Something about you

Chapter 5

Those eyes - New West 

ARIA

September 2022, Seattle

If someone had told me I'd be signing a publishing contract when I wrote the first word of this novel, I'd never have believed it. Yet here I am, contract in hand, just leaving from another meeting with my editor, walking quietly through the streets of Seattle to find my best friend and tell her the good news. I haven't signed anything yet, of course. I intend to read every line and pay attention to every detail of this contract before I sign it.

I wander the streets, observing passers-by and wondering what their lives are like. Then, too absorbed in my task, I bump into someone.

"Oh, my... I'm sorry, I -", I blurted out, trying to pick up the expanse of my bag that spilled onto the ground.

"Aria?"

"Lewis!" I exclaimed, looking up, "what a surprise!"

He laughed, then crouched down to help me, "I didn't think I'd run into you here, do you live around here?"

"I live about ten minutes from here, but actually, I had a business appointment at the Oddfellows Café!"

Alicia, my editor, wanted to see me again to talk a bit more and give me my contract. We chose the same place because it was easier that way.

"Where do you live? Because I live ten minutes from here too!".

"That's not true! I live on Warren Avenue, at 115, do you?", I reply as we start walking aimlessly.

"You're kidding, right?"

"What? No! Why would you think that -"

"I live five minutes from your street by car!"

"Wow! We're so close," I say when I think of things I never thought I'd think of.

"That's great," he says, smiling mischievously, "Otherwise, what was that business meeting for?".

"Oh, I wrote a book last year while I was in San Francisco and, long story short, a publishing house really liked it. I was in a meeting with one of their editors."

"Wow, Aria! That's amazing, I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks, I'm proud, actually. You're the first person who heard the news, so don't tell anyone", I whisper my last sentence to him, to make him laugh.

Surprising, huh ?

"Oh, so, am I special to you for being the first ?" he says, chuckling and giving me a little nudge on the shoulder.

This simple gesture brings back our last conversation like a flashback, and suddenly I'd like to flee at full speed in the opposite direction.

"I'm kidding, Aria. But if I was you, I'll be yelling the news everywhere."

I chuckle at his answer, bewildered by the ease I feel in his presence. It's not so bad after all.

"And you, why are you in there ?" I ask to take the conversation in another direction.

"I wanted to buy some stuff in the groceries store".

I nod, and we keep walking until we're arriving to the place where my car is, in the parking lot. Uncertainty tortures my thoughts as Lewis accompanies. What did I do now ? He is here, and I'm here too, but nobody speaking anymore. And, he has these things who shining in his eyes who fracking me out because I can tell what is the cause of that. I'm not presumptuous enough to believe that I'm what's causing him this effect, but judging by the smile on his face, I might start to believe it.