Little touch of heaven

010

I arrived 15 minutes early due to my fear of being late, but now I just feel uncomfortable standing here alone in public.

The area outside was busy. People were on their way to work, children were screaming at their parents and sellers walked around the street, asking people to buy their products.

I took in the sights, admiring the lavish storefronts and high-end shops. I rarely got to visit places like this without my parents or Alex by my side, but lately, Alex has been easily upset, so I've made a point to leave her out of outings like this.

"Ariella? Is that you?"

I strained to hear the faint voice, convinced I was imagining it. But when I turned around, there he was - the man I had seen at the store a few weeks ago. A shy smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he fiddled with his jumper. He seemed to be avoiding eye contact, keeping his green eyes fixated on the ground.

He appeared to have changed since the last time we saw each other, but his impeccable sense of style and fashion remained unchanged.

"Hello!" I fumbled to recall his name. "Was it Rafael?" The gears in my head turned as I struggled to remember.

"How did you know my name?" He asked me, finally meeting my eyes

"How did you know mine?" I challenged him

He let out a sarcastic laugh, tossing his head back. "Oh, that's a real knee-slapper," he said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

The silence crept back in, making the atmosphere uncomfortable once again. We both remained quiet.

He cleared his throat and spoke up. "I just wanted to say that I think you're incredibly talented," he said earnestly. I searched his face for any trace of sarcasm or insincerity, but he seemed to mean it.

"Really?" I asked, wanting reassurance.

He nodded

At last, the burden on my shoulders was lifted, and I ended up spending most of my time talking to Rafael until Angel and the rest of the group arrived.

Not much time passed before Kelly appeared. She didn't say much to me, but Rafael assured me that she was just shy around new people. I could relate to that, Kelly

Angel and Elle arrived in perfect synchronization, their steps matching perfectly as they walked towards us. They seemed oblivious to our presence until they were only a few feet away.

As he approached us, his face radiated with happiness. I couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of nostalgia as we finally met in person again. He looked even better than the last time we saw each other in real life.

"My apologies for being late," he apologized, scratching his neck. "I uh, left something at home..." He trailed off, avoiding eye contact. I couldn't help but feel that he wasn't telling the truth.

"We only waited for 20 minutes, Angel. No big deal," Kelly said in a mocking tone. Angel couldn't help but roll his eyes before responding.

With a proud smile, he gestured towards his companions. "Allow me to introduce Kelly, Rafael, and Elle," he said, their names rolling off his tongue like a sweet melody. Each one of them waved in greeting, their expressions friendly and welcoming. "Now, let's take Ariella on a grand tour of our beloved city," he declared with infectious enthusiasm, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he eagerly led the way.

Excited cheers filled the air as we made our way towards the entrance of the bustling stores in Forsford, with me and Rafael trailing behind them. As we walked, I caught a glimpse of Elle, her radiant smile and flowing hair catching my eye. I briefly considered starting a conversation with her but decided to save it for later. After all, there would be plenty of opportunities throughout the day to get to know her.