Walt Disney Academy ✔

Chapter 55: For All We Know

Aurora and Philip sat down on the steep and stable peak of Mt. Pluto, after Films Avenue, located at about five miles from Walt Disney.
Movement was much easier since a whole lot of kids were not in school anyway. It would have been necessary to go for the party but Aurora knew better than to let herself in after she'd just destroyed the hostess' happiness.

"You cold?" Philip didn't wait for an answer before he turned around to fetch a large plaid shawl from the small picnic basket.

Aurora didn't resist when the weight of the thick material fell upon her head and shoulders. Rather, she smiled and patted her shoulder carefully, swallowing up the feel of it.

How she wished the peace of the night would last forever, though she was sure it wouldn't.

They stared up at the night sky. Philip must have been a genius to select the perfect night for this outing (either that or it was quite a coincidence that the night clashed with Jasmine's party), for the sky might have been starless, but the clouds were few and the atmosphere was blessed with white specks of frost and snow.

"I love the air tonight. Chilly. Peaceful." Aurora smiled again. "Beautiful." And to think if she hadn't been lucky, she wouldn't have seen tonight. Life was so precious.

"It's like you can just forget about your worries by looking at the sky. Now that's a therapy nobody talks about." Philip leaned back so that his palms supported his weight behind him.

Aurora looked at him as he stared up at the night sky. How on earth did he manage to stick around when a societal gathering was going on?

"Thank you. For being here."she whispered, immediately causing him to snap her a glance.
She looked down at her hands once more. "And I've been nothing but mean throughout. You have no idea how sorry I am."

"I've told you to forget about it. I haven't been a saint myself. You remember Merida, don't you?"

Aurora giggled. "I guess we've all been in the wrong then." He finally matched her gaze. "But here we are still. Two imperfect souls."

He continued to look at her, even when she turned away, not sure of what to say.

"You know why I like you?"

The question came out of nowhere from Philip, causing Aurora to look at him dumfoundedly.

"I like you because I know you've got a heart. You're like... so golden."

Her face turned red. "Golden?"

He saw her shift uneasily. "I mean- you're so... I dunno... just real good inside. Real shiny. Like you've got way too much inside of you that just causes this... this radiation."

"Radia..." she whispered to herself as she looked down at her feet on the grey blanket.

He felt he'd said too much. So he drew himself together and wrapped his arms around his knees, drawing his legs to himself.

There was this brief silence, either comfortable or uncomfortable. Aurora then turned their snack satchel and pulled out a can of sprite.

He heard the can click. Then he exhaled.

"You know why I like you?" She suddenly sliced through the tension between them like as if she hadn't noticed it.

Philip dared to look at her. "Huh?"

"You're surprisingly caring. And bold. Caring enough to realise when someone is hurt and you had a hand in it. Brave enough to always go back to clean up the mess you make. I take caring and bold as strength. You're pretty strong." She took a swig.