Doomed - Charles Leclerc

8

-Aurora-

The anticipation hung in the air as Aurora and Charles prepared dinner in their cozy apartment. The soft glow of candles flickered, casting a warm ambiance throughout the room. Charles had arranged a surprise, and Aurora couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement tingling in her veins.

The doorbell chimed, and Aurora hurried to answer it. She opened the door to find Pierre and Kika standing on the threshold. A delighted smile spread across Aurora's face as she pulled Pierre into a tight hug. "Pierre! I can't believe you're here!" she exclaimed, the joy evident in her voice. Pierre returned the embrace, a familiar warmth enveloping them. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Auri. How are you holding up?"

"Better now that you're here," she replied, her eyes sparkling with genuine happiness. "Lora, you know damn well that I am your best friend," Kika said as she pretended to be offended. "Well only you know that Kieks," Aurora laughed as she pulled Kika into a tight hug.

As they settled around the dinner table, Charles played the perfect host, pouring wine and engaging in conversation. Kika's laughter echoed through the room as Aurora finally felt like she did belong in her own life. "So Pierre, what's the excuse for only visiting me after I've left the hospital?"

"Don't be mad Auri, I was in England for work. I tried to get out of there as soon as possible after I heard," he said, taking a sip of his wine. "It's fine, I was kidding, I know your work is important."

As the chatting went on, wine kept on flowing. Not in her direction though. The doctor advised to not drink alcohol with the fragile state of her mind, and to be honest, she never really was a big fan of drinking anyway. Aurora was sipping from her iced tea when her mind drifted back to a time when her life had intertwined with Pierre's.

Eight years ago:

Her mother's battle with cancer had come to a heartbreaking end the day after Aurora's sixteenth birthday. The somber hospital room, permeated by the sterile scent of antiseptic, had witnessed the quiet departure of the one person who had been a constant in Aurora's tumultuous life. With her father having callously left her mother the moment he discovered she was pregnant, Aurora found herself without familial ties and a place to call home.

The weight of grief pressed heavily on Aurora's young shoulders as she navigated the aftermath of her mother's passing. The prospect of facing an uncertain future loomed over her like an ominous cloud, and the cold reality of abandonment left her grappling with the shattered remnants of familial bonds.

In the absence of any family, Aurora found herself in the unforgiving institutional care called 'the foster care system'. The transition from the warmth of her mother's presence to the sterile and impersonal embrace of institutional care felt like an abrupt and unwarranted twist of fate.

Days turned into nights, and the walls of the group home became both witness and confidant to Aurora's silent struggles. Yet, within the echoes of her solitude, a glimmer of hope emerged. News arrived that a family was willing to open their doors to her, to extend the warmth of familial embrace in a world that had proven relentlessly cold.

-

The mournful sound of the doorbell echoed through the Gasly household, interrupting the quietude that had settled in the wake of Aurora's mother's passing. The door creaked open, revealing a grief-stricken sixteen-year-old Aurora, her eyes red-rimmed and shoulders slouched under the weight of loss.

Pascale, a gentle woman with kind eyes, opened the door wider and embraced Aurora without a word. No words were necessary at that moment; the shared pain between them spoke volumes. Her husband, Jean-Jacques, stood in the background, a silent pillar of support.

In the days that followed, the Gasly home transformed into a sanctuary. Their son Pierre, just a few years older, became a steadfast companion, navigating the delicate balance between providing comfort and allowing her the space to grieve. Aurora's transition into the Gasly family felt seamless. Pierre's parents treated her not as a charity case but as a beloved member of their household. The scent of home-cooked meals wafted through the air, laughter filled the living room, and the once-somber atmosphere began to lift.

As the months passed, Aurora found herself enveloped in the unconditional love of the Gasly family. Pierre, with his easygoing nature and infectious laughter, became Aurora's confidant. They shared late-night conversations in the dim glow of their shared bedroom, discussing dreams, fears, and everything in between. His room, once a solitary space, transformed into a haven of shared secrets and whispered confessions.

Pierre's parents, understanding the significance of education, became Aurora's guiding lights through the challenging academic terrain. With their encouragement, she excelled in her studies, paving the way for a future she had once thought unattainable.

Eventually, life beckoned Aurora to Paris, where she embarked on her journey to become a journalist. That is where her memories stopped. The last thing Aurora could remember was heading to her new apartment, to meet her new roommate.

---

As the flashback faded, Aurora found herself back at the dinner table, surrounded by the warmth of friendship and the echoes of shared, and unshared, history.