lockwords·:·
There weren’t many places that Stefan had stayed at for more than a few months since he graduated high school. In fact, he never had plans to. He went from one place to another, soaking in the knowledge, the culture, dabbling in adventure and vices, and getting to know the people. It was around the time he had come to New Orleans did he decide it was time to settle down and properly work on his career before he took off again. And New Orleans seemed as good a place as any to do that considering Stefan’s parents barely cared where he was and what he did. And while he loved his Abuelo, and visited him often, going back to the small town that he grew up in permanently after traveling around the world was something he couldn’t even imagine doing.
Soon enough, the place had become a second home to him and that evening, he was at this new wine bar that his friend from school had recommended. The interiors were classy as ever, definitely nothing to complain about, but so far it had been too quiet for his liking which he hoped would change with the evening progressing. When someone took the seat next to him at the bar, he glanced over only to find a face he hadn’t seen in what had been years. Granted he did see her sister often as he traveled, Atalia was someone who enjoyed the exploring and the escape as much as he did – but Adira had never been like them, atleast not outwardly as he had realized from the few conversations he had with her a long time ago.
She had always intrigued him and it seemed that had not changed for he found himself wondering what she was doing in New Orleans, he hadn’t been aware that she had moved from their hometown at all. “You remember.” A smile grew on his lips. “Literally years, yes, but I do keep in touch with Atty.. she never mentioned you being here.” he mused, wondering if perhaps Adira had only just moved. Granted, Stefan was much closer to Atty, and her twin sister wasn’t a topic of conversation for them, but she would have told him if she resided in the same town, wouldn’t she? “You look, – stunning really.” he said, never having been the one to hold back on compliments. “How have you been? And what are you doing here?” he asked her, meaning both the city as well as the bar.
Adira was sure that she would’ve recognized Stefan Navarro if it had been twenty, thirty years since they’d last seen each other. She still remembered the first time her sister had dragged him to darken their doorstep back at her parents’ house, and his familiar shadow had lingered for years. He’d always been kind to her--she remembered that. However, though her memories of him were fond, faced with him after years apart and knowing they were never close, she wasn’t sure how to greet him. Perhaps her younger self might’ve simply given him a shy smile and moved along, but she reminded herself that she wasn’t that girl anymore. Hoping he wouldn’t find it too awkward, she reached out, holding him to her for a second before releasing him with a smile. “It’s good to see your face.”
She relaxed back into her seat, feeling a warm flush cover her cheeks as he complimented her. “It’s just what I wore to work, Stefan, but thank you. You look handsome, yourself.” He’d grown into his looks, more confident now than she was sure she’d ever seen him. Not that he wasn’t confident when they met. He’d always held, at least in her eyes, a certain kind of surety in himself that she envied still. She wondered if she looked any different, any happier.
“--I’m...” Adira paused for a moment, her nerves fluttering out of her as a soft chuckle on her lips. “I’m really good. The city’s been treating me well.” She glanced down at the bar menu for a moment, her smile warming at the name of the bar. The Three Ravens... an old joke amongst friends. “One of my old college friends is the owner of the bar. She just moved down from Michigan with her wife. I have to make sure their Grand Opening goes well.” Part of her wondered if her parents had explained anything to Atalia, and her smile faltered slightly as she realized her sister, despite not knowing, had never reached out. “Are you here on business? I have to admit, I’ve been out of the loop for more years than I’d like to admit. How are you doing?”














