Aurelia [h.s.]

three

Harry doesn't call or come over for the rest of the week.

To say that she's disappointed is an understatement. Aurelia really thought that, if anything, he did really want to be her friend. Apparently not. Friends don't just disappear like that. Well, they can, but not if they want to stay friends.

Although she can easily be overreacting to his absence, she isn't used to having anyone to talk to other than her parents, who are always constant. Perhaps he's just busy? His lack of contact doesn't for certain mean that he's avoiding her, right?

He did just move here from England. Surely he has to sort some things out. Aurelia's not sure. This has happened before and she had been right all of those times.

It's Sunday when her mother finally decides to ask, "What happened to that nice boy?"

Aurelia shrugs and pushes her food around on the plate that she can't see. "I don't know. He might be busy, or he might be avoiding me like what tends to happen every time I think I've at least made a friend. It's no big deal, mom. Please just leave it alone."

She's in no mood to talk about it, especially because she knows that her mother will dwell on the subject.

Her mother gives her a sad look before pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Alright, sweetie. I'm sorry."

Sorry won't ever be enough. She feels awful for how people treat her daughter and for the strain that it puts on her heart, but there's nothing she can do about it. There are mean people in the world and that's just a sad part of life.

The next few hours pass slowly and are beyond the point of awkward. And it bugs Aurelia because, when parent's try to get involved, it only ever seems to make things worse somehow. Her mother's unusual silence bothers her too and it almost changes her plan to attend Donovan's support group.

She's got a small hope that Harry will be there and she wants to go to understand what's going on between them. But she also doesn't want to go because she doesn't want to hear him tell her that he's not interested in her at all.

"Would you like to stop at that little café of yours for coffee before your meeting?"

Aurelia sighs. She really hasn't made up her mind about going this week or not, all because of some stupid boy. Why should she let some boy dictate what she does? Screw him. She decides to go whether or not he shows up. It's part of her routine to try and get through to others that dying doesn't have to be sad. No boy is going to take that away from her.

"Yes, I would like that."

Before she leaves, Aurelia has her mother help her with her makeup again. She hates that things are this way, but she's very happy that her mother helps her so much more than she has to.

The awkward silence continues until they're sitting in the parking lot of the church where the meetings are held and Aurelia's the first to break it.

"Mom, it really isn't that bad. I'm okay, I promise. Just-please go back to normal. I hate these awkward silences and I know that you do too."

Her mother sighs softly and relaxes her shoulders. "You're right. I really am sorry that this keeps happening to you, sweetheart. Just because you're blind, it doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you."

Aurelia pushes the door open and steps out of the car. She doesn't particularly like talking about her blindness and she just wants to get out of the car.

"Only the fact that I'm dying as well. I'll see you at home, mom."

Once again, Melissa greets her at the door and she's another step closer to being deaf. But, she greets her in the same manner that she always has because nothing is wrong. Life has just tricked her again, but she's used to it by now. Really. She is.