When he returned, Aria heard the polite rapping of his knuckles against the doorframe. She started laughing to herself instead of getting up to open the door. Having decided at the last minute to pull a little prank on him, she acted like she didn’t hear him. When he tried to peek inside the window, Aria hid behind the door. She tolerated a few of his attempts to yell at her that he was there and to open the door before she opened it. Upon seeing her laugh so hard, Omkar understood it was a joke that she had played on him and began to chase her around the room. Eventually, after making him chase her up onto the beds, she intentionally gave up and let herself be caught by him. The humor of the moment was dissolved by the way his breath capsized against her and the way his devotion hunted her. Because of his height, he loomed over her. Though nervous, Omkar leaned down and pulled her upwards by the small of her back. The features of their private passion were formed of fondness. He claimed her lips as his and sipped the rosy pigment from them. Their youth was bent by that kiss. It was bent by the fever of loving each other so much they could break.

When Aria opened the door of his car to step out onto the lawn of the church, Omkar grabbed her hand and kissed it. It was something he had seen in the movies and had always wanted to do. They both smiled, aware of the unoriginal (though endearing) nature of the gesture.

Aria didn’t watch him drive away. Instead, she walked toward the church steps with a mind to wait there for the lunch service to start. Only a few people were milling around the building, like actors in a play before the stage was set. She had been sitting there for only a few minutes when a man came bounding toward her, holding up one side of the belt of his oversized jeans. Aria had seen the man here before, talking to Imani while he ate his lunch.

“Hey, what a do?” the man said, with his deep voice. “You know when this place opens up?” He pointed loosely toward the church.

“I think it’s open now,” Aria said.

“Nah, I mean when they start servin’ food,” he said.

“Not exactly, what time is it now?” Aria asked.

The man looked down at the face of his knock-off gold watch and replied, “It 10:55.”

“Well, I imagine they might start at like 11:30 or 12, but it’s just a guess,” Aria said.

The man looked around, as if dissuaded by her answer. “Min’ if I sit here until it open?” The man sat down beside her roughly, before Aria could start indicating no.

“So what’s your name?” he asked, folding his arms across his raised knees.

“Aria,” she responded.