The Hidden Camera || AU

bonus • one

this entire chapter is a flashback/narration chapter.

trigger warning: this chapter does include some mild references to american citizenship status and panic attacks. if any of these things bother you and you are unable to read this chapter, please message me and i will catch you up to speed on everything! 

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omniscient

one year ago

airi and corey stood inside of her mother's office, meeting for the first time.

"hi i'm airionna but you can call me airi." she said.

"corey." he replied as he smiled at her.

as airionna's mom started to speak to them both, corey couldn't keep his eyes off of airi.

there was something about her that just drew him in, and she wasn't even his type.

maybe opposites do attract.

airi caught corey staring and shifted under his gaze. she smiled a small smile, attempting to refocus on her mother.

after a few moments, corey pulled his eyes from airi just as her eyes landed on him.

it was written in her face that her mind was battling itself, but her eyes said all that was needed to be said.

corey's feeling was mutual.

we won't call it love at first sight because, well, it wasn't. but there was a connection there that would hold those two together for the next few months, whether they knew it or not.

•••

nine months ago

"corey stop!" airionna yelled full of irritation and laughter.

they were at her mothers house, just hanging out. the two had gotten pretty close over the past couple of months, to the point where they were almost inseparable.

they were nothing more than friends; but they were both comfortable with that.

airi was using her hands to block her face as corey threw paper balls at her, the amusement heavy in the air.

"you said you wanted to have a snowball fight right?" corey asked her.

"paper balls are NOT snowballs!" airi exclaimed.

corey took this opportunity to throw one right at airi's nose, catching her completely off-guard.

  "they are when there's no snow."

airi grabbed the notebook that was laying on the couch and made herself a couple of paper balls, holding them in her hand as she sized up corey.

they engaged in an all out war while running around the space, both laughing hard and having fun.

they paused suddenly when airi's sister, anela, came upstairs.