After that rainy bus ride, Aria seemed to show up everywhere in my life.
In the library, with her notes scrunched up together over a steaming mug of tea. In the hallway, waving as if we've known each other for years already. Even in the cafeteria, where she always managed to squeeze in to sit beside me.
I never invited her. She just… Stayed.
"You need to consume more vegetables," she said to me one afternoon, nudging her salad bowl towards me.
"I'm fine."
"You're not." She leaned in, voice low. "Your body will thank you afterwards."
I didn't protest, in large part because it was simpler just to eat than to hear her constant rationalizing. She smiled proudly, drinking her tea. I noticed she always had the same thermos; steam curled from the top.
It was the third week I'd seen her rubbing hands together, and the weather is not that cold to do that.
"You're shaking," I said without thinking.
She blinked, looking surprised. Then she laughed. "Guess I'm just bad with the cold."
It was an unusual reaction. The air was warm enough that I'd kept my jacket hung over the back of my own chair. Still, I didn't ask.... Why did you do that?
I caught up with her later in the library, head on folded arms. Her breathing was slow, nearly too gentle, and for a moment I thought she was asleep. When she raised her head, however, there was a faint exhaustion in her eyes that didn't entirely match her smiles.
"Hey, Ethan," she whispered, as if she hadn't just lain on the brink of sleep. "Do you want to walk home with me?"
I hesitated. I usually don't like walking home with anyone. But the words slipped out before I could stop them.
".Sure."
And so I walk home with her.
She talked on and on about little things, how the sky looked painted, how she'd read a poem that reminded her of me, how sunny weather made her sleepy. I remained quiet but listened.
I didn't realize it at the time, but Aria was slowly manipulating my routine. She was pulling me into her rhythm, and I was letting her.
And somewhere deep within me, I had already begun relying on her warm care.