Timeless

|3| Good old Mary Webb.

Aria stretched her arms out, knocking the small lamp off of the table beside the sofa. It clattered along the wood flooring, rolling to the wall. She rubbed her eyes, grunting at the loud sound. Her notebook and pen lay across her stomach, the pages open. They too fell as she sat up, clashing onto the ground. She stood, the room still dark, telling her the sun was yet to rise. She explored the room with her eyes, blurry from sleep, in search of a coffee machine. One sat in the corner of the kitchen, red and slightly grubby looking. She trudged over, setting it up and switching the appliance on.
After getting through her third coffee of the morning, the sun rounded the horizon, shining through the cracks in the curtain. Grabbing her keys and shoving them in her bag, she opened the front door, pulling it shut behind her.
Aria's eyes wandered the different streets of the now crowded town. She knew how to restrain herself from attacking everyone she saw, she'd had a few centuries to practice and learn. Crossing the road, her eyes landed on Chris and her mood suddenly lifted. Aria jogged over the rest of the road and slowed down when she caught up with the man.
"We never got to introduce ourselves last night." Aria started, she didn't care about who Chris was, she just wanted answers.
Aria could feel the discomfort radiating from Chris. "Uhmm, yeah I'm - Chris." He told Aria, between gulping pauses. Aria smiled falsely at him.
"Want to go for breakfast, maybe a coffee." Aria asked, cheerfully, rolling her eyes at her own tone. She held her hands behind her back, slowing down her strides to match Chris'.
Chris nodded.
Finding a seat towards the back of the bar, Aria sat down looking up at Chris. She focused on his features for a moment, narrowing her eyes, picking up on every small detail. The slight dip in his chin, the way the hazel in his eyes melted into the pupil. Then Aria noticed the strange look from the man.
"What?" Chris asked, furrowing his brow but recovering with a small smile.
"Nothing." Aria noted, shaking her head.
Chris laughed, causing Aria to carry out a confused expression for a few moments.
" So Beth's a real - character." Aria stated, starting conversation.
" Yeah, she can be a handful." Chris answered, shrugging with his reply.
Aria laughed forcefully. " She reminds me of someone."
" You mean Mary." He told Aria.
Mary. A girl she met in the late 1800's. 1879, to be exact. She found her wandering through the town an expression of pain across her face. She took her in, only to find out she was immortal, like herself. She taught her the way she had lived, the dos and don'ts. Mary was too sweet and innocent for a vampire, something she didn't keep for very long after she met Aria. Aria always felt like Mary looked up to her for the short couple of years they spent together, like a younger sister would.
A couple of years after they met, Mary told Aria about her past. How she had fled her home in Scotland to escape an ancient ritual. Aria grew closer to Mary and would do anything to protect her from harm. She was the closest thing Aria had to family and even Mary had to leave her. Of course, Mary told Aria to come with her to Osthill but she couldn't. She couldn't settle until she found her family.
She hadn't seen Mary since.
Aria drifted out of her trail of thought, Chris sat down in front of her now. He folded his arms, rubbing the sides of them as he did. Was Mary still alive?
" Is she still around?" Aria asked, hope in her voice. Another lost part she has cared for, she would find her again.
Chris nodded. "Yes, unfortunately." He responded. Aria lips curved up into a real smile, not a false one she'd put on.
Aria and Mary were allies. If one were in trouble the other would come to the rescue, not that they often worked without each other. And soon they'd reunite if Aria had anything to do with it.
This thought cheered Aria up from the long, unsuccessful drive she took that morning.
"Why unfortunately?" Aria asked, intrigued.
Chris gave her a look of stupidity, like Aria was meant to know from his tone of voice.
" We don't get along." He replied, giving nothing away.
Aria rolled her eyes.
"Why." She pushed her for answers.
" She's the reason this towns problems are what they are. She took in Beth when she was first - you know, turned. But Beth didn't want that lifestyle, so she ran away, and Mary's hated her since. She wants everyone to pay for what Beth put her through."
Chris stopped, breathing heavily. Mary really worked him up.
Good old Mary Webb.
" So you'd say she has a constant presence here?"- Aria questioned, a brow raising with the words.
" I guess so." He shrugged, slight confusion clouding his features.
" Good- " Aria began, smiling. She sat back in her seat, strangely comfortable. She guessed it was the good news. "- by the way. My names Aria. Aria Dubois."