Aurielle hadn’t slept for the three days Austin had been gone. She survived on coffee and muesli bars with the occasional piece of chocolate. We’d forced her to go to a therapist for a two hour session and even that didn’t seem to help. 

“For the last time Aurie, Austin is not dead!” Geronimo groaned, snatching away her cup. “Now go to bed!” 

“How do you know?” She glared, looking him up and down.

“Why would they kill him? They need information.” He reasoned, picking her up.

“PUT ME DOWN! I NEED TO FIND AUSTIN!” Aurielle screamed, kicking and flailing around.

“Not on zero hours of sleep you're not. Now, go find Judy and ask her to check up on your leg.” I watched as Geronimo placed her down, far away from the kitchen.

“Fine.” She frowned, storming off to the infirmary. I chuckled and grabbed her cup, tipping the remaining contents into the sink.

“Has she really not slept, Ger?” I asked, washing the cup now.

“Yeah. Aston says she just sits awake.” He sighed, looking around the corner. 

“Oh. She really does need sleep.” I mused, making myself a tea. Giselle walked into the kitchen then, grabbing a bag of chips out of the pantry. She looked at me weirdly.

“You haven’t been out on one of your dates in a while, Mav.” 

“I’ve been on three. And no, I haven’t. Why?” Not like it was her business.  

“Wondering.” She shrugged, walking away.
“Wait!” I called out, walking after her. “Can you text her for me? I need to go check on Aurie.” I chucked her my phone and walked down to the infirmary. 

Apparently, Aurielle wouldn’t let Judy touch her, so we had to sedate her so she’d stop moving around. She slept for seventeen hours after that. 

________________________________________________________

“Maverick, get in the car if you want a ride.” 

“Coming.” I bounded down the stairs whilst still putting on my shoes. Giselle stood in front of the car, swinging the keys around on her finger.
“Let’s go now.”  Giselle swung open the driver’s seat door and I got in the passenger seat. She began driving out onto the main road as I punched the address of the restaurant into the GPS. 

As soon as Giselle and I pull up to the restaurant Nylah suggested, I thank my driver and hop out, putting in my contacts effortlessly. 

I spot Nylah and wave to her, she waves back and I plonk myself down into the seat opposite her. 

“How are you?” I asked, grabbing the menu that had been laid out in front of me. 

“Fine? How about you?” She asked, pouring glasses of water for us. 

“I could be better. My roommate’s brother has gone… Missing?” I paused to think of the right words. He hadn’t gone missing, we knew who took him just not where he was. “She didn’t sleep for three days and then she slept for nearly a full day.” 

“O-oh? That mustn't be very nice for you then.” I watched as she spilt a bit of water and sweat trickled down her face.
“No, not nice at all. I’m worried for him, my best friend.” 

“I’d feel the same if I were in your situation.” 

“I feel like most people would.” I finally decided what I wanted to eat and flagged down a waiter. “Can I have spaghetti bolognese?”

“Mhm. And what would you like, Miss?” He nodded towards Nylah.

“I’ll just have what he had, thanks.” She handed him our menus and he walked off. 

As the sun began to set, our meals arrived. I spun my fork in the spaghetti and put it in my mouth. The girl opposite me mirrored my movements.

“Oh! I just realised I don’t even know your age.” She gasped, setting down her fork.

“We don’t know a lot of basic information about each other to be honest.” I mused. “And to answer your question, that is not a question, I’m 23, but my birthday is in July.”

“I turned 25 in February.” 

“And you didn’t invite me to your party? How rude!” I exclaimed, setting my fork down in fake shock. 

“Oh sorry! Didn’t realise you were such high maintenance.” She grinned before sipping her water. 

“Well I am and I thought you needed to know that basic information.” 

“How thoughtful.” 

“I am a very thoughtful person.” I concluded and began shoving more pasta into my mouth. 

________________________________________________________

After finding out what a disgraceful colour Nylah liked, I decided I needed something alcoholic and recommended going down to one of the clubs I adored. So here I was, sitting at a bar whilst sipping a bottle of beer. 

“Would you care for a dance, madam?” I slurred, slightly tipsy after my fifth drink. 

“Sure?” She sighed, taking my hand. I couldn’t dance if I needed to save the world, but I’d try tonight.

After dancing for a while, we both got tired and being the drunk idiot I was at the time, I placed my hand on her hip and brought her back to my front. 

“Ready?” I whispered into her ear as I spun her around. 

“Always.” She whispered back. 

Then I did the dumbest thing ever.