"You okay?" His deep baritone voice drifted through my ear sending a chill across my skin and warmth throughout my core. I looked up for a split second to meet his gaze, and then before I could respond, he stood up abruptly and scooted closer to my side.

"What's wrong?" His voice was sharp with concern as he scrutinized me from head to toe for any sign of something amiss.

Hesitating, I shook my head. "N-not really..."

I couldn't bring myself to show him the message. At least not yet... until I could fully trust him.

"If you say so." He pulled me in, enveloping me in his arms, one hand cradling the back of my head and the other rubbing soothing circles into my back. Silence reigned between us for a moment before he spoke, soft and gentle, "You know you can share anything with me. I'll be here for as long as you need me." My heart thumped as my eyes snapped to his face, a wide smile pulled across his lips and for a moment, the world stood still.

No people were buzzing around us, all the clatter and noise seemed to have tuned down.

Maybe he's not so bad after all.

I stifled a nervous laugh and tucked my hands in my laps to keep from fidgeting awkwardly. "Y-yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

"I-" His phone buzzed in his pocket interrupting what he was about to say. He pulled it out and shifted his gaze on me silently apologizing for the sudden interruption, I nodded signalling him to go ahead.

"I'll be right back." He quickly mouthed before rushing out.

Damn it! Just when he was about to... Nah I'm just getting way ahead of myself.

I kneaded the bridge of my nose, trying to compose my thoughts back together until a sturdy voice lured my attention. I raised my head and met a pair of squinting hazel eyes staring right back at me.

"Sorry, I was wondering if you had an extra heart. Mine was just stolen." A smile pulled up across his face, showcasing his white sets of teeth. An earthy scent swirled around him.

Why'd I feel like I wanna puke? Oh yeah, I must really find you disgusting. I resisted the impulse to blurt that out to his ridiculously attractive yet irritating face.

"..." I stayed silent. Nothing pleasant will come out from this mouth of mine, so the best reply he could get at the moment was my silence.

His hand combed through his medium ash brown scruffy fohawk as a smirk swayed beneath his lips.

"Fine... I guess I didn't start off on the right note. I'm Tyler Harrison and you are?" He stretched forth his hands across the table in anticipation to get a hold of mine. Too bad I wouldn't let that happen.

I shut my eyelids and relaxed back on the seat.

I have more pressing matters to deal with than to entertain a random guy with some cheesy pickup lines. Didn't know they still use that.

He sighed in defeat and retracted his hands. "You don't talk, do you?"

"I do, just not to you." I decided to reply in the kindest way I could.

I could still feel his gaze on me, which made me slightly uneasy. Thankfully, he took the whiff and retreated to his seat. I slightly opened my eyes to take a quick peek at where he was headed.

"Some pickup line Huhn." A chuckle played in my ear, snapping me back to the hefty figure seated in front of me, only one person had such an irritating tone... Sebastian! He peered at me with a smirk threatening to reveal itself.

I rolled my eyes. Not ready for another round of bullshit.

"Sorry for the delay, Adira figured something fascinating. She thinks only you have the answer to it. S-"

Another buzz came from his phone putting a stop to whatever he was about to disclose. He swore under his breath before smiling apologetically and headed out the door.

Just smash the damn phone!

I returned to my daydream until I was once again interrupted by a delicate, gentle vocal.

"Hi, I'm so sorry for earlier, Tyler won't stop running his mouth about how drop-dead gorgeous you look, so we pushed him to go speak with you and I guess things didn't turn out t-"

Well that's a first, it's not every day you hear that... being called drop-dead gorgeous.

"And who the hell are you?" I spat out already peeved by another stranger coming to ramble on about shit I don't give a damn to.

Her nose scrunched as confusion spread all over her smooth features.

Oh, a pretty princess. I finally took a glance at her. Her long wavy silver hair danced slightly as warm breeze wheezed gently past it. It felt like I had just come across one of those Disney princesses. Only that I actually didn't. Her dark T-shirt and her galaxy-decorated shorts filled with patterns of some weird-looking four-eyed kitten were a complete contrast to her gentle, lady-like personality. Although, I couldn't say the same to the lady who suddenly appeared beside her.

"I loathe her already!" A dark, cold voice butted in and joined in on our conversation. Short creamy bob with a scorn plastered visibly on her face.

"You say that to everyone you meet, Abby." She took the seat in front of me and made herself comfortable.

What's with people and barging in on my privacy! I always hated being surrounded by loud, nosy people.

The silver-haired lady extended her hands as she introduced herself, "Aspen Hill, and this is-"

"Abby Leslie." The other girl filled the rest in.

I decided not to be a prick and took her hand, we exchanged a firm handshake before withdrawing it to our sides.

"For the record, I despise scums like you the most," Abby said as she smiled wryly.

"My apologies, I'm so used to being a bitchilante," I retorted with a bleak laugh.

"What the hell does that mean?" Her brows arched as anger threatened to surface.

"Being mean only to people who deserve it." I bit down on my lower lips trying my best to resist the urge of cracking up, my lips picked the best time to disappoint me. I anticipated hearing another displeased remark but instead, they both laughed along which made me halt and stare at them skeptically.

"Ok, I was wrong, I love her!" Abby once again uttered but this time with a genuine smile written on her face.

For some reason, I suddenly felt strange, a warm bubbly feeling warmed my chest and for the first time, I felt somewhat relaxed, and happy. I've never really had anyone I could call a friend and I never wished to. I pushed the feeling away and switched back to my usual deadpan mood.

Sometimes it's better to be alone than to be around people who keep hurting you.

"If all you came here was to apologize for your friend's mistake, then apology accepted, you can bug off to wherever you crawled out from."

"We didn't even get your name, pretty," Aspen said with excitement beaming in her tone.

"Let the girl be, Aspen. She clearly doesn't want us here any longer." Abby nudged her slightly.

I heaved a sigh, I might as well tell them my name before they take their leave.

"Aurora Dev-, just Aurora." I gave a faint smile as my heart tugged a little.

"Lovely name for a lovely lady," Aspen said which made me slightly infuriated.

"Don't call me pretty or lovely!" I frowned.

"I'm off to our table, Aspen. Only you know how to fix that." She got up and bid me farewell.

Did she just refer to me as 'that'?

I was on the verge of fuming out until Aspen's angel-like voice hummed into my ear.

"She wasn't referring to you, I know that look. She was once like you-don't give a fuck about anyone, a loner, swear at any chance she gets, talks with her fist, blinded by hate, revenge and r-"

"You. Don't. Know. Me!" I cut her off harshly as I felt my blood beginning to boil. The same feeling I always had before my eyes glowed red.

Shit! Not in this place.

"Fine. It's okay if you don't want to admit it, you'll figure yourself out along the way. I just want you to know that, no matter how different you may appear to be from others, even with those enchanting red eyes, and beautiful red hair of yours, there will still be people out there who will accept you for who you really are and gladly, I'm part of those people." She gave a cheerful smile filled with bliss and hope. A smile that reached the deepest core of my heart.

I wanted to respond back, but I didn't... I couldn't, my words got stuck in my throat. My anger dissipated and was replaced with hope, a yearning to be loved, deprived of motherly and fatherly love at a young age carved a void in me I thought would never be filled and she proved that wrong.

"Life's a bitch, and honestly it may never get better, but it also might. And that's the thing, you've gotta give yourself the chance to find out. You won't ever get to see it that way if you go through it with hate, revenge and rage... Here's my number, hit me up if you ever need a friend." She picked out a pen from her purse and scribbled down on a piece of paper what seemed to be her number.

A warm smile adorned her face as she slid the paper across the table. She stood on her feet and turned to leave until she halted and faced me. A sudden realization dawned on her. She looked like she had just recalled something.

She aired out her thoughts and the newfound hope I had just acquired soon dissipated into tiny million pieces filled with hurt and resentment. My heart throbbed, I badly wanted to rip it out.

Every time I start trusting someone, they show me why I shouldn't.

~~~

She finally found someone that loved her for who she is ♡

What'd you think Aspen told her that made her so devastated ):
I guess we'll figure that out in the next chapter!

Thanks for all the readers tagging along in this journey. Your love and support really mean a lot to me:D

I love you all!!♡

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