfume, and a picture frame. I leaned in closer, squinting at the photo.

The woman in the picture had long, blonde hair cascading down her shoulders, dressed in a sleek black dress paired with matching heels. Something about her felt familiar. My mind churned, trying to place her face. Then it hit me.

My dad's funeral. May 1995.

I was young, sitting in the front row of the church, my heart heavy as Father Murphy droned on. My eyes had focused on the two coffins in front—one for my dad, one for my sister. The priest's words were lost on me, a blur of prayers and hymns drowned by the weight of grief.

After the service, we all filed out to the cemetery. I stood there, watching as they lowered the coffins into the open graves. Just as I turned to leave, I spotted her. A girl, standing by another grave, trying hard not to cry. Her blonde hair shimmered in the afternoon light, her black dress identical to the one the other girl wore. Our eyes met for a brief moment. She gave me a small, hesitant smile and waved. I wiped my tears on the sleeve of my shirt, managing a weak wave in return.

"Gibsie?"

Aurora's voice pulled me back to the present. I blinked, shaking the memory from my head.

"Shit, sorry," I muttered, rubbing my neck awkwardly. "What's up?"

"You've been staring into space for like, five minutes." She laughed softly, pulling a blanket over her lap. She was in her joggers and a bra again, her hair thrown up in a messy bun, looking effortlessly comfortable.

I glanced back at the photo. "I didn't know you had a sister," I said quietly, nodding toward the picture frame.

Aurora followed my gaze, then laughed. "That's not my sister. That's my mam."

My heart skipped a beat. "Wait—no way. That was you I saw that day?"

Her brow furrowed, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"At my dad and sister's funeral," I explained. "You and your mam were there, at another grave. You waved at me."

Her face softened, her lips curving into a small smile. "Holy shit. That was you?"

I nodded, the memory clearer now. "Yeah. Talk about fate, huh?"

Aurora laughed, the sound light and easy. "Invisible string or what?"

I shook my head in disbelief. "You and your mam... you're the spitting image of each other. I've never seen a resemblance like that."

Her eyes lit up with mischief. "Wanna meet her?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh, sure?"

She grinned. "Close your eyes."

"Okay..." I hesitated but followed her instructions. I heard her shuffle around before the bed dipped under her weight again.

"Open."

When I opened my eyes, I nearly choked. She was holding a tiny gray urn in her hands.

"Jesus Christ!" I gasped, my heart racing as she burst into giggles.

"Mam, meet Joker. Joker, this is Mam."

I stared at her, wide-eyed. "You're a dickhead, you know that?"

Still laughing, she set the urn down carefully on the bedside table. "Mam had a great sense of humor, trust me... when I was younger anyways."She winked as she pulled the blanket up and settled back in bed.

"Get in," she said, her voice softer now. "We're napping."

Without thinking twice, I climbed in beside her. The bed was a tight fit—it was a single, and we were both tall—but somehow, we made it work. Aurora turned on her side, her head resting against my chest. Her breathing slowed, becoming steady as I absently ran my fingers through her hair, twisting the loose strands.

It was crazy. We'd crossed paths before, never knowing we'd end up here. I looked down at her peaceful face, her eyes closed as she drifted off. I kissed her forehead softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I love you," I whispered.

_________________

When I woke up, the room was dim. Outside, the sky was dark, the sun long set. I reached for my phone on the bedside table—6:45 PM. We'd been asleep for over five hours.

I turned my head, only to find Aurora awake, watching me with a lazy smile.

"You're staring," she murmured, her voice thick with sleep.

"Evening, sleeping beauty," I teased. "Unfortunately, I have to go. School night and all."

She groaned, rolling onto her back. "Right. C'mon, Joker." She yawned and winced slightly, rubbing her side.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she mumbled. "Just need to take my meds."

We got up, both moving sluggishly. I slipped my shoes on while she stretched, her body still waking up. We made our way downstairs quietly. Shannon sat on the couch, scrolling through her phone, while Darren was absorbed in whatever book he was reading.

"You in school tomorrow?" I asked as I opened the front door.

"Yeah."

"Good. I'll be here to pick you and Shannon up at 7:45 with Johnny.Be ready."

She smirked. "You sure?"

I grinned, cutting her off before she could protest. "Course."

Leaning down, I kissed her forehead before heading toward my car. Just as I was about to get in, she hurried after me. Grabbing my face, she pulled me into a kiss, her strawberry lip gloss lingering on my lips.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Joker," she whispered with a smile.