I coughed rather awkwardly, as Aslan led me outside the door of his million dollar home, with the cold air hitting across my face in a tidal wave. The sun was only setting and soon night would approach, fervently. I realized here in the city of Bellingham, time had an unseasonable way of lapsing. Even when it was morning, gloominess raked the clouds almost as if they were threatening to spill  rain. Almost it never does, the atmosphere was very heavy and mellowed.

"Come on."Aslan ushers me at his side, "I will give you a ride home." He reinstates, after I boasted about walking home with no sense of direction.

Aslan didn't spare me another glance as he began to climb into his car, of course I was hot on his heel, ready to get out of his sight to go home and prepare for tomorrow.

I get inside of the car, snuggling into the seat upon Aslan turning on the heater. I told him where I lived and he almost flinches at my response. Narrowing my eyes, internally did I contemplate his behavior.

"You wouldn't happen to know a Darcy Kingsley, would you?" He doesn't refrain from asking, also giving me the impression that he was all-too familiar with her. I shrug before recollecting myself. "I do know her. She's my cousin actually." I reply shortly.

Aslan goes silent for a moment. I look over toward him as his eyes strains on the road. "Is it just me, or did you just take a bold reaction to the news?" I ask. I knew Darcy could get around, but Aslan seems, displeased maybe, at me and Darce being related.

Aslan peeks over at me, glistening violent pupils were filling with surprise before he chuckles abrasively. "It's not that," He reassures me. "It's only the neighborhood. You don't live that far from me." I just nod, looking down at my hands placed in my lap. He didn't give me a very sensical response, but I wouldn't push it.

I couldn't help but to feel so much energetic discomfort wavering over towards me from Aslan's side of the vehicle, I also couldn't decide if this zest was escaping the heater or a makeshift from the dreading silence. "Delilah, have you eaten anything today?"

Coincidentally, after Aslan hits me with a question, my stomach roars very loudly. My cheeks inflame after hearing another aroused laughter from Aslan. "I guess that answers my question then." Nodding rapidly, a smile only erupts across my lips as he turns into the diner's driveway.

I'm starting to think this was a casual spot for everyone in town. The same diner Robin loved so much, it was apparent Aslan shared the same passion for their burgers and famous milkshakes as well. Aslan recalls a memory, of this being a regular place for him and his buddies as we evade the double doors. Instantly the significant aroma of coffee waft my nose.

We take seats at the bar alongside each other. I fiddle with the menu in my hand as I decide a milkshake and ribeye steak with a side of fries would suffice my appetite for the night. I haven't eaten all day, we both missed lunch.

"So tell me." I began lowly smirking to myself, Aslan's translucent eyes were fixated on me once more I started talking, "You never entirely told me what it was, that you wanted to take from Silver." I egged on. I couldn't help this desperation of wanting to know more about Aslan while also managing to figure out who Silver was in the process. I blame curiosity, and the need to know.

So far, Silver had only been a nickname that I mentioned to Robin to make up for the lack of knowledge towards the guy. I assume without interest, Aslan would presumably know who I was talking about.

Aslan looks down at his feet, curling his fingers throughout his ashy dirty blonde hair. I noticed he did this whenever he thought before replying. He was also very word selective on what he'd say next.

""Just to set the record straight, I don't believe on taking anything that isn't mine." Aslan looked around at anything but myself, his chest softly vibrating under the dim lights of the room. Aslan had brightened the room up a ton, just by existing in it.

Again, his eyelashes fluttered each time he blinked.

Was I making him nervous?

So far the only thing he has really clarified was, in this particular case; he wasn't a thief.

"In fact, I support what's orderly right. What I don't support is, something without consent existing and being just because it simply is." Aslan spoke carefully as he coated the ridges of his finger with salt, just to lick the salt clean with his tongue out. I eyed this action, with a raised eyebrow.

Confusion struck me, as I sat back in my chair out of an honest defeat. "What do you mean by that?" I inquired.

"What I mean by this is; free choice. I think whatever he believes is his, can be mine too. Nothing is truly yours unless it wants to be." Aslan smirks down on me. At first back at his house, he spoke shameful of the situation; apologetically even toward the conflict between him and Silver, and now he speaks defiantly.

He spoke so degenerately as if he were breaking rules.

Did I believe in breaking rules? Only the right ones. Breaking rules use to be my specialty but now I'm not so sure anymore.

I take a moment to process this, even contemptibly now that Aslan is confidently in my face, trusting to share his rebellious thoughts with me.

"So what you are saying is, nobody can really have entitlement to something?" Right now, I sounded like I lacked negotiable means, and Aslan was planning to make a bargain with me. Like we were cooking up a heinous plot, and for the first time tonight-he smiles at me.

Aslan really smiles at me.

Mary the waitress finally neared our side of the bar with a shiny glimmer and table platter in hand. "What can I get you two lovebirds tonight?"

I go to hand her my menu when immediately my eyes widen, the menu began to shake impulsively in my raised palm. I cough dramatically after hearing the phrase,lovebirds. She couldn't be more serious, me and Aslan in love? I could not imagine that happening. Aslan's smile deepens as he mumbles something incoherent to my ears.

I barely know the guy, but I seemingly get enough of him every morning when I look up into the sky. Not when it's night time, which was when I preferred to look at anyone- when I'm most active. He's the type of guy who calls at 5 or 6AM to wake you up, in order to tell you good morning.

I was never awake at those hours.

I fought back the raging urge to correct Mary the waitress, instead replying back with my meal of choice. Aslan only asks for a coffee, nodding the waitress off.

Once Mary is away, I began softly bobbing my head to the music. Anything to distract the tension that engulfed my senses of Aslan openly staring me down.

"Silver..." He trails off.

I send him an addled expression because I hadn't heard him clearly. Aslan fidgets around in his place before pointing an accused finger at me, "You called him, Silver. I am just now noticing. Why?" Aslan asks.

It took me a moment to try and decipher was me calling the guy, Silver, a bad thing. As expected, Aslan remained stoic-not giving anything away. He was typically satire and placid. It was obvious he had a more configuring and refine relationship with Silver, a more personable connection unlike Robin. That's why Robin was probably going off of rumor and instinct. Aslan knows more than what he would like to tell me.

I mean I would assume these two guys were friends, I'd just seen them together in the diner only two nights ago. Playing pool.

"It's in his eyes." I sighed.

"You should keep calling him that. His actual name carries a lot more dirt; a distaste to the point if anyone heard you say it," Aslan fisted his hands in his jean pocket as he spoke his truth. "They'd think you were his play thing."

Suddenly, my heart palpitated at the mention. As if Aslan were implying that Silver racked up on the bodies of countless women. Silver was probably no different from Darcy. Maybe they both were... body positive? I'd have to hear her input on him further before I made a final opinion.

"Besides, it would not be the first time anyone has ever called him a name he didn't go by. For some reason the girls have given him plenty of names and titles around here." Aslan spat.

I couldn't help but to ponder as an image of Silver flooded my subconscious, Aslan continued his sappy conversation while I daydreamed. Now that I know he's a womanizer, hopefully that ideal would rid him from my thoughts. Constantly through the day, he had crossed my mind occasionally. His smoldering silver irises which ironically calmed me despite how stormy and grayish they were. Why has he been parading inside of my mind?

Mary finally arrives with our food and drinks, too bad I've just lost my appetite.

"Well if you speak of the devil, he shall appear."

Aslan didn't strike me much as the social outcast type, so when I lifted my head to see of this devil he spoke of, I was surprised to see Titus Lee.

A familiar face, one who had greeted me just the night before with dazzling teeth and the kind of hair that sweeps over his forehead in pools of loose waves. He was too kind, too much of a jokester, too ideal of a man to the point I wasn't attracted to him. Again, Titus was very perfect to
point it made my eyes sting.
Who I see beside him though is enough to make my toes curl.

It was that guy again. The one who I had decided to nickname, due to the color of his pupils. He changed his clothes, now dressed in a white tee shirt with a black jacket to compliment his swagger. The people who once filtered around the door, seemingly parted for him like the way that I wanted to part my legs.

I didn't really mean that, he was beautiful but not in the way that Titus was. It was just his face that spoke volume, it was everything that he was down to his feet.

Far too distracted by his aura, I didn't even realize that my once hero was occupied by a female counterpart.

I grimace feeling damn near repelled. It was sickening to want to snatch my eyes away from the sight, but everything inside of my chest absolutely refused. Something inside of me was burning as I gazed heatedly into the side of Silver's head. Half admittedly, he was just too beautiful. Too dashing for me to look away from, even despite how much of a grinch he was.

On top of that, according to Aslan, he was also a libertine.

He must've felt my frustration at attention, because smoothly he started turning his head in my direction before I forced myself to look elsewhere. I felt his narrowness peak at me and Aslan as I heard approaching footsteps coming from behind us. I only turn back at Silver to see Titus calling out my name. I notice Silver's frown intensifies as his arm tears away from some girl's waist. He was now appointed toward me...and Aslan.

"Delilah." Titus smoothens out his coat, now standing in front of me with this mature sly grin plastered on his mouth. He faces Aslan with his grin quickly diminishing, I knew they were friends. Titus's voice was bold yet rougher than what I expected, with him always being surrounded by people, whenever he was around me it was like he's the only man alive worth listening to or watching.

Titus is the one who introduced me to Aslan, so why now am I getting the inkling that Titus wasn't so pleased to see him in this moment.

"What are you doing here Aslan?" Titus nits his eyebrows together, appearing more than puzzled and somewhat agitated.

Aslan doesn't respond too quickly, taking his time. Instead of answering how Titus wanted, he took a large antagonizing sip of his coffee.

"You know you cannot be here Aslan, not tonight." It was my turn to widen my eyes at Titus gaining seriousness. His jaw ticked and arms were stiffened as he pressed gently in between us. Titus had stolen another fleeting glance where he previously stood by Silver, before he began to glare at Aslan.

"What are you gonna do Titus Lee? Force me away, make me leave?" Aslan doesn't seem impressed like I was with Titus, he came off rather offended at what Titus was asking of him.

Titus must've ruffled Aslan's feathers because Aslan's shoulders slacked as he cooly threw them over the table.

Titus started to undo the buttons on his shirt, when his coat goes off next, he pretends to knock the dust off its collar while also tossing it over the back of my chair.

Aslan didn't hesitate to rise to his feet, lifting the sleeves of his Jean jacket above his elbows. It was my turn to attempt an intervention, seemingly that's all I've been doing lately, preventing altercations between young men. I've been becoming what I have feared most; a damsel.

"Hey guys, can you both please relax!" I shouted only loud enough to where they could hear me. They were beginning to attract such fierce attention, with me in the middle of their conflict.

Just before Titus and Aslan's argument could progress, I heard the double doors slam shut on their hinges, while catching the end of Silver stalking outside of the diner. I wonder what pissed him off...

"You can't do this here," Titus eagerly grabbed his coat and pushed Aslan's shoulder toward the direction of the exit. "Please take it outside." I pleaded.

More and more people were gathering around where we were standing. The blonde girl that Silver previously occupied looked around sheepishly. Not only had she just had her fingers intertwined into his hair, but she must've managed to piss him off too because her fingers were now balled up at her side.

Why was she here with him in the first place?

"Why won't you meet me in the parking lot, Aslan. You should know better than this." Titus nonchalantly, wraps his coat over his arm as he followed Silver outside.

Aslan sent me a lasting look over, before he too would soon join them. I had a feeling something terrible was going to happen, and it involved Aslan showing up here tonight with me.

If both Titus and Aslan were friends, it would only be rational to think Aslan and Silver were at the least acquaintances. They were just playing pool together last night, so whatever was causing them to fallout it had been recent.

My stomach turned again at the food I ordered, lost for hunger, I was now ready to leave, with or without Aslan.

I bolted for the exit when suddenly Titus bursted inside. His arms reached out to stop me from tipping over, after his abrupt entrance. He places his hands down at my side, tilting his forehead upward out of viable concern. "Where were you going?"

Well now that he's questioning my actions, I'm not so sure anymore. "There's been a change of plans. I'll be taking you home now." Titus leaves no room for discussion as he demands
I follow him. Little did he know I wouldn't question his authority, I just wanted to get inside my bed.

"Okay." I follow him ideally outside. We get to his car and neither Aslan or Silver is on the premises, but Aslan's car is still parked in front of the diner. "Where has Aslan gone?" I questioned.

Titus plugs his car keys into the ignition, animating his Panamera Porsche to liveliness. "Your friend, Aslan had some trouble to deal with. It appears he has left you here." Titus convinces me.

I have no choice but to believe him.

Titus rears out of the driveway, getting on the road. As he's driving, light specks of water started to decorate the wind-shield in the middle of me rolling up the window. I'd loathed the rain for some time now.

"I don't know him all that well, but I doubt Aslan is the type to leave anyone like that. Alone in a diner." I cleared my throat over the radio, which spewed instrumentals through the beamer.

"Any other day, you'd be right." Titus chastises, "But would it be arrogant to say this? Aslan hasn't been Aslan lately. Take it from someone who has known him his whole life."He paints a picture I'm too in the dark to understand.

I hardly know either of them. I can neither pass laudable judgement on either party. The scent of Titus's cologne clogs my senses in contrast to Aslan's favorable redolence, which I'm sure clings around me. I've been surrounded by him all day until this point.

"Can't really argue with that."

Titus looks over at me like Aslan had before. We were stuck in this same moment with nothing but teasing silence and the sound of the vehicle moving except now, pattering rain could be heard. These moments were scary, they were fragile as they were fleeting.

"Now that we're alone, I can finally tell you what I need to say," Something inside of Titus stirred, and it was very musical but noble.

Unlike Aslan, he didn't have to think to speak because everything he spoke, sounded so stealthy and orchestrated. Would it to be too soon to say, something was growing between us? I mean, whatever it was, it denied romance. Something I always looked forward to in a male friend.

I nod encouragingly for him to continue, meanwhile I stared outside of the window at the trees passing by in different vibrant green hues, even as they seemed to be swallowed by darkness in absolute.

"Familiar ties in Bellingham have to live by familiar ties. All families follow unspoken laws, ones where no one governs themselves. Ownership is ownership. If Aslan wants to take what belongs to E- Silver. Then there are ends that need to be met." Abruptly, the car comes to a halt. I recognize my aunt's house as Titus waits by the curb.

I close his car door shut, stepping out into the rain. "Why are you telling me this?" Is the last thing I ask before walking towards my house. Titus had an exuberant way of expressing things. Like Aslan, he spoke of riddles.

"Just say whether or not if you agree with me." Titus crosses his bulky arms over his chest stubbornly, all I could do was make the shape of his face with my appetite resurfacing.

.