"I put on makeup to express myself. I could care less about my so-called insecurities."
Aura Chandler was so sure she had her life figured out. After securing a photoshoot gig with up-and-coming musician Lacey Redd, she was convinced she would get d...
Aura smiled at a co-worker as she packed up her makeup kit. After her fantasy movie, she had employers reach out to her, asking her to work in their team. She had done multiple photoshoots, a runway moment, and was even hired by bigger artists than Lacey Redd. Now, she was employed to do makeup for an upcoming television show.
Her life had slowly turned the way she wanted it to be.
Once she had everything in order, already mentally preparing herself for the cleaning she was bound to do when she got back to her apartment, she said her goodbyes to the rest of the crew and left. She grabbed her keys and got into her car, making sure everything she owned was situated.
She sat behind the wheel and sighed. The day had been a long one, but she wouldn't have traded it for the world. She was doing what she loved for a living. How could life get any better?
Her phone vibrated in her cup holder, so she fished it out before she drove off. Notifications filled her screen as her friends blew up the chat. She pouted at a particular message.
Zilla: I'm sooooo nervous about New York, but I think it'll be good for me
Her friend was moving to New York. She said it wasn't permanent, but she had been yearning to explore the state for so long, and now that she had taken freedom by the reigns, she was jumping in and hoping for the best.
It saddened Aura to see her go, but she knew it was for the best. Zilla needed time to build herself up, and she knew well enough how traveling across the country could change a person. It would be a wonderful opportunity for her.
Another notification caught her eye. It was from an unknown number. She frowned at it and read through it, which only added to her confusion.
Unknown: Hey..meet me at the surfer joint at Alba Beach
She wondered if it was a wrong number, which seemed most likely. She knew Alba Beach was close by, so the temptation to go there grew in her stomach. However, that would also be a dangerous game to play as a woman. She decided to answer the text instead.
Aura: who is this?
She didn't bother starting her car, hoping to get a response. Her stomach dropped once she saw the other person was typing.
Unknown: Come on, Ari..meet me there
Her pulse jumped at the specific nickname. There was only one person who called her that, but he lived on the other side of the country.
She had drifted away from Tyson after she left Cornelius. After the lying and Mrs. Smith's passing, things were never the same. It didn't help that she left right after they were starting to mend their fences. Because they weren't there together, it was hard to stay in communication with him. Plus, his grief had taken quite a toll on him, and she didn't want to add more stress on him.
So they stopped talking.
But now... Was that really him?
Before she could think it through, she changed her route towards Alba Beach. She bit down on her lip hard the entire drive, getting antsier with every passing second. She needed to know if she was being delusional or not.
She parked in a haste, breathing heavily. She stared at the text to make sure she was at the right place. The salty air wafted around her as she stalked towards the said surfer joint, which was already decked in Christmas decorations.
Many surfers got prepared for the waves, staring in confusion at her, but she didn't care. She was on a mission to see if her assumptions were correct.
She searched the place, bumping into surfers and boards. She apologized left and right, going around the place looking to see if she was right.
Then, she saw him.
His back was turned as he stared at the ocean. Surfers ran into the water everywhere; some were already riding waves from afar. He studied them, and then looked down at his phone.
"Tyson?" She called out.
He turned to her. His eyebrows shot upwards, mouth gaping open.
Seeing him there was like being hit by a thousand ocean waves, crashing all over her. She didn't know if she was breathing at all. He took cautious steps toward her, but she couldn't take it any longer.
She ran to him, not caring that she was kicking up sand everywhere. She jumped into his arms, almost sending him down. He laughed and tightened his grip around her, and set her down. Those brown eyes stared into hers, and life stopped around them. Everyone was frozen while they lived in their own bubble.
"What are you doing here?"
She hadn't even realized she was crying until he leaned forward and wiped her cheeks with his thumbs.
"I moved here. I got into an architecture program at Lockfell U. Found a small apartment and a construction gig. My house at Cornelius is being rented out right now."
Fresh tears kept streaming down her cheeks as she processed the news.
"You're living here now?" She asked, still not believing his words. "You're gonna be here?"
Tyson grinned. "Yeah, I'm gonna be here. Someone once told me to branch out and achieve my goals."
She laughed, choking down her sob. She had not said it that way, but she was glad he twisted her words that way other than remembering a stupid fight between them.
"So I already got a place, a job, into a program I want, but I still have one goal I'm missing," he said, cupping her face in his hand.
Aura sniffled. "And what could that be?"
He withdrew his hand from her face with a shrug. "I don't know, I was thinking maybe go grocery shopping. My place is still pretty empty, but..."
"Oh, you tease," she complained. "Please, just kiss me already."
Tyson laughed and complied.
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