Aurora attended the top high school in the country, but she had never truly appreciated its prestige.
In her senior year, she was so consumed by academics that she didnât notice the small details around herâthe campus, the people, not even a single blade of grass. From the car, she caught a glimpse of the library, the schoolâs iconic landmark, standing tall across the street.
Joelleâs call interrupted her thoughts. Aurora answered quickly.
âAurora, where did you go?â
âMom, I left something at school. Iâm going to pick it up.â
Joelle hesitated for a moment. Adrian sat nearby, his face clouded with worry. It was graduation season. They, too, had been eighteen once, and they understood exactly what Aurora was doing. Rationality kept Adrian glued to his seat, but his instincts screamed to storm into the school, drag out whoever had dared ask Aurora out, and teach him a lesson.
Sensing their unease, Aurora added, âDonât worry. Iâll be back in an hour.â
âOkay.â Joelle softened her tone. âSweetie, I forgot to say earlierâcongratulations on graduating high school.â
âThank you, Mom.â
As the call ended, the car pulled up to the school entrance.
The security guard recognized Aurora immediately and let her in without hesitation.
Ga lno vel s . com takes you into new worlds âHas Rickey come?â Aurora asked him.
âNo, I havenât seen him.â
Aurora frowned, her unease creeping in further.
She walked into the school building, where the floor was cloaked in darkness, save for the soft, golden evening light spilling through the windows.
Taking her usual seat in the classroom, she let out a breath she hadnât realized sheâd been holding. Relief, warm and fleeting, washed over her.
Her gaze drifted to the flowering trees visible from the window. Every spring, the campus sports field became a sea of purple blossoms. She remembered howâ¦
While Rickey played on the court, she would sit in the stands, her book shielding her from the world.
Her family thought she must be popular at school, but the reality was far from that. Auroraâs interactions with her classmates never went beyond shallow pleasantries. Some, like Addie, seemed to treat her as a rival, while others approached her with ulterior motives.
Was it her personality that kept others at armâs length, or was it Rickey? His presence had always acted as an invisible yet impenetrable barrier, keeping everyone else away.
Reflecting on her school years, Aurora felt a pang of realizationâloneliness had been her closest companion.
Her phone rang, breaking the silence. Startled, she answered and immediately launched into a scolding.
âRickey, why arenât you here yet?â
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