The Nightlife: New York (The Nightlife Series) by Travis Luedke Page A

 Aaron had always been hers, wrapped
around her little finger.
    Delia began to realize she might have been wrong.  Aaron was
a real catch after all.  What had she been thinking when she broke up with
him?  Aaron wasn’t supposed to go off dating European models.  He was supposed to
be jealous, begging her to take him back.
    He frowned as he recalled doing just that.  She had him
groveling, calling her several times a day, leaving syrupy voicemails and text
messages on her cell for an entire week.  Right up to the moment he met Michelle.
    Listening to Delia’s thoughts gave him inspiration.  “Michelle,
this is Delia.  She’s a friend of mine.  Delia, meet my girlfriend, Michelle.”  Delia flinched as though physically stung by the intensity of
Michelle’s scrutiny as she looked her up and down.
    Michelle gave him the opening he needed.  “Why don’t you get
your things while I gossip about you with your friends?”
    What goes around comes around, Delia.   Off the hook,
he headed for his bedroom mumbling, “Good idea”.
     
    * * * *
     
    Delia moved toward Aaron to follow him.  She was halted in
her tracks by Michelle’s firm grasp on her arm.  She turned to Michelle with a
blatant sneer, and was immediately captured by those vivid green eyes in an
intense staring contest.
    “I know you were with him before, but I hope we can be
friends.  These things can sometimes be a problème, non ? ”  She still had an iron grip on Delia’s arm, staring
directly into her eyes without blinking.
    The spell finally broke.  Delia shook her head and stammered,
“No … um … I mean … no problem.  I … we broke it off weeks ago.  It’s cool.  He’s
… we’re just friends now.  Are you guys, like … dating?”
    Delia hadn’t fooled anyone.  Her tension was obvious despite
her attempts to appear calm.  She displayed her nervous tick, pulling a stray
hair behind her ear, avoiding further eye contact with Michelle.  Delia looked
to her friends for support.  Amber jumped to her aid.
    “Oh yeah, it’s alright.  They broke up, like, two weeks
ago.  It’s all good.”
    Delia bobbed her head.  Amber joined in, both nodding
emphatically, a united front declaring Aaron to be a free man.  They wouldn’t
dare think of laying their hands on him.  Michelle could have him all to
herself, no problem at all.  No one who knew Delia was fooled, and neither was
Michelle.
    Kyle had enough of this drama.  He addressed Michelle.  “So,
you live here in New York?  How long have you been here?”  Their conversation
delved into the safe platonic zones of weather, traffic, and the rudeness of New
York taxi drivers.
     
    * * * *
     
    Aaron made sure to stay busy in his room, away from all the
stares and pointed thoughts.  As he assessed his possessions and stuffed them
into a couple trash bags he realized just how much his world had changed in the
span of one week.  He no longer felt any attachment to this place , these people, or his stuff .  His meager clothing appeared drab and
unsuited to his new personality and life style.  His books and music no longer
interested him.  His friends in the other room, ensorcelled by his vampire
master, no longer held any emotional significance for him.  By comparison to
the radiant Michelle, Delia was a self-absorbed, frumpy, awkward little girl,
who was now uninteresting and frankly irritating.  He couldn’t remember what it
was about her that had appealed to him in the first place.
    He recalled his life in this bedroom as it had revolved
around Delia and Kyle.  The memory in his mind’s eye seemed like a lifetime
ago.  A life lived by a different Aaron.  He recalled passing his days between
work, partying with Kyle, and the foolish pursuit of Delia’s paltry
affections.  His life had reached a significant fork in the road.  The instant
he aligned paths with Michelle there was no turning back.  Every night traveled
down this new path took him that much