Aurora, are you ready?

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Alex hurried out of the classroom, already mentally preparing for his upcoming shift at work. As he neared the school gates, a familiar voice called out.

“Alex! Alex, wait!”

He stopped, sighing inwardly. Vanessa.

Turning, he saw her jogging toward him, cheeks flushed and eyes bright with determination.

"Hey," she said, catching her breath. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the cinema with me tonight?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Like a date?”

Vanessa blushed, looking away nervously. “Yeah… kind of.”

For a moment, he hesitated. Aurora’s face flashed through his mind, distant, busy, unreachable. Maybe a night out wouldn’t hurt. Aurora didn’t have to know.

“Alright,” he said, surprising himself. “But this stays between us. No one needs to know.”

Vanessa’s face lit up. “I promise! Let’s meet at seven.”

As she ran off, excitement in her step, Alex felt a tug of guilt. But he pushed it down. What harm could one night cause?

---

Vanessa felt like she was floating. She had waited for this moment for so long. By six-thirty, she was dressed in a green dress that made her emerald eyes shine, every strand of her hair perfectly in place. After a final glance in the mirror, she stepped out, heart pounding.

Alex arrived shortly after, looking effortlessly handsome in his usual casual style.

“Hey,” she said eagerly. “I got us tickets.”

“Yeah, sure. Let’s just get this over with,” Alex muttered, barely meeting her eyes as he followed her inside.

They sat in silence as the film began, Happily Ever After, a romantic drama about two best friends falling in love. Vanessa smiled at the screen, stealing glances at Alex, trying to comment or laugh with him. Each time, he met her with indifference or a cold shrug.

By the end of the movie, the tension was unbearable.

As they walked back in silence, Vanessa couldn’t take it anymore.

“What’s wrong with you?” she snapped. “Why would you even agree to come if you were going to act like this?”

Alex stopped abruptly, turning to face her. “What’s wrong with me? Why would you drag me to a movie that’s clearly meant for couples? What were you thinking?”

“I did it because I love you, Alex!” she burst out, voice trembling. “I thought… maybe you felt the same way.”

His expression hardened. “I don’t love you, Vanessa. I never have. I never will. My heart… it belongs to someone else.”

The words hit her like a slap. She had always known, deep down. But hearing it out loud broke her.

“Aurora, isn’t it?” she whispered, her voice cracking. “You’ve always loved her. But you’re fooling yourself, Alex. She’ll never love you back.”

He didn’t respond. His jaw clenched as he turned and walked away, leaving Vanessa frozen, her heart shattered, her eyes filled with tears, and something darker.

---

Meanwhile, across town, Tiffany was preparing a peace offering. She wrapped the small box with care, a gift for Peter to make up for the distance that had grown between them. She chose his favorite cologne and paired it with a handwritten note. Maybe this would remind him of the girl he first fell for.

But Peter had already made up his mind.

He held a bar of her favorite chocolate as he walked toward her house, not a romantic gesture, but a soft farewell. His heart was heavy, but the decision was clear. It had been for a while.

A steward welcomed him and led him to the parlor. Minutes later, Tiffany appeared, radiant and hopeful.

“Oh, Peter! I’m so glad you came,” she said, rushing over to take his hand.

Peter forced a small smile. “Tiffany, we need to talk.”

She led him out into the garden, completely unaware of the storm about to hit.

“I don’t think we should keep seeing each other,” Peter said, voice steady. “I don’t love you anymore.”

The world around her stilled. Her breath caught in her throat. “What… what are you saying?”

“I’m sorry. But it’s over.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “No, Peter. You can’t do this.”

“I have to.”

“Is it because of her?” she demanded, her tone sharpening with desperation. “You’re leaving me for her, aren’t you?”

“Tiffany, stop,” Peter said. “It’s not about anyone else. This is about us.”

“I can fix this!” she begged. “I’ll do anything. I’ll make peace with her. Just don’t leave me. Please.”

He gently pulled her hands from his. “It’s over, Tiffany. We’re done.”

She staggered back, eyes wide and brimming with tears. Then her voice turned low, bitter. “You’ll regret this, Peter. I swear, I’ll make both of you suffer.”

Peter glanced back once but said nothing. He walked away, the echo of her threat trailing him into the night.

---

Elsewhere, deep in the neon shadows of a downtown club, a figure sat cloaked in darkness in the VIP section. On his phone was a photo—Aurora. He stared at it like it was a priceless treasure.

“I need her,” he murmured, voice a gravelly whisper beneath the thrum of bass-heavy music. “Kohr, make the preparations. It’s time I meet Aurora.”

Kohr shifted uneasily. “Shouldn’t we inform Tiffany first?”

The man smiled, dark and cold. “No. She’ll only get in the way.”

Kohr nodded. “Yes, sir. Everything will be ready.”

The man leaned back, fingers tracing the edge of the phone screen, his gaze still locked on Aurora’s image.

“She has no idea what’s coming. But she will.”

Aurora, are you ready?

-