Will You Keep The Secret

"Alright Dumbledore?" Aurora snorted softly in amusement, shaking her head and whispering, "Parents are shit, theres no such thing as gods. Life'll always go wrong somehow and that's just how it is, it doesn't bother me anymore. It used to, but not anymore. Why I'm never going to have kids, would never allow anyone to be let down the way I have." Shoving her hands into her pockets she whispered, "You're parents sound like dicks, like I said; I never knew my dad so I didn't have that whole not being able to live up to standards thing, and I always knew my mother loved me; whether I got to grow up with her or not. I'm sorry you had a bad time, too... You seem nice though; I reckon you've stuck it to 'em, them and anyone else that has ever put you down... You''ve got me as a friend, if you need it."

"It got you smiling didn't it? I think we've finally found something we can agree on." Oli smiled softly. "I think you'll make a great mum, because you've already decided that you'd give them a better life than you had growing up. For me, I quickly learnt that no one cared for me, 'cept me. I had to look after my own back cause no one else would." Oli looked down at the path they were walking along and scuffed a small rock with his shoe. "It must've been nice, having someone to love you. I never had that. Feelings were always seen as negative in my household. I've always been a bit of a loner." Oli reached over and squeezed Aurora's hand, "so it's nice to have a friend."

"All I ever knew about my father, from mutterings from my mother is that his name was Lowakalle, weird ass name. She used to joke that she shouldn't of expected anything else of him then to run away with such a messed up name like that." She chuckled, intertwining her fingers with his and squeezing them briefly before wrinkling her nose and almost throwing his hand back at him in embarrassment. "She was great; she was but I don't remember much. Six when I lost her and then stuck with my aunt, now that's Harry Potter shit I went through with her. Got away from all that though, that's all that matters I suppose... What brings you around here, have I asked yet, it's a strange place to end up and I take it that you aren't local."

Oli raised his eyebrow and thought, best not tell her my full name then! Then canted his head to one side, Lowakalle sounded familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it. He flinched slightly when he felt Aurora pull away, obviously he hadn't made as much progress as he thought but he hid it as best he could. "At least you have those few good memories to hold on to, they're more precious than you can imagine. Families have the capacity for the greatest love and the greatest pain. You are one of those unfortunate to feel both sides of the coin. At least you got out the other side, you've come out a fighter. I ended up here because, well I wanted to get away from my last home and decided to go somewhere where no one would know me and I could have a change of lifestyle and no, I am anything but local."

Aurora just nodded subtly in response to that, glancing over her shoulder at him. Looking over him in silent contemplation before her gaze met his eyes; "Which one of your idiot parents do you get those lovely eyes from? Never seen like eyes like yours before; their fascinating... Where did you live before you came here?"

Oli smirked at that. "My mother. She was stunning. Aloof, heartless cow but could stop a man with a single glance. High cheekbones, dark hair, slender, all you'd expect from the perfect woman. She was just missing a heart unfortunately, block of ice instead, with eyes to match. Hers had a glint in them, cold, terrifying to a young boy. I only ever saw her smile once, it lit up the room, her face seemed so alive and I wanted that, that happiness. I moved around a lot before here, never really stayed in one place, a bit of a wanderer."

"Perfect woman bullshit." Aurora replied, rolling her eyes. "It's the quality of your heart that determines how close to perfect you are, not the way you look, or the colour of your eyes. She didn't treat you right so I don't think she's anything close to perfect." Her tone was sharp, almost protective. "Your eyes aren't like hers, if her eyes were like her heart. Yours seem warm, playful... I'd like to do that; travel, wander it sounds nice, I've just never really gotten around to it."

Oli was taken back by Aurora's tone of voice. No one had been that protective of him, ever. "Well, you certainly have my mum pegged, just hope you never meet her, she could be quite the banshee when she was angry, which was most of the time with her. She was perfect in everyone's eyes but those who actually knew her, or maybe just me. Any way, enough of this deep talk, I always find being playful always helps to get you through life. Where would you like to go, if you did go traveling? There's so much to see."

"On side note to your eyes, pearl is my favourite gem... stone.. whichever it is, why I like them so much. I prefer deep talk, small talk is boring; dull. Talking about the deep things is how people bond, isn't it? I only ever enjoy small talk with people that I don't actually like as a means to get rid of them." She chuckled. "I don't know where I would go... I've always wanted to go to Milan; especially in the height of the season for fashion. I like wearing pretty dresses even in the cold weather and muddy places; activity wise I'd like to go anywhere that has off-road quad biking. What about you?"

"You really like my eyes don't you?" Oli ginned mischievously, his eyes sparkling. "Is there, anything else you like about me precious, or haven't you gotten past them yet, because I can tell you,there is a lot more to admire. I will have to remember you like pearls, birthday presents and all that. When is your birthday by the way? Deep conversations are a very good way of getting to know one another. I'll have to remember that if you're ever giving me idle chit chat, to make myself scarce. Now Milan, there's a wonderful place. They certainly know their fashion. Maybe you'll still get there. It's good to have dreams. going of road is a bit of a habit of yours then I'm guessing, seen as I found you out here. As for me, I like experiencing new cultures, new people, I want to go to as many places as possible."

3 and half months later....

Aurora quietly approached the large mansion building the centre of the town, a gold-lined invitation inside an envelope that had coffee stains and rips around the edges of it where she had been pulling at it nervously was clutched in her hands. Quietly she lifted her gaze up to the sky, frowning a little bit as she saw the clouds begin to darken for the third time that day. She let out a squeal when her foot went into a deep puddle on the side of the street, water splashing onto the side of her ivy green long, almost prom styled dress.

Oli watched her approach through one of the downstairs windows. This was their first official date and he'd wanted to make it perfect for her. He wasn't sure how he'd fallen for this unusual women but he had, even after telling himself over and over that it could never work because of who he was, he was to broken. He saw when Aurora stepped in the puddle and went out to help her.

"Water is such a horrible thing," She mumbled to herself, brushing the bottom of her dress and continuing to walk quietly, wandering up the stairs and passing the invitation to the doorman that was allowing people into the building. Continuing her journey inside when the man nodded her in, though ending up stopping just inside when she spotted him. "Oli." She hummed cheerily in greeting.

Oli walked forward, took her hand and pressed a gentle kiss on her knuckles, whilst slightly waving his other hand to dry off Aurora's dress. "Welcome to my humble abode, Precious. I thought I should throw a small party, now that I've settled in. What do you think of my home?"

"You never told me you were rich." She whispered, glancing around at everything. "This place must of cost a fortune and who are all these people? Some locals but not all.. have you paid people just to make it look busy?"

"Oh no, not rich, I can just be persuasive when I want to be. This place came fairly cheap actually, haunted, I believe. If you go in for that type of thing. Most of the people here are just being nosy, a mysterious stranger buys a big house and throws a big party, wouldn't you go if you got an invite, just to find out as much as you could?" Oli smirked, "but of course, you'd come, you know the charming man who owns the house, how could you possibly say no?" With that, Oli tucked Aurora's hand in the crook of his arm and led her to the ballroom.

"You're a freak, Eyes." She chuckled, leaning up to press her lips to his cheek softly, barely even grazing his skin before her mind was quickly on something else. Studying the ballroom in fascination, her mouth slightly agape with awe. "I- ghosts? No, no I don't believe in that. I can't not believe in gods and yet believe in ghosts and other supernatural entities, that would be hypocritical of me. Tricks of the mind, yeah, I believe in tricks of the mind... So, a party, and dancing and... singing, will their be? You enjoy all that. You've kept the host side of you very secretive."

"Why thank you precious, you flatter me." Oli felt his heart warm at the Aurora's nickname. Most people hadn't stuck round long enough to give him a nickname. When she kissed his cheek, he felt the skin beneath her lips tingle pleasantly. "No I didn't think you would. Although, they are always useful to tell stories about. I find telling stories is great way to pass the time, especially ghost stories, they reveal so much about how people grieve and look at death. But now is not a time for such morbid thoughts. Ahh now tricks of the mind, I am rather well versed in those. Gotten me out of more than a few tricky spots over the years. There hasn't been an occasion for me to throw a party in a while, I had forgotten how nice it could be to be in the company of others. Yes there will be lots of dancing, and now that you mention it, I do believe I am to start off this whole shindig with a song." With that he released Aurora's hand and headed towards the slightly raised area at one end of the ballroom where there was a microphone and a band. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to my small gathering." Oli winked at Aurora. "Now I am unsure of culture here, but where I come from, it is tradition that the host open a party with a song, to welcome their guests." With that Oli nodded to the band who immediately started playing. "Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes, Five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear, Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes, How do you measure, measure a year?........."

Aurora let out a small sigh and shook her head, sitting herself down at the closest table and resting her head against her hand, lifting her gaze up to watch him silently. Though she often looked away in hopes he wouldn't direct anything else at her, embarrassed by the attention.

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"You're crazy for staying here so long, you can leave; I'm not expecting you to stay here until my legs decide to work again." Drake whispered quietly to Hayley after a few days had passed and he was still in the hospital. "Jack has only been visiting occasionally and.... my memory of you before; when I was one of you... is still non-existent so. I'm ok on my own, is what I mean."

Hayley sighed softly leaning her head back on the chair she had been sitting in everyday. "Drake stop. We've been through this before. You might not remember me before but you have new memories... plus I don't feel like going anywhere else."

"Don't you have other places to be?"

"Like where? You say that like I have a family or sonething that needs me."

"Why don't you? You're pretty... Should have your own family by now." Drake whispered

Hayley ran a hand through her hair casting her eyes downward. "It doesnt work that way..." She whispered biting her bottom lip.

"It should do for you; you deserve it."