\\ Amazing trailer by @loyallyric //
One secret, one curse, is enough to change everything. Everything she knew, everything she thought she understood, became nothing, twisting into an ultimate heap of confusion. He is after her, the one that has...
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I wrap my thick coat closer around my body, every step bringing frigid friction to my bones and sore muscles. The streets are alive as always, as I get closer to the city, the more people there are. Distant car horns travel through the cold air, seeming ten times louder due to the bitter temperatures.
People carrying shopping bags stride on either side of the street, some have beautiful young children while others have a spouse, looking as happy as ever...then there's me, the one that looks like a loan marshmallow roaming from point A to point B.
Trees coated in thick blankets of snow stand towering over the sidewalks, occasional piles of snow dropping from branch to branch. Loud laughter erupts from up ahead, and so does a heavenly scent of mint and cherry, a strange combination, yet the aroma is so strong I find myself staggering toward it.
I stride faster, my steps slowly becoming a jaunt until I'm jogging down the street.
What is this smell?
The aroma seems to stop, the trail leading me to in front of a bar, a bar that is bursting from the seams with drunk men and women, on a Tuesday night. They laugh, they toast, they shout for more.
But, through the crowd, I spot something, more rather a someone. Their back is towards me, but that doesn't change anything, they sit positioned on a high bar stool, their black leather coat, the bartender talking with them.
"Alakade," I whisper, stepping closer to the glass, but I quickly regret it, for he instantly turns around, a questioned yet hopeful look present on his face as he scrutinizes the street, seemingly focused to find something. I drop to my knees as quick as I can, quicker - it seems - than the speed of light. I duck in front of a bush, the dead branches scratching me through my thin leggings.
Faintly, I can hear his breaths, then someone's voice, a voice that sounds like it would belong to a sober worker, more specifically the bartender.
"What is it?"
"I thought I heard someone say my name," the sound of his voice makes me peak over the bush a bit, like a spy in a secret facility. His body is now facing away from the window, back towards the man, away from me.
"You're just paranoid, son, another glass perhaps?" The bartender holds up half full bottle of Whiskey, to which Alakade holds up his empty glass, his elbow positioned on the bar surface.
"To running wild," he lifts his glass, and the man behind the table now has a glass full too, holding it up and repeating the same statement. They both down the liquid, and just as I'm about to leave, I hear his soft yet pained tone whisper, "to forgetting."
"To forgetting."
***
Pushing open the door to the bakery, warmness and the smell of freshly made pastries floods my body and senses. Yet the smell isn't enough to rip me away from my controlling thoughts. I lift my gaze, and search the booths that are full with families, all enjoying sweet treats.
My eyes lock on one person, sitting alone at the back, their eyes scrutinizing the skyscrapers from outside. I slowly make my way towards him, and as soon as I slide into the booth adjacent from him, he breaks away his gaze.
"I'm sorry I'm late," I apologize, "I uh, I lost my way here, so I was a bit delayed," I add.
He glances at me skeptically, "something tells me that that's not true, but I don't care, all that matters is that you're here now," he smiles, his teeth on full display, I smile back for good measure, but it means nothing.
"So, I um...I just wanted to apologize for earlier, I don't know what came over me to act like I did towards you...I'm sorry," he says. Just as I'm about to respond, a waiter comes to the table.
"Hello!" She chirps, "can I start you two off with anything?" She asks, not tearing her eyes away from Jordi, and I internally laugh to that.
"Um, no I'm alright," Jordi answers uncomfortably, and she nods, turning around to me. Her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail whips to the side as she focuses on me.
"And you?"
"Water please," I say, smiling. With that, she strides away, disappearing to the back. Just because the waiter is now gone, doesn't mean that we continue to talk, but instead we stayed silent. The other sounds of voices around us consuming the time we sit there. I try to avoid eye contact, and he tries to get me to talk by quietly staring at me, expecting me to accept his apology, or not...I guess I don't know.
"Why'd you do it?" I question, sick of the voided muteness.
Jordi visibly stills from across from me, I guess he wasn't ready for such a question, but rather a topic different than the one at hand.
He takes in a deep breath, and exhales, "When I saw you and Alakade, I thought that something was going on...so I guess I got jealous and acted out...I'm so sorry, Vivian. I truly am," He repeats.
I peer down to my lap, my hands intertwined, stalling. I tuck the strands of my hair behind my ear, my face fully visible to him now, and I avert my gaze back to him.
I smile faintly, "it's alright."
"So am I forgiven?"
"Yeah, you're forgiven, smalls," I say, chuckling a bit.
He joins in, not rolling his eyes at his ridiculous nickname. Just then, the girl returns with my glass of water, and doesn't say another word.
"So I invited you here because I wanted to ask you something..."
I freeze, but I try desperatly not to make it visible.
"I wanted to ask you if you'd like to come with me to the winter ball on Friday."
