TOUCH

Chapter 22

ZANDER'S JOURNAL

It was late when I found some sleep in me. Aura slept an hour ago or so.

Pretty strange. This feeling. Of her sleeping in this room with me. It doesn't feel uncomfortable. It felt like she belonged.

She is a silent sleeper. There is no soft breathing sounds let alone snores. And she sleeps terribly still in a single position. The calmness radiating from her right now is an irony to the chaos that happened earlier.

When I woke up she was gone . I naturally panicked at first . I didn't want her to go without making sure she was okay. Secretly I also wished for her to be still asleep or somewhere in the room. Waking up to her face would have been a good good morning.

I noticed her bag still on the bench next to the bed. She must be somewhere in the house then. I took up a quick shower to loosen up the tense muscles on my back. Sleeping in the couch and the way I sleep should be banned for people over six feet.

Three house helps in the kitchen and mum told me Aura decided to help them. What help do they need . It's just breakfast goddammi!

I stepped in the kitchen making Kiwi and Nancy yelp. If instead of giggling they would have done their jobs, Aura wouldn't be here. A silhouette of a woman slightly bending over the counter and then straightening up to pick up a glass from the cabinet above ,had me hooked. The way she moves in these tight pencil skirt , her long braid that she did a bit differently today and her hand movements , all of it is very ladylike. She could demand my allegiance in that dress and I would bend the damn knees.

Only she can pull of eating skittles in cargos while humming to Sinatra and sleeping in boy's clothing and the getting up to look as if she belonged in a Buckingham palace or something.

I stood just behind her making her jump in surprise and she cursed surprising me. She took a passing look at me and chose to tell me not so subtly to put a t-shirt on. The way she was eyeing those girls whose eyes were constantly glued to my back told me a lot of things. I know jealousy when I see it but when I mentioned it to her she glared at me. I decided to back off.

The problem with Aura is not that she doesn't feel a lot of emotions. She feels everything just fine. Its her stubbornness that wouldn't let her admit to it.

Mum continued her nagging to make Aura stay for lunch but she told her that she have to work on this sociology and literature assignments . That's the devil talking because literature is to be submitted two weeks from now. I could tell mum really enjoyed her company. She thanked Aura for staying with her multiple times during the course of their conversation.

I myself decided to check on with my study schedule and after an hour of reading I gave up. All of this madness just for one fucking degree.

Called my manager for work schedules.

Unpacked my luggage.

Worked out in the gym.

But the unsettling feeling only went away when I helplessly laid on the bed and breathed in her scent that lingered even after she was long gone. Why do I feel lonely in the absence of someone who doesn't even live here to begin with.

I woke up two hours later on Theo's call to meet at The Oaks. He was joined by the entire group including Barbie and her friends.

All I could think about was how I have made all these friends and I can't bear to be with any of them. We discussed the upcoming football match with the boys but how long could you actually keep Barbie shut the fuck up. She started her nonsense chat about the Dior show and inquiring if I fucked someone. I told her I fucked two. For some reason she seemed mighty pleased while Theo gave me the look that he usually does when he knows I'm lying.

When we stood in the parking lot I saw Aura coming out with her friends from Iggy's parlor. My nerves ignited from the excitement of imagining Aura in a tattoo. Not that she needs it though. Her olive skin is just perfect but I wouldn't mind a few little tattoos. I talk as if I'm dating her or if I have a say in what she does when in reality my opinions mean shit to her. But so does everybody else's. And I find comfort in knowing that.

I saw that tiny girl spit water all over her perfect face but then Aura laughed. Her laugh was ridiculously intoxicating and it made me laugh as well. But this caught Barbie's attention and so I averted my gaze and excused myself telling them that I too have to get a tattoo.

Having known Iggy since my first tattoo have its own perks. No appointments. And information about the earlier clients. I told her to get me the same tattoos that Aura got in the same places. She knew something was up cause it was unlike me to stalk a girl but it was unlike me to do a lot of things lately. She threw in a sick joke that Kyle tattooed her on her right breast. As if I would believe that.

To say that I wasn't curious when Iggy told me that Aura had a huge scar on her lower abdomen , would be a lie. But for the time being I was happy knowing that she got a Wabi Sabi and a dandelion below it. I knew what it meant but the sanskrit phrase below the left collarbone was just right. I had to google it because Iggy forgot the meaning.

Heart of a Warrior.