METANOIA | Joel Dawson

ix. no paint splashed the canvas

"I'm sorry," He said and closed his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath to soothe his emotions but he failed. The first small droplet of water was finally falling from his eye.

Pain flashed through Aurora's own eyes and she quickly stood up to sit next to Joel. Just before she could sit down, arms were already wrapped around her form. It was warm. It was securing. It was Joel. She was quick to wrap her own arms on his body and rubbed soothing circles to his back as he sniffed. Aurora could feel her shoulders' clothes getting wet from his tears.

"I missed you," Joel finally said after what seemed like hours being wrapped in each others arms. "I missed you so so much."

It was then that Aurora knew that she actually didn't know what she would do without Joel by her side. True, she was alone on her first years outside the bunker but she quickly got comfortable with someone there. Making her realize that travelling alone was never a good thing to do. Yes, she was free. But it was more fun to be free with someone. Someone you love. Cheesy. That's what she thought, but it was true. Right then, that she knew, she was never complete without Joel by her side. He was the cause of her dullness and yet he was also the cause of bringing color to her life. The color pencil of her roughly sketched life.

"I missed you too," She answered. "More than someone would imagine."

This moment was very heartfelt but it was still something that didn't get to bring tears down the girl's eyes. But one day, maybe it would.

Joel wiped the tears from his face. "I'm sorry for being inconsiderate," And as he looked up at Aurora, he saw that their faces were now mere inches apart causing him to gulp. "I-I'm sorry for being an asshole."

Aurora shushed him. "You aren't the only one who was at fault," She said. "I'm sorry for being a bitch too."

"No. No you weren't. You were just saying that you-" Joel was cut off by her.

"Bitch, shut the fuck up," She glared at him playfully. "We were both fools and idiots. I get it. Now enough of this crap, I'm not good with situations like these."

Joel chuckled slightly and then raised his pinky finger. "Promise to never do that again?"

Although Aurora thought he looked adorable, she still gave him a look of disbelief. "What are you, like, four?"

The boy's face dropped and looked at her with a blank stare. "Says the one who did an unbreakable vow."

"Well, the unbreakable vow is the legit thing. But whatever. No more quarrels."

Clasping their pinkies together, a new thought settled to Aurora's mind. I think it's time to finally fulfill my namesake. She hated being like her past self. It was so dull, boring and not entertaining. Despite loving drama, she didn't want that type of one. She was so busy on thinking about negative things that she forgot the reason on why she did this journey. She was here to find herself, not lose herself more. A missing piece was still missing and she didn't need to crack herself more and find more things. It's time to stop being an emo girl and start cracking lame jokes again.

"Hey, Joel," She said to Joel who was grinning cutely. "I still think the unbreakable vow is better."

And then Joel's face dropped slightly and just rolled his eyes. "I wonder how they didn't fire you for always ruining good moments."

"I wonder how you graduated elementary." She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Excuse me?" Joel gaped at her.

"Excuse you what? Did you fart?" She bit the inside of her cheek to hide her grin. Joel only huffed and then proceeded to continue eating his canned food like nothing ever happened. But deep down, Joel felt a huge weight being lifted off his shoulders that he was having a hard time suppressing a happy grin.