𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝟏𝟖+

chapter eight

ARIA

WEEK FOUR. I cannot emphasize this enough. It has been four weeks since I arrived here, and nothing exciting or promising has occurred. Instead of feeling relieved to be away from my abhorrent family, I am starting to get bored.

I have grown accustomed to the daily routine. I wake up at eight in the morning and go to bed around ten at night. Each morning, I find Stella in the kitchen wearing a wide smile as she cooks or bakes. Nicholas is always on the couch, either watching television or simply admiring Stella.

I rarely see Ronan, and I don't mind that. I assume he arrives while I am asleep. He is not around in the mornings, and I wonder if it's because of me. I contemplate what he thinks of me, if he hates me. These thoughts consume me, and I can't stop wondering.

A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts. I use my elbows to prop myself up in bed. At the doorway stands Stella. "I'm going to the market. Would you like to come?" I eagerly seize the opportunity and practically jump out of bed.

"Okay! get dressed. We're leaving in five."

I meet Stella downstairs, and as soon as she sees me, she grabs her purse from the kitchen countertop. "We have an hour before they notice we're gone, and if they do, we'll actually be gone," she adds with a soft laugh. She takes my hand and leads me out the door to her car.

I had missed being outdoors. I wasn't always allowed to go outside, but that never stopped me. I loved the feeling of being outside, breathing in the fresh air, and basking in the warmth of the sun. As we pass by mountains and roads, we finally arrive at the local market. It's crowded with many people, and we easily blend in.

"These strawberries look great." Stella picks them up and tosses them into the plastic shopping basket. The basket is already filled with various fruits, mostly lemons. As we walk, Stella can't stop talking about her love for lemons, and all I can do is smile and laugh. I genuinely wonder how and why she loves lemons so much. "I think that's all. Is there anything you want?" she asks, but I shake my head.

As we head to the checkout line, a woman with fliers in her hand stands in front of us with a smile. "Today, we're having our annual fair. We have food and lots of games to play, including a Ferris wheel. Please come if you can." She hands both Stella and me a flier.

Stella gazes at the pink paper and shakes her head. "We don't have enough time, maybe next time," her tone sounds despondent. I can easily tell she wants to go but can't because we need to be back within the hour to be cautious.

After Stella pays for the items, I grab her arm and take her to the side. "We're going," I say.

"Nicholas won't be mad, especially not at you. And as for Ronan, he doesn't come home until nighttime, and as you can see, it's still daytime. We'll only stay for two hours, and besides, I know you really want to go." I assure her, and she hesitates before nodding. "Only for two hours," she warns.

Both Stella and I exceed the planned time, and two hours turn into four. Stella is tipsy from lemonades and has had to use the restroom at least three times within the hour.

We have consumed almost everything at the fair, and now Stella throws it all up after going on some of the rides. And now, we decided to go on the Ferris wheel. I took the seat on the left, and Stella settled in on the right. After fastening our seat belts, we patiently waited for the ride to begin. Stella glanced down at the people below, who appeared tiny from our elevated position, and said, "I've never been on a Ferris wheel before."