CONFIDENT VERSUS CONFIDENT
The fourth day of Aurie's coma arrived, and for Hugh, it brought restless sleep. It was 02:50 AM, and he was having a dream, a powerful throwback memory that felt as sharp as the present.
His dream; Lunch time at the Campus of Staten Island, New York branch.Teen Hugh was with his best two buddies, Anton and Kyle.
Anton:"Hugh, I can't believe she's Aurie Fortuna Adler. She's our schoolmate."
Teen Hugh:"I don't know that. How did you know her?"
Kyle:"Dude... Your names are in a magazine... Lifestyle magazine... I have a lot, I forgot the exact magazine bro. Aurie & you are like, in the same event~"
Teen Hugh:"Really? Ohh... that's why she looks familiar." The coincidence was too perfect.
Anton:"Hugh, man, go get her."
Teen Hugh:"My dad warns me." He was testing his friends, wanting them to push him.
Anton:"Oh c'mon!!!"
Kyle:"You know, she's powerful too... Like you... so, why not man?"
Teen Hugh fell silent, taking a bite of his burger. The challenge was set. Then he asked, "What should I tell her?"
Kyle:"Of course, don't tell her that you know her name by your father. It sounds~"
Anton:"Creepy! Just sit beside her while she's alone."
Then, fate intervened. Teen Aurie's three friends came and joined her at her table. Chatting and eating, the moment was lost.
Anton:"What the heck!"
Kyle:"Why not? You can still speak. Go talk to her."
Hugh:"It's been a week that I'm not talking to her."
Anton: Five day... five days passed since you shared that she don't want to date you.
Kyle & Anton slightly do the bro-clap. The effort of a five-day-long, silent pursuit was now on the line.
Anton:"Oh, but you still want to pursue her? Right?"
Teen Hugh felt the heat rise in his cheeks, blushing fiercely. He decided, thinking, "I bet I can take my chance!" He asked his buddies, "How should I~"
Before he could finish, Anton and Kyle stood up, grabbed each of Teen Hugh's arms, and forcefully dragged him right to Aurie's table. They then abruptly left Hugh sitting next to Aurie.
Teen Hugh composed himself, the adrenaline making him bold. "So uhm... what's your next subject?"
Teen Aurie's friend 1:"What? You'll sit-in?"
Teen Hugh:"Maybe?!"
Teen Aurie:"You're Hugh, right?" She spoke with the cool confidence of a girl who knew her worth.
Teen Hugh:"Yes, oh, you uhm... you remember?!"
Teen Aurie:"Yes. What now?"
Teen Hugh didn't answer with words. He just looked into Teen Aurie's eyes, smiling, telling himself, "I want to marry her!"
With that certainty burning inside him, he waited. Teen Aurie and her friends finished their food, and when they stood up, Teen Hugh stood up, then grabbed the right arm of Teen Aurie, stopping her departure.
"Uhm... Aurie... uh... shall we go to Wren & Willow café uhm... later... after school?"
Teen Aurie chuckled, covering her mouth as she unbelievably tried to compose herself. The brazenness was disarming. She asked, "How come you know my name?"
Teen Hugh:"We met in some... uh... some events before."
Teen Aurie:"Uh huh..."
Teen Aurie was clearly having some doubt, but she was internally blushing.
Teen Aurie's friend 2:"Girl, no, he's a stalker."
Teen Aurie:"Girls, let me talk to him. See you later." Her friends reluctantly left.
Teen Aurie and Teen Hugh sat again. "How do you know my name?" she insisted.
Teen Hugh:"I uh... we're popular... of course I know you."
Teen Aurie:"How? Honesty please."
Teen Hugh gulped, completely cornered. He didn't know how to answer without sounding exactly like the stalker her friend claimed he was. Teen Aurie was bored with the stalling. "You know, maybe I'll ask my driver on how do I go at Wren & Willow. Okay?"
Before she could stand, Teen Hugh's hand pulled her right arm again. The truth slipped out, fueled by desperation. "I just... know it... Aurie Fortuna Adler."
Teen Aurie was instantly amazed, her eyes sparkling as she looked straight into Teen Hugh's eyes. Teen Aurie compliements, "Oh wow. Best In Research huh?!"
Teen Hugh's eyes were wide, his mouth open in shock that she had guessed his exact methods.
Teen Hugh:"I don't remember, Aurie. I mean... I guess, before talking to you, I uh... I knew your name & I asked before because your name is unique."
Teen Aurie:"Ok... I see... Mister Hugh Adler."
She threw his full name back at him with a perfect smirk, sealing the deal, and then left the table.
Currently, Hugh woke up. The memory, for him, was still a great past of him and his wife. He stood up, shaking off the remnants of the dream.
Hugh went to the kitchen, trying to make hot milk for him to sleep again. The translucent-human form of Aurie had followed him and now sat on the large kitchen table, watching him.
Aurie:"Hi Love."
Hugh looked at his back, directly at the table where he heard the word "Love".
Aurie, now facing nose-to-nose with Hugh, even though he didn't see her, slightly cried, asking herself, "Hugh, did you hear me?"
Hugh's skin erupted with goosebumps now. He couldn't explain it. The word "Love" had been whispered to him from an unknown, spectral voice. Hugh told himself, "Wait, it's 3... three at midnight... right?" He drank the hot, fresh milk quickly, washed the glass immediately, then went straight back to his bed.
While Hugh was trying to sleep, his main door opened. "Dad, you still awake?"
Hugh gasped and automatically sat up halfway in his bed. "Adiel, are you here? I didn't notice you!!!"
Adiel:"Apologies."
Adiel sat beside his father. "Dad, I'm here because..."
Hugh:"It's ok... I'm happy you're here."
Adiel:"Can I sleep here? Like a kid before? I remember being in the middle with you & mom."
Hugh:"Of course!"
They settled down to sleep. Aurie phased from the kitchen to Hugh's room.
Aurie whispered to Hugh, "If you can hear me. Don't let mom take over on all my assets. It's for Adiel. Only for Adiel."
Adiel fell asleep, so fast, like a kid. Then, Hugh spoke like he was answering back to Aurie, his voice normal in the quiet room. "If you can hear me, Aurie?! Amelia took over to all of your assets."
Aurie shook, utterly stunned. She covered her mouth as if Hugh could actually hear her. In so much happiness, she jumped on the bed, about to hug Hugh, but she instantly phased to the floor right through the mattress.
Aurie sat, crying inside the washroom where she had phased, questioning, "What should I do so they can hear me clearly?"
ADIEL'S ONE AND ONLY
Days passed. It was now the fourth night that Aurie was in her coma.
In her translucent-human form, she felt like she had a nap. She woke up suddenly in a high-rise condominium unit she did not recognize. She stayed in the kitchen, observing the owner.
Atall, buff, Korean guy in a pair of white sleepwear was sipping a four-season cold drink before going to his bed. Aurie stayed in the kitchen and murmured a compliment: "Handsome!"
A little later, in the building's car park, Adiel arrived at the condominium near Aurie's New York office. Adiel was no stranger; he easily used his keycard and entered the condo unit.
Adiel went straight toSejun Gae's master bedroom. "Hey Sejun, how was your day?"
Sejun:"Why are you here?"
Adiel:"Because I have the keycard."
Sejun:"Because you own this?"
Adiel:"Technically."
Sejun stood up from his bed and laughed loud. "Adiel, your mom is in coma. Go to her."
Aurie instantly appeared on the master bedroom door, as if she had teleported, unable to comprehend the closeness and familiarity.
Adiel:"We were there. We are always there. What's the matter?"
Sejun:"Stop, I get your humor. You know I can't stand our status... you know, I'm starting to pack my things, too."
Adiel:"Wait, why are you doing this?"
Sejun:"Ok first, we... my family is not as rich-rich people like yours. We're mid-wealthy, okay?! Secondly, I think I'm hearing your mom that she don't like me! Okay?"
Adiel slightly laughed, completely off-guard because he knew Sejun was not into paranormal norms. He asked humorously, "Really? How?"
Sejun stopped packing his clothes, looked directly at Adiel, and asked, "Are you kidding me? I'm serious."
Adiel hugged Sejun from behind and guaranteed him, "You know, when mom wakes up. We can tell anything & everything. Together."
Aurie shook, her entire spectral form vibrating. It felt like she needed to phase out from that room, but her legs stayed floating, forcing her to remain inside Sejun's room. She was now fully covering her mouth with her hands because of Adiel's intimate gestures to Sejun.
Sejun:"I'm not kidding, Adiel."
Adiel:"Okay... alright... Well, I'm serious, when mom wakes up, she will definitely accept us~"
Sejun: "HANDSOME! I HEARD THE WORD 'HANDSOME' EARLIER FROM THE KITCHEN WHILE I'M WALKING GOING BACK HERE IN OUR ROOM!!!"
Then Aurie phased, instantly leaving the room. She was now in the living room, her mind racing. She asked herself, "Are they? are they? No... no... my Unico Hijo is... no... no... their room?! What?!"
💔 The fourth night of the coma has delivered two truths that will destroy the fragile world of the Aurie's.
First, Hugh can hear his wife's spectral voice, or at least sense her presence and respond to her pleas for help. Aurie now knows she has an ally in the living world; one she has constantly misjudged.
Second, the shock that leaves Aurie phasing instantly: her "Unico Hijo," Adiel, is deeply in love with Sejun Gae. Will Aurie (now confirmed to be heard by Sejun) reveal herself to him in a desperate attempt to break up the couple and preserve the will's intent? 💔
Sombr_Back To Friends:
https://open.spotify.com/track/0FTmksd2dxiE5e3rWyJXs6 💔
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8zq4kAn_O0 💔