A Step Closer to Love

Arabella was eager to begin this new phase she was about embark on. She knew that in at least a month she would be out of the woods with Aurora.

“What does she like?” Arabella asked.

“Books” Kieran answered nonchalantly.

“I like books too,” Arabella said her eyes glistening at the sound of books. “That’s why I came to work at a book publishing company” she added because she felt the need to explain her life choices to him.

“Are you two already collaborating on a project together?” Everly asked from the door frame as she watched them both.

Arabella had been diligently writing while Kieran had been talking. She felt good seeing the two of them work together.

“Yes,” Kieran said and Arabella felt her eyebrow shoot up to join with her hairline.

“I would get you snacks,” Everly said happily moving to the kitchen.

“I thought you did not lie to your mom?” Arabella whispered harshly.

Kieran looked at her for a second. He did tell her that he did not and can not lie to her. He was caught right now.

“Do you want to tell her you are plotting a revenge plan?” Kieran said coming up with an excuse his voice following the whisper pattern she started.

“I am not plotting revenge,” Arabella said back. It wasn’t revenge. She was gathering intel on her enemy to butter them up with kindness.

“It is kindness yeah,” Kieran said sarcastically. Before Arabella could come back with a word Everly entered back holding a huge tray for them. There were some brownies and cut-open apples, some cupcakes, and a couple of fruit juice.

“Do you need anything more?” Everly asked.

“No Mom,” Kieran said urging her away.

“No Everly this is more than enough. If I go on eating all you give me I might have to hit the gym sooner than I expected” Arabella said.

She picked up a cupcake and put it to her mouth and then chewed on it slowly.

“It’s delicious Everly, thank you for the thought and action” Arabella added.

Everly could not help but blush. She could not remember the last time she felt so good. Arabella had complimented her so well she felt like she could do anything that Arabella asked of her…

“Thanks, Mom, can we get back to work?” Kieran asked this blushing mom who did not move a step.

“Oh yes don’t mind me I would get going. Do not stay up too late okay? Good night you two” Everly said walking towards the stairs.

“Good night” Arabella called sweetly after her.

“And that my friend is how you butter someone up,” Arabella told Kieran.

Kieran must confess he was genuinely believing what she was doing at that point.

“Are you saying everything you did now was for show?” Kieran asked.

“No but I exaggerated it” she replied.

Those tactics worked well on her very traditional extended family and even on her mother. Worked well on the aunties too and she got away with most things those her age could not.

“That’s nice”

Arabella had a long chat with Kieran about Aurora. He knew so much about her it was as if they were either dating or had lived a great deal of their lives together.

“You know awfully a lot for someone who claims not to care,” Arabella said as she stood up.

“She was constantly in my space and I had no choice but to accept it that way” Kieran responds.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

As weird as it sounds Aurora made sure she showed up consistently in the life of Kieran. She wanted to leave her footprints in his life. She wanted everything to remind him of her but her fourteen years were in vain. Even when she knew he was dating her friend Kimberly she still did those things.

She hoped they would break up so she can have a taste of being in a relationship with him. The breakup left him shattered and she in turn did all she could to heal him. She would admit that he never healed. He only got better but never gave in to love again.

“I guess people can actively work their way to someone’s life,” Arabella said.

“Ohhh I am sleepy” she announced as she yawned.

Kieran watched her as she yawned and thought that she looked cute.

‘Why did you just think she looked cute?’ Kieran screamed internally. ‘She was cute though’ his mind shouted at him back.

“Good night,” Kieran said standing up.

Maybe seeing her too much made him have those thoughts. It was unholy or a crime to think that someone was cute but then he did not want to have those thoughts about any woman and especially not to her because he was ten years older than her.

“Good night” Arabella called after his retreating figure.

She looked down at the tray and saw it was empty. Everly did know her stuff and she knew how to take care of others. Everything on the tray was truly delicious. She did not lie about that one

She picked up the tray and made her way to the kitchen to drop it off. She emptied everything that needed to be disposed of into the trash can and dropped the tray into the sink.

She walked back to her room. Changed into her night gown and laid back down on her bed. She was feeling better but not well related after her long connecting flight, dinner where she had to help everyone get home, and two stressful days at work.

The only thing at the moment that made everyone worth it was Michelle Michigan. She was going to meet her tomorrow. She practiced conversations she would have with her in her head. She practiced the response she would give to questions that would be thrown her way by Michelle.

She kept doing it and imagining the reaction from Michelle tomorrow when she see how hard she had worked to welcome her. Her thoughts and imaginations lured her to dreamland and soon she was sound asleep dancing a sweet kind of dance in the dreamland.