Burn the light

Chapter 14

Wattpad won't let me save and post this chapter since yesterday. I don't think the issue will be resolved today so I am trying to post it from my phone.

I hope you can read it without any issue. 𖹭

☆ ☆ ☆

Tap. Tap. Tap.

My fingers clack relentlessly on the table.

I glance for the fourth time towards the door. I am always late but today I am the one who showed up early.

My breath gets caught in my throat as I see my friends pass through the door of the cafe. I get up and as soon as they see me, Sam runs toward me and engulfs me in a hug.

"What happened? We were so worried!"

I put my arms around him but not as tight as I would normally do. I don't feel well. Matthew looks at me and I force a smile on my face.

Today I am going to lie to my friends or at least cover the truth. They cannot know what happened to me those past few weeks and they absolutely cannot know where, and most precisely with whom, I am staying.

"What do you want? My treat."

"Have you found a job?" asks Samuel with a proud smile.

"No, not yet. But I am hopeful."

I am not. Not after receiving so many rejection emails but I cannot say that. I cannot look like I am doing badly even though I am.

"What is happening Aether? Why did you not answer our texts and calls?" demands Matthew.

"I will explain once we will have food and drinks."

"Well... if you are the one paying, I will get the most expensive thing on the menu." says Samuel to lighten the mood.

He does not. He actually takes the cheapest thing on the menu with a drink. I only buy juice for myself. My stomach is too tight for me to eat anything right now. I have never been a good liar.

"Are you ok?" asks Matthew.

I nod and put my hands on my legs to not show how stressed I am. Fidgeting my fingers would show it instantly.

I am a terrible friend. I have not answered their texts and calls for weeks when I was going through all my problems with my landlord and could not afford rent. The only thing that stopped them from calling the cops was probably the fact that I was reading their messages and so they knew I was still around.

I only texted them two days ago, the day after crashing at Eiran's house, asking if we could meet up soon.

"I went to your apartment yesterday." says Matthew.

My stomach contracts. What ?

"Why?" I ask.

Does he know I am not living there anymore? Is it possible that the landlord has already put a ‘to rent’ sign on my window? And why would he go to my apartment when I told them the day before that I was okay?

"Oh my god! Guys! Aether! It's been so long. I thought you moved to another country or worse." a girl says coming our way.

I wish I could look genuinely happy to see her but my smile probably looks like a grimace. First, because I still don't know how much Matthew knows about my situation. Second, because I don’t want to see any of my ex classmates, especially not Sarah.

She likes to talk a lot about her achievements and I am usually happy for her but considering I don't have a job and feel ashamed to the point of not showing my face to the rest of my ex-classmates for months, I fear she will try to know more about my situation and compare it to hers.