Too Much Cliche

Chapter 14

- f o u r t e e n -

"My life is shit!" Aurora closed her laptop in exasperation. It was a lunch break but she was sitting in the office with tension and anger on her plate.

A moment later, when Alaric came out of his office room. He was walking out and suddenly his eyes caught her glimpse. He was already suspicious of her mood since morning.

So as he didn't get the chance to ask before he stepped back to her and stood in front of her desk. But as she was too lost in herself, she didn't notice him. Alaric knocked on the table to catch her attention. "Is something wrong?"

She abruptly looked at him. Trepidation flown in her veins when she realised he was standing there for a while. What if he needed something and she was so lost in herself. The thought had dismayed her. "You want something?", she disquieted.

"No, I just-" he halted his words, gazing at her without any blink, " I saw you lost, so I thought to ask it out."

"Oh. No, everything is fine."

"Why aren't you taking your lunch? I think everyone is in canteen or restroom leaving you-" He stopped for a while when he noticed the direction where Aurora was pointing through her eyes. It was a mid-aged woman with short hair styled back in a small bun. "And Mrs Lang." he murmured, "I think she never takes the lunch. I have never seen her."

"So, you watch people eating their food."

He defended. "No-Not at all. I mean I have just noticed that she didn't go to the cafeteria or eat in the office. She never leaves her desk."

"So, you notice Mrs Lang? "

His eyes widen and losing his coherent speech, he blurted. "What no-I mean yeah...Shit no...I don't look. I don't look at her. I mean I don't look at anyone in that-" and suddenly he heard the laugh of Aurora which she trying to suppress from a minute. Her body bent backwards while she laughed in her own elation. And on the other side, Alaric looked at her in surprise before a small chuckle blew out from his heart. His elbow rested on the desk and he covered his eyes with hands but didn't stop smiling.

Looking at him, Aurora tried to control her smile and then she apologised. "Sorry, I shouldn't have done that." she sniggered. "It just happens. I know you don't look at office colleague in that sense," she added, putting more pressure on sense word.

Aurora quickly regretted over saying her last dialogue. She wouldn't have said that. Now, the fear raised in her head that what if he questioned her that how did she know 'he would never look at a woman in that sense.'

God, he didn't know that Aurora knew he was gay. And as his sister Caroline requested them not to open their mouth even in front of him, this sentence could bring her the trouble. They shared the beam while Aurora was feeling nervy from inside.

Alaric thought to give one more try to ask the reason behind her mood. "So what was bothering you before?"

Aurora left the sigh of relief. Thanks to God, he didn't notice it. She put her hair flick behind the ears. "Nothing, Mr Henderson," she stated, looking down and scratching the corner of the desk. "It's just-I don't think what to-"

"It's fine if you don't want to share. I can understand it's personal."

He looked down at his feet before turning away from her. There was no meaning of him to stand there and ask her the questions but Alaric wanted to stand there, sit there and listen to her. He didn't know what was happening and why. He didn't know since when he started looking at her for more than a minute and since when he started finding the reason to talk with her.