{ Renlin’s party / with Arya }
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Aurora’s smile was faint, more a reflex than an expression of joy, as she took in Arya’s cool demeanor. She tried to rehears this moment in her mind on the way to the party, and yet now the words twisted in her throat. Scanning the lively crowd around them - the dim lights, the chatter, the clinking of glasses - all of it was drowning out her thoughts, the practiced phrases slipped through her fingers. This was not a place for this conversation. “Let’s find somewhere quieter?” She said softly, a hint of a smile gracing her lips, though her eyes held something else. It was the kind of smile that had always come easily to Aurora - bright, effortless, masking a thousand unsaid things. But tonight, it felt out of place, forced. It felt strange trying to speak to someone in a friendly manner, someone her parents did not allow her to be friends with anymore. Strange to stand in front of Arya now and keep the smile she always had on, the positivity she always carried with her even when she didn’t feel like it, and speak to her as if she didn’t know that the girl in front of her didn’t like her anymore.
Her eyes flickered to the doorway leading to the quiet garden beyond the umbra coven common room. “Please…” She simply said as she started making her way towards it. Aurora’s fingers brushed against the fringe of her beaded dress, each step toward the garden feeling heavier and heavier. Stepping into the cool night air, Aurora released a shaky breath. Yes, there were still people there but it was not as crowded as it was inside. She turned to Arya, the distance between them suddenly feeling wider than ever despite being just a few paces apart.
“There is something I need to tell you…” Aurora began, her voice lower now. She glanced at Arya, searching for any trace of understanding, or at least patience. The familiar knot of anxiety twisted in her chest, reminding her of how many times she’d kept things unsaid. But this time was different. “I don’t know how to start this,” he admitted, a small, hollow laugh escaping her lips. “I’ve tried to think of a way to tell you without it sounding crazy or unfair. But seeing you now…” She paused, biting the inside of her cheek, trying to find steadiness. “Have you ever wondered why our lives crossed the way they did? Why-” She stopped abruptly, her cheeks flushing as she caught herself. “I’m not trying to confess my love to you or… Or anything like that,” Aurora blurted out, a laugh following her words.
“Have you ever wondered why certain things just never added up? Why we just… Stopped being friends? Do your parents know why?” It wasn’t a direct question, but it was enough to test the waters, to feel for any cracks in Arya’s guarded exterior.
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@CerealKiller - yay