𝟏• 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐂 | 𝐓𝐕𝐃 ✓

THIRTY-EIGHT [UNEDITED]

Playing around with the piece of gum in her mouth, Aurelia slung her bag over her shoulder as she walked through the campus of Whitmore, conflicted about her presence there. She looked at her phone, scrolling through her list of songs as she felt her mood worsen with the song she was listening to.

"Um, hello?" Someone asked, their voice loud enough to catch her attention. She turned around, making eye-contact with a guy. She tucked her hair behind her ear, pulling out her earplugs. He was a little taller than her, with blonde hair and blue eyes. "You depressed or something?" He asked. She made a face, before he rolled his eyes. "You look like you're dead or on drugs." She forced a short laugh.

"Wow, thanks." She said. "I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

"No, you don't." He said. "Before I come off as a creep, I'll just get to the point."

"Which is?"

"Are you a friend of Elena's?" He asked. She nodded. "Oh, I just wanted to talk to her about something."

"She's out with my sister, shopping for a party of some sort." She said. "I'll tell her to, um, get back to you." She paused.

"What?" He asked. She looked at him, slightly irritated.

"I should know your name for that to happen." She said.

"Aaron." She hummed in response. "So, if you don't mind me asking, are you on something?" She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Okay, is something wrong?"

"Nothing, except for the fact that a person I care about died, and I wasn't supposed to care about him, but it just hurts, because I saw something in him that drew me in." She said. "So, that's all, and I shouldn't depress other people with problems they don't have to experience. So, I'll just—"

"I know what loss feels like." He cut in. She grimaced in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry." She said. "A friend?"

"Yeah. I think you knew her." She frowned. "Megan? Your ex-roommate?" She blinked several times.

"Oh, you're her friend." She muttered, before taking a deep breath. "Sorry for your loss."

"Sorry for yours, then." He said. She smiled, before turning around. "You know, since I gave you my name, I think you should give me yours."

"So, I owe you, now?" She asked, hearing a hum from him. "Aurelia." She continued to walk towards the dorm room, wanting to close the blinds and sit underneath her covers while eating her feelings out.

However, when she opened the door, she saw Bonnie on the phone while Elena and Caroline set down their shopping bags.

The blonde stood still, internally hitting her head over and over again with the amount of commotion in the dorm room, which was made by three people.

"Aurelia!" Caroline exclaimed, before she made a face at Aurelia's expression. "Where have you been for the past few days?!"

"Um, back at our place. I was spending some time with Liz, just because I was tired." She said, glancing at Bonnie. "Well, I'm here now. And in time for that party which I have to go to." She said.

"Okay, forget about the party for the next hour." Caroline said. "What the hell happened to you?!"

"Um, I'm just chewing gum and listening to music." Aurelia said, giving her sister a weird look. Caroline furiously shook her head, walking towards her.

"No! I mean, what is going on with this?!" She asked, looking at Aurelia's hair and outfit. "You're wearing sneakers!"

"Yeah, because my heels broke. I borrowed one of your old pairs." Aurelia defended in a bored tone. "I'm due for a hair wash, and I was wearing something comfortable to travel for four hours in."