We made our way back to the inn after finishing the skewers. Mika was starting to get sleepy, and guilt crept up on me as I glanced at Titan. He'd been following me around all day without complaint, and I felt bad for dragging him along. Then there was Serena… I had left her there with the others without a word.
As we neared the inn, I spotted them at the entrance—Serena, Leah, and Evelyn, deep in conversation. Levy and the rest stood nearby, listening. Their backs were turned to us, but it didn't take long before Evelyn noticed me.
Her purple eyes flashed in the dim light, and the second our gazes met, she stiffened. I barely caught the way she sucked in a sharp breath before she turned toward me completely, her worried eyes shining with unspoken emotions. Even from this distance, I could faintly see the tear stains on her face making me regret what stupidity I just did. (0﹏0;)
"Aria!" Evelyn called out, breaking away from the group. She took a step forward as if to run to me, but then she hesitated, her body shifting like she wasn't sure whether to approach or retreat.
I sighed. Placing Mika down gently, I took a step forward instead and reached for Evelyn's hand. She flinched at first, her fingers twitching in my grasp, but she didn't pull away.
I had to do this. If it didn't work out, then…
"We need to talk," I said.
The others immediately perked up, and I could feel the shift in their attention. I wasn't about to just say, 'Yeah, sure, let's give it a try!' No, that wasn't how I wanted this to go. We needed to talk properly. They deserved that much.
They seemed to understand because no one objected. Mika was scooped up by the others, and they quietly led her away to their room, leaving me with Leah, Serena, Evelyn, and, of course, Titan, who refused to leave my side.
I didn't mind. I needed the support.
We moved into the other rented room, the door clicking shut behind us. The space was small—just a bed, a table, and a chair. Nothing fancy, but right now, the room felt even more suffocating than it should have.
Serena leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her usual playful attitude nowhere to be found. Leah dropped into the chair with a sigh, looking at me expectantly. Evelyn remained near me, hands fidgeting like she wanted to reach out but wasn't sure if she should. Titan stationed himself near the bed, his silent presence grounding me.
Evelyn was the first to break the silence. "Aria… about earlier—"
"Wait." I lifted a hand, stopping her before she could continue. "Let me talk first."
She pressed her lips together and nodded, though I could tell she was holding back words. Leah tilted her head slightly, curious but quiet for once, while Serena's expression remained unreadable.
I took a slow breath, steadying myself.
"I know I've been avoiding you all," I admitted, my voice quieter than I intended. "And I'm sorry. Running off like that was… well, it was stupid. But I needed time to think."
Serena's eyes darkened slightly. "And?" Her voice was unreadable, but there was something else underneath—hurt, maybe.
I hesitated, glancing at each of them before exhaling. "I haven't figured everything out," I admitted. "But I know one thing: I'm not against it. If I'm going to try this, I need to be honest with you… and with myself."
Leah leaned back in the chair, arms crossing. "So what's stopping you?"
I clenched my fists at my sides. "I'm scared," I admitted before I could stop myself. The words felt heavy as they left my lips, but there was no taking them back now. "I've never been good at… relationships. I don't know how to do this. How to be… enough."
A tense silence filled the room.
Then, Evelyn stepped closer, her fingers brushing against my arm before settling there fully. Her touch was warm, gentle, grounding. "You don't have to figure it all out right now," she said softly. "We'll figure it out together."
Serena sighed before shaking her head with a small, tired smile. "Yeah, no one's expecting you to have all the answers, Aria. Just… try not to shut us out, okay?"
I swallowed hard. "...Fine."
Leah scoffed lightly, but her usual teasing edge wasn't there. "You still owe us, though. Don't think you're off the hook just because you admitted you're clueless."
That made me pause. I glanced at her, catching the slight smirk playing at her lips, but there was something else in her voice—something softer.
I let out a small laugh, one I didn't expect. "Fair enough," I said, my chest feeling lighter than before. "Thanks. For listening."
Evelyn smiled. "It's us who should be thanking you for giving this a try."
Before the conversation could get too heavy, Serena suddenly spoke up. "So, uh, where are we all supposed to sleep?" She gestured around the cramped room. "Because there's no way all of us are fitting in here."
"I'll take the floor," I said immediately.
Evelyn shook her head. "No, no, you three take the bed, I can sleep on the floor."
Serena frowned. "I can't let both of you sleep on the floor. I'll—"
Leah cut in before she could finish. "I'll sleep in the chair. Aria and Eve take the bed." She was already moving toward the chair before anyone could argue. "We've had worse. Just deal with it."
I sighed but didn't protest. There was no winning against Leah when she got like this.
Evelyn hesitated for a moment before climbing onto the bed, leaving just enough space for me. Titan curled up near the door, his quiet presence comforting.
As exhaustion finally started pulling at me, I felt a light touch near my hand.
"Goodnight, Aria," Evelyn murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
I turned my head slightly, meeting her half-lidded gaze. "...Goodnight, Eve."
The room settled into silence, the steady breathing of the others filling the space.
As I closed my eyes, my mind drifted over the chaos of the last few days. So much had happened, and yet, despite everything, I felt… lighter.
I sighed.
'Whatever happens, happens, I guess.'