• “Some biscuits and a cup of hot chocolate would be fine.” He smiled back and she jotted down his order rapidly, recited them back to him, waited for his confirmation before she darted into the kitchen to deliver his order.
    It went on for eight solid hours, but to her, it seemed more like minutes. One thing was for certain, Aurelia loved it.
    “Hey Rea, you gotta stop now. Shift’s over.” Hec called, tapping his wristwatch in a cheerful manner. The girl addressed, on the other hand, put on a pout.
    “Just a few more tables.” She answered in a singsong voice, but Hec was insisted, steel showing through the friendliness in his eyes and with a heavy sigh, Aurelia removed her apron and hung it up. The girl shrugged her jacket on and slung her bag around her person.
    “See ya tomorrow Hec.” She called as she let the door slam shut behind her. Hec glanced at the door with amusement written in his eyes, it was clear that she’d be back earlier than promised; Aurelia was always one to keep her word.
    The girl strolled slowly, taking her own sweet time, roughly estimating the time she had left before classes started. So far so good. If she kept the pace up, she’d make it there with five minutes to spare, than she could possibly swing by the Hearty Romina for a little chat with the now familiar staff members that she was beginning to think of as family.
    She arrived there just as she predicted and made a beeline for the locker room, where all the other newly arrived students headed for. Mingling efficiently with the crowd, the girl was able to find out a few interesting little details before her class actually started as she snagged a locker along with everyone else.
    “Great work today everybody! Be sure to practice whenever you’re free.” Aurelia sighed as she returned the energy blade to her mentor, the wizened old man who looked hardly able to fight and yet was able to do so. After that hour, her tiredness started to make its presence known and she yawned, knowing with keen regret that she was unable to swing by the Hearty Romina after all.
    She snagged her limp towel and dabbed the sweat beads that rolled down her head with a hand and gripped the worn straps of her bag with the other.
    “Hey Aurelia!” One of the students called out to her, the student’s own sweaty towel in hand. “Wanna hang out with us? We’re going to the mall.” The girl who spoke was dressed in way too much pink.
    “No thanks Tammy, I have something else up later on.” Aurelia smiled apologetically at the girl whose red hair was tied into two flouncy bunches and secured with identical pink ribbons.
    The girl she turned down pouted but made no further offers. Instead, turning towards her friends, all dressed in identical shades, and heading off, most probably gossiping about her as they were wont to do. However much she tried, no one had ever actually hated her much, she had a rather mysterious aura surrounding her, as Isola had once told her and it was rather impossible to ignore her fully. It was annoying.
    Aurelia slipped into the changing room and changed out of her suit, into her normal outfit, fatigue lining her every step. She couldn’t wait till she got home and was able to make herself a nice cup of vitalising hot chocolate to replenish her energy, or soak her tired feet into a container of warm water. It was unusual, for her to tire out so fast; she was used to staying on her feet most of the day.
    She left, having bid farewell to the rest of the staff she met and strode down the sidewalk, taking her own sweet time, humming a tune, unaware of the pair of amused eyes looking at her retreating back.
    “Who is she?” The owner of the charcoal eyes asked a passing student.
    “Her? Oh, that’s Aurelia.” The student was only too glad to enlighten the owner of the charcoal eyes and a babble of words ensured from her lips, each one being rapidly lapped up by the charcoal eyed boy.
    “I’m home.” She felt silly calling out into the emptiness of the apartment, as her own voice echoed back towards her. She flicked on the light switch and arranged her shoes neatly in the shoe rack. Treading lightly, Aurelia proceeded further into her home, wondering when Isola would return. The girl had told Aurelia of her camping arrangement with her friends and how she wouldn’t be returning till the week after.