Heaven ── TOM HOLLAND

09. Apologizing

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      Orion wasn't all too familiar with the feeling of betrayal, but now that she was, she decided she hated it.

      Throughout her life, she lacked affection that every other child seemed to bask in. There were few times Baxter would hug her or kiss her, saying such things would make her crave it often, and he simply didn't have the time for it. Of course he loved her, but physically, he never showed it. Orion understood that, so she never questioned him, making do with the limited affection she received.

      It was Mateo and Kelsey who forced the girl to be more affectionate, Mateo greeting her with a hug every morning he summoned her, while Kelsey made it a habit to hold the girl's hand when they spent time together. It concerned the two that Orion was so unfamiliar with the common acts of kindness, but she never made an effort to fight it, embracing their affection.

      It took her quite some time to reciprocate, and to this day, she is still extremely reluctant to do such a thing. So her embrace with Tom wouldn't have happened if it wasn't extremely necessary at that moment. The first hug they shared was only for Mateo's sake, and she barely held on as tight as Tom had held onto her. Yet yesterday, she clung onto him like she would Mateo or Kelsey, and that's why him breaking her trust bothered her so deeply.

      She allowed herself to be somewhat affectionate with him, still holding onto him for a minute or two after her breathing was back to normal. They were making progress, and all that had to be ruined because of an inability to keep it in his pants.

      Orion had her head leant against her hand, her pen tapping against the table as she read through the file in front of her. She was bored beyond belief, sitting at the same desk for hours on end, hoping to finish the pile of people waiting to be sorted. Letting out a huff, she pushed back the file, throwing her head back in annoyance. Usually by now, Tom would have summoned her, giving her an excuse to spend less time in the office. But not being on speaking terms was taking a toll on her, and for a second, she considered giving up the whole silent treatment act she'd been trying to do.

      Her eyes had been shut for all of five seconds before they opened once more, chatter all of a sudden filling the office. She sat up straight, eyebrows shooting up at the sight of a person walking in with flowers, their face blocked by the large bouquet. She couldn't help but look behind her to Elaine, assuming they were a gift for her recent engagement. It seemed Elaine thought the same, the woman perking up slightly, a smile settling on her lips.

      She waited to see the person walk past her and to Elaine's desk, hoping to catch the girl's bright smile and exchange some sort of congratulations through just their eyes. But Elaine's eyes suddenly landed on Orion, her smile faltering over so slightly. The engaged woman lifted a finger, pointing to what she could only assume was behind Orion.