The early morning sunlight filters through the curtains, casting a soft, golden glow across William's dorm room. His brow furrows as he paces back and forth, wrestling with the thoughts that had kept him awake most of the night. Every creak of the worn wooden floor under his feet echoes the unease that churns within him. The rhythmic pacing of his steps becomes almost hypnotic. Back and forth, back and forth, while his mind replays recent events involving Aelita... namely the media finding out about her, and the trial that has just passed. The worry and fear he feels for her gnaws at his core, like a relentless storm refusing to subside.
William pauses in his tracks, running a hand through his disheveled hair. He sighs, his gaze drifting towards the window. Outside, the campus is bathed in the warm, amber hues of the rising sun. It's a beautiful sight, but he can't bring himself to appreciate it. Not when his mind is consumed with concern for Aelita.
The Pelletier trial had been a devastating blow. He had walked free, despite the overwhelming evidence against him. It was a cruel reminder of the injustice that still exists in the world. Aelita is devastated, and William's heart breaks for her.
He needs to do something, anything to protect her from him. He can't bear the thought of Aelita suffering any further. William's resolve hardens. Pelletier won a major battle, but the war is nowhere near over. He will not let him hurt Aelita again.
He will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.
He picks his phone up off his nightstand, scrolling through his contacts until he finds the number he's looking for. He hesitates for a moment, his finger hovering over the call button. William presses the button and brings the phone to his ear, his jaw set with determination.
"Hello?" the voice on the other end answers hesitantly. "William? Everything alright? You literally never call me."
"Sissi," William says, his tone serious. "I need your help."
"Okay?" Sissi asks hesitantly. "What's wrong?"
"It's Aelita," William explains. "I'm worried about her. She's doing the thing where she avoids me because she's upset and doesn't want me to see her cry."
"Oh, Will," Sissi sighs. "Give her some time. She has a lot of things to think about and process. Be patient."
"I know, I know." He runs his free hand through his hair again. "Can you get her out of the house for me? She can't just keep being a lump of sadness. On top of that, there's something I need to do as soon as possible."
"And that is?" Sissi asks, her curiosity piqued.
"I'm installing a security system at the Hermitage," William declares. "I want her to be safe and protected."
"That's a great idea," Sissi agrees. "I'm sure she'll appreciate the gesture."
"I hope so," William says earnestly. "I just want her to know that I'm here for her, no matter what."
"She knows that, Will," Sissi assures him. "You're a good guy. She's lucky to have you."
"Thanks, Sissi," William says, touched by her words. "Alright, I'll let you go. Thanks for your help. Text me when you get her out."
"Anytime," Sissi replies. "And, will do. Good luck with the security system."
"Thanks," William says. "Talk to you later."
"Bye, Will," Sissi says before hanging up.
William sets his phone down and takes a deep breath. He's certain Sissi will have Aelita out of the house within the next couple of hours. He just has to play the waiting game. He busies himself with ordering the parts for and arranging the pickup of the security system.
Aelita sits up in bed, staring blankly at the wall. Her mind is racing, her emotions a tangled mess. She can't seem to shake the feelings of anger, frustration, and helplessness that have been plaguing her since the trial.
She's so lost in her thoughts that she doesn't even notice the sound of Sissi knocking on the front door downstairs.
"Aelita? Are you home?" Sissi calls out.
Aelita doesn't respond, her gaze fixed on the wall.
Sissi tries the door, but it's locked. She knocks again, louder this time.
"Aelita, I know you're in there. Open up," Sissi demands.
Still no response.
Sissi sighs and pulls out her phone, dialing Aelita's number.
The phone rings, but Aelita doesn't answer.
"Come on, Aelita. Pick up," Sissi mutters.
After a few more unanswered rings, Sissi hangs up and tries again.
This time, Aelita finally picks up. "What," she snaps, irritated.
"Hey, grumpy pants," Sissi teases. "Get dressed. We're going out."
"I don't want to," Aelita replies, her tone flat.
"Too bad," Sissi retorts. "We're going. Now, get your butt down here."
Aelita huffs, clearly annoyed. "No. Why?"
"Because I said so," Sissi states. "Now, stop being a brat and get down here."
"Fine," Aelita relents, her irritation still evident.
"Good," Sissi says, satisfied. "I'll wait."
Aelita reluctantly gets out of bed and gets dressed, throwing on simple monochromatic loungewear. She trudges down the stairs, her expression sullen. She opens the door to a bright and cheery Sissi.
"There you are," Sissi says, smiling. "Ready to go?"
"No," Aelita grumbles.
"Well, too bad," Sissi quips, pulling Aelita through the threshold. "Let's go."
"Where are we going, anyway?" Aelita asks, annoyed.
"Out."
"Out where?"
"Just out," Sissi says, grinning. "Trust me, you'll love it."
"I doubt it," Aelita mutters, rolling her eyes.
"Stop being so negative," Sissi chides. "Now, come on. Let's go."
"Fine," Aelita sighs, relenting.
The two girls head out, with Sissi driving them to a local brunch spot. They order their food and chat idly, with Aelita slowly starting to cheer up.
"So, how are you holding up, anyway?" Sissi asks sympathetically.
"Not great," Aelita admits, her expression downcast.
"I'm sorry, Aelita," Sissi says, reaching out and squeezing her hand. "That trial was rough."
"Yeah," Aelita agrees, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sissi shakes her head. "It's bullshit that Brandon got off scot free."
Aelita says nothing, only nodding her head in agreement.
"Anyway, enough about that freak. Let's talk about something else," Sissi suggests, trying to lighten the mood.
"Like what?" Aelita asks, her interest piqued.
"Like, what's going on with you and William," Sissi says, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Nothing," Aelita replies, blushing.
"Oh, come on," Sissi prods. "Spill the tea."
"There's nothing to spill," Aelita insists, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink.
"Sure, there isn't," Sissi teases. "You know, you never did tell me how that date night of yours went a couple of months ago."
"It was... fine," Aelita replies, her blush intensifying.
"Just fine?" Sissi questions, arching an eyebrow.
"Yes, just fine," Aelita confirms, averting her gaze.
"Uh huh," Sissi says, unconvinced. "Tell me more."
"There's nothing to tell."
"Oh, really?"
"Okay, you know what?" Aelita sighs. "Fine. You want to know so badly? I'll tell you."
"Finally," Sissi says, grinning.
"William and I had a great time on our date night," Aelita admits.
"Details, please."
After another sigh, Aelita continues. "All I'm going to say is that Will is a completely different person behind closed doors, when he wants to be."
Sissi squeals with delight. "Oh my God, Aelita! You naughty girl!"
"Shh!" Aelita hisses, her cheeks burning.
"Sorry," Sissi apologizes, giggling. "I'm so happy for you though," she gushes.
"Thanks," Aelita says, her cheeks still flushed.
"You deserve to be happy, Aelita," Sissi says sincerely. "After everything that happened with Jeremie, you deserve to know what it's like to be loved and cherished."
"William does make me feel that way," Aelita admits, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"I'm glad," Sissi says, returning the smile.
The two girls continue their meal, chatting and laughing. For the first time in a while, Aelita feels genuinely happy.
William is walking through the Hermitage, doing final checks on the security system he's installed. He's pleased with the results, knowing that Aelita will be safer and more protected.
As he makes his way through the living room, he double-checks the angle of the camera pointed at the front door. Satisfied, he moves on to the kitchen to do the same with the camera pointed at the back door. He exits out to the backyard to check the angle of the exterior camera he's mounted.
Suddenly, he hears keys jingling in the front door. With a smirk, he opens the security system app on his phone and uses it to check that the camera mounted over the front door is working correctly. He sees Aelita and Sissi enter the house, chatting and laughing. He uses his phone to speak into the camera's microphone. "Welcome back, ladies."
He watches as the two of them turn around, confused, looking for the source of the voice.
"Will?" Aelita asks as she looks around, her brow furrowed.
"Step back outside and look up," he says through the camera.
They do as he says, and Aelita's eyes widen when she spots the camera.
"Is that what I think it is?" Aelita asks, her tone almost accusatory.
William walks out from the kitchen, closing the back door behind him. "Surprise," he says playfully.
"What's all this?" Aelita asks, gesturing to the cameras and the keypad she's only just now noticed.
"Security system," William replies, his tone matter-of-fact.
"Why?"
"Because I care about your safety."
Aelita starts to protest. "I can take care of myself."
"I know you can," William replies gently. "But I want to do everything I can to keep you safe."
Aelita's facial expression softens. "Thank you, Will," she says, her voice barely above a whisper.
William smiles and wraps his arms around her, pulling her close. "Anything for you, Princess," he murmurs, planting a kiss on the top of her head.
"Yuck," Sissi quips. "Get a room."
"Shut up, Sissi," Aelita and William say in unison, causing the three of them to burst into laughter.
William and Aelita pull apart, and William turns to Sissi. "Thanks for getting her out of the house," he says, his tone sincere.
"Anytime," Sissi replies, smiling.
Aelita whips around and snaps at her friend. "You knew about this?"
"Guilty as charged," Sissi sings innocently.
"I called her this morning to ask for her help," William says. "This was my idea, so don't blame her."
Aelita looks back and forth at William and Sissi, feigning anger. She can't help but start laughing that her best friend and her boyfriend colluded to get this all done for her.
William holds his hand out. "Here, Princess. Give me your phone, let me get things all set up for you. Notifications and all that."
Aelita sets her phone in William's hand. He smiles at her and gets to work making sure everything is connected properly and her phone is receiving the necessary information.
While he works on that Aelita and Sissi move to the living room, passing a window on the way. Sissi looks outside and grimaces.
"It better not rain. I just straightened my hair," she complains.
"Oh, no. Poor you," Aelita teases.
"Yeah, well, not everyone can have perfect hair no matter the weather."
William walks back over and gives Aelita her phone back. "There you go, Princess, all set up and ready to go." William notices how dark it's gotten outside. "Damn. It's definitely going to rain. Well, hopefully those cameras are weatherproof like they advertise."
"Well. Dammit," Sissi pouts, making Aelita laugh at her friend.
All of a sudden, Sissi's phone rings. She sees Odd's name on her screen and answers. "Hey, babe."
"Hey, gorgeous," Odd flirts. "What are you up to?"
"Aelita and I just got back to the Hermitage after being out all day. William's here, too," Sissi replies.
"Oh, cool. What's shakin'?"
"We're just hanging out. Talking about how it's about to rain."
"Yeah. It looks nasty outside," Odd says. "Anyway, wanna grab dinner tonight? I can swing by and pick you up."
"That sounds great," Sissi replies with a smile before looking at William and Aelita who are having their own conversation. "Actually. Wanna make it a double date with these two?"
"I'm game," Odd says cheerfully. "It's hot pot weather. Everyone up for hot pot?"
"Sure. Lemme ask them." Sissi holds her phone away from her face and looks at William and Aelita. "You guys wanna join Odd and I for hot pot?"
"I'm down," William agrees.
"Sure. Let's go," Aelita seconds.
Sissi goes back to Odd. "Hot pot double date it is, babe."
"Cool, I'll be by in a half hour to pick everyone up," Odd says.
"Great. See you then." Sissi hangs up and looks back at her two friends. "Odd will be here in a half hour."
"Alright. Might as well hang around until then," William says matter-of-factly.
The three friends sit in the living room, chatting and laughing until Aelita spots a pair of headlights moving through the rain. "Odd's here, guys. Time to go."
William, Aelita, and Sissi get up and gather their things and leave the Hermitage. They run down the driveway and pile into Odd's car and the four friends make their way to a local hot pot restaurant about fifteen minutes off campus.
Upon arriving, the group is seated and begins perusing the menu.
"I'm starving," Odd announces.
"Me, too," Sissi agrees.
"Same," William adds.
"I could eat," Aelita chimes in.
"Sweet," Odd says. "Let's order."
The four friends place their orders using the tablet at the table. Soon enough a large yin-yang looking pot is brought to the table. William and Aelita decided to get the lowest level spicy broth while Sissi and Odd opted for the extra spicy and numbing broth.
"Odd, you gonna be okay, man? That's more chili oil than broth," William warns.
"Did you forget my lovely girlfriend here is half Korean?" He gestures to Sissi next to him. "She's been working me up on my spice tolerance."
"Honestly, it's kind of impressive actually. He's getting better everyday," Sissi states.
"That so? Alright, then, suit yourself, bud," William taunts while looking through the menu on the tablet. "I need meat. What're we feeling? I'm thinking definitely beef and pork belly."
"I want the lamb," Aelita adds looking over William's shoulder.
"Gotta get spam," Sissi chimes in, garnering inquisitive looks from her friends. "What? Trust me. Taste it in your broth and you'll understand."
William just nods and says, "Copy that. What about vegetables?"
"Broccoli, sweet potato, and bok choy," Aelita quickly rattles off.
"I need water cress and spinach," Sissi says.
"Alright, Popeye," Odd teases his girlfriend. "Might as well throw in some bean sprouts."
A few minutes later, plates piled high with all of their food arrive at the table.
"Here we go," William says, grabbing chopsticks full of beef and pork belly and dropping it in his and Aelita's soup.
Everyone grabs their own pairs of chopsticks and begins adding their ingredients to the boiling broths.
"Oh, wow. This is so good," Aelita sighs through a mouth full of bok choy.
"Right?" Sissi agrees.
"I'll admit. You were right about spam," Odd says as he shovels food into his mouth.
Sissi grins smugly. "Of course I am."
The four friends continue to eat and chat, enjoying each other's company.
"So, what's everyone's plans for the rest of the weekend?" Odd asks.
"I'm not sure," Aelita replies. "I'm just taking it one day at a time."
"That's not a bad idea," Sissi says, her tone sympathetic, "But, just so you know, you may live in the Hermitage, but we're not going to let you go full hermit."
Aelita pouts at Sissi, but knows her best friend is right. William just chuckles.
The four friends continue their meal, happily chatting and laughing at how both boys are failing to deal with the spice. William wipes the thin layer of sweat from his brow and Odd fans his mouth. Aelita and Sissi have a hearty laugh at their respective partners' predicaments before they finish their meals and pay.
Both couples walk out of the restaurant hand in hand and start walking back through the parking lot.
Aelita speaks up right before they get to Odd's car. "Thanks, everybody. I really appreciate everything you guys do for me when I'm not doing well."
"Of course, Princess. Anything for you," William reassures her as he helps her into the car.