Aya took the Revista off her head with a heavy sigh, she patted it lightly and stood up to place the head gear and all its components safely into its box. With some leftover tape, she sealed it, putting it aside for pick up in the moving van.

  She smiled and returned to her room to lay down. Mars wasn’t back yet from her meeting with Atlas and Aya didn’t feel like playing any more games. In the emptiness of the house, she took out her phone and went to the call log.

  The number she had saved as her uncle’s was there waiting for her to press call and communicate. Aya hesitated, what if she was disturbing the man? She didn’t know anything about him only hazy memories from funerals.

  She pressed call, then put the phone up to her ear and waited.

  ----------

  Canary Park was cold when Mars stepped out of the car. She paid the rider, rating him five stars on the app, and tipped him generously for getting her to her destination.

  She looked around, trying to locate Atlas amidst the couples that sat idly around the park, Mars walked allowing her feet to carry her nowhere in particular. She was sure she looked ridiculous in Aya’s frog hat but wearing it brought a smile to her face.

  Eventually, she walked up to a small bridge where the stream had dried up, and standing there was a figure on his phone in black.

  “Atlas?” Mars called unsurely, the figure locked eyes with her and she stepped forward more confidently now that she knew.

  “Mars.” he said, Atlas made no move to shake her hand or hug her. He did not reach for her the way Aya would have and that disappointed her.

  “What are you wearing?” he said regarding the giant hat, if she hadn’t spoken he would have thought it was just someone with a very odd sense of style. Knowing Mars she thought it was a good disguise.

  Mars folded her arms, jutting out her chin in defiance.

  “Aya gave it to me, what did you want to talk to me about?”

  “I heard you were moving to Mericross.”

  “It’s my last night here, what of it?” She spoke with her guard up, as usual, Atlas noticed. His shoulders tensed and he wondered if it was a bad idea asking to see her. Mars was always able to do what he could not and stand her ground.

  Mars cocked an eyebrow, internally she winced at her words. She didn’t mean to be harsh with him, but Atlas brought out a side of her she hid from everyone, the tenderness to her rough edge. Then again, wasn’t Aya like that as well?

  It was a wonder how their parents ever thought they could get married. He was always a scared little boy and she would let him follow her around. It was cute until it wasn’t.

  Despite him being older he would cling to her, it was nice to have company when the Seelim manor was devoid of everyone but maids but Mars knew what she wanted before he’d even gotten the chance to think about it.

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  Maybe she had just outgrown him.

  The dark haired girl watched him shift uncomfortably under her gaze until finally he said something.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything about the wedding that day.” Atlas blurted out. “I always thought they were joking about it, until the meeting between our families.”

  Mars’s eyes widened, is that what he wanted to talk to her about? She had already forgiven him all those years ago. It had never been fair to blame Atlas for the actions of their parents but Mars was just too angry at the time to see it.

  She remembered her harsh words to him before storming out of the large dining room. Atlas had shrunk in his seat, withering away like the wallflower he was.

  “No.” She said facing away from him and looking past the trees to the hotel casting a large shadow over the park. “It wasn’t your fault and I-I never should have blamed you.”

  “But I was a coward.” Atlas said. It stung to hear her words repeated. Mars should have never thrown that back in his face.

  “And I ran away, I’m even doing it again so who’s the bigger coward?” Mars tossed him a smirk but Atlas still had that forlorn expression like he wanted to grovel. She tapped the bridge’s railing anxiously. Should she apologize? Would it even make a difference now?

  “We were just kids.” Mars said patting his shoulder. He still had his head bowed, the weight of his past inactions holding him down even now. “I’m sorry I said that stuff, I was just so angry. It felt like I had no control over my own life, running away was the only thing I could do.”

  Atlas leaned on the railing, heart pounding at the next words he wanted to say.

  “I really did love you.”

  Mars’s grip around the metal tightened, she knew it was coming and it only made the guilt in her heart grow. She knew he did. She glared, trying to calm herself down.

  “We were just kids, we didn’t know anything about that.” She said trying to relax her grip on the bridge’s railings before she strained her hand.

  “I know, I wish I said it back then. I know it wouldn’t have changed anything but I really did. I’ve moved on from it but I wanted you to know that.”

  Mars nodded. She reached out, touching the face of her almost husband. She could imagine what it would be like to be married to him, it would have been a comfortable existence, one that her parents would have wanted for her.

  But that was not her, that was not Mars.

  “Stop being scared of what you want, Atlas. We’re all grown up now.” Mars said gently. “I’m sorry I left you alone, but I was figuring stuff out too.”

  He looked like he was about to cry, green eyes grew glassy at her words and made Mars feel all the more guilty. It was all so long ago so why...why was the wound still fresh?

  “I wish you would have said something, we didn’t have to stop talking.” Atlas sniffed, Mars was immediately reminded of when they were younger.

  He was right though, they didn’t.

  “We can start over, I’m here now.” it sounded lame but she really was. Atlas had been with her through a rough and lonely childhood. Mars didn’t deny she still cared for him, cherished him even. She took her hat off

  “I’m willing to try if you are.”

  “Of course I am and you don’t have to worry. I...love someone else.” Atlas said sounding childish as he said that. It piqued Mars’s interest but it wasn’t something she wanted to look into.

  “Oh really? I’m sure they’re very nice. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to that point but I’m happy you seem to have.” Mars said with a smile.

  Atlas took out an embroidered handkerchief and wiped his eyes and nose.

  “I’m going to tell Aya you made me cry.”

  “Reporting me to the authority? That’s treacherous coming for you Atlas.” Mars joked. Atlas laughed too.

  This was definitely the best outcome of the night.