Saturday afternoon arrived sooner than Aurora expected.
She had spent most of the morning finishing a few tasks at home, checking the pottery studio's confirmation email more times than necessary, and wondering whether Felix would actually enjoy the activity.
She had already booked the class. There was no point worrying about it now.
Besides, if the date turned out to be a disaster, she could always blame Candace for encouraging her to try something different.
Aurora smiled at the thought as she picked up her bag and headed out.
The pottery studio was tucked away on a quiet street in Eldlyria. Sunlight streamed through its large windows, illuminating the wooden tables and shelves filled with bowls, cups, and other pottery pieces. The room smelled faintly of damp clay, and soft music played in the background.
It was peaceful, exactly as the photographs had promised.
Aurora checked her phone.
Felix had messaged her a few minutes earlier.
Felix: I'm here. Where are you?
She looked towards the entrance and spotted him standing outside, dressed casually with his hands in his pockets. He looked around the street before noticing her.
Aurora waved, drawing his attention. The moment he spotted her, his expression brightened, and he walked towards her.
"Hey, Rora."
"Hey. Did you have trouble finding the place?"
"No. Although, I will admit, when you told me to meet you here, I had a few questions."
Aurora raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"
"Why we're meeting at a pottery studio?"
She smiled innocently. "I thought it might be fun."
"Pottery."
"Yes, Felix. Pottery."
He looked at the sign above the entrance, then back at her.
" I should be worried, shouldn't I?"
"Only if you're planning to embarrass yourself."
He laughed. "You're assuming I'll be the one embarrassing myself."
"Of course not. I'm sure you'll be excellent."
The way she said it made him narrow his eyes.
"That sounds very reassuring."
Aurora laughed and led him inside.
A staff member welcomed them and showed them to their seats. Two lumps of clay waited on the table in front of them, along with bowls of water and a collection of simple tools.
Felix studied the equipment. "So, what exactly are we supposed to make?"
"Whatever we want, I think."
"Wonderful. Very specific."
"Relax. It's a beginner's class."
"That doesn't mean anything."
Before Aurora could respond, their instructor began explaining the basics. Felix listened carefully, his expression serious enough to suggest he was preparing for an important competition rather than learning how to shape clay.
Aurora tried not to laugh.
When they were finally allowed to begin, she placed her hands on the clay and attempted to follow the instructor's directions.
For the first few minutes, everything seemed manageable.
Then her clay began leaning to one side.
She frowned and tried to correct it, only for the shape to become worse.
Beside her, Felix was having similar difficulties.
"How's yours going?" she asked, glancing at his work.
"Perfectly fine."
Aurora looked at the uneven lump in front of him.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Because it looks like it's about to collapse."
Felix turned towards her. "You should focus on your own masterpiece."
She looked down at her own creation.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Then they burst out laughing.
"This is harder than it looks," Felix admitted.
Aurora nodded. "I was beginning to suspect that."
He looked at her work again. "What exactly are you making?"
"A bowl."
"Is it supposed to look like that?"
She gave him an offended look. "What's wrong with it?"
"Nothing. I'm just curious."
"Then be curious quietly."
Felix laughed and returned his attention to the clay.
For the next hour, they struggled, adjusted their creations, and occasionally tried to help each other, usually making things worse in the process. At one point, Felix's attempt at shaping the clay went so badly that he simply stared at it in disbelief.
Aurora covered her mouth, trying to contain her laughter.
"Don't," he warned.
"I'm not saying anything."
"Your face is saying enough."
She finally gave up and laughed.
Felix shook his head, but soon he was laughing too.
By the end of the session, neither of them had created anything particularly impressive. Aurora had managed a small, slightly uneven bowl, while Felix's creation looked as though it had survived a difficult journey.
The instructor assured them that their pieces would be prepared for collection once they were ready.
Felix stared at his creation one last time. "I don't think I'm emotionally prepared to see that again."
Aurora picked up her bag. "You'll survive."
"I've faced difficult training sessions with less anxiety than this."
"That's because your coach can't make you look at a lump of clay and pretend it's a masterpiece."
Felix laughed as they headed towards the exit.
"You're never letting me forget this, are you?"
"Not a chance."
Outside, the afternoon sun was beginning to soften. Aurora checked the time and glanced towards the nearby café she had found the previous day.
"Are you hungry?" she asked.
"A little."
"There's a café nearby. We could get something to eat."
Felix smiled. "You planned the whole afternoon, didn't you?"
Aurora tried to look innocent. "I may have made a few arrangements."
"A few?"
"Don't push it."
He laughed. "All right. Lead the way."
The café was small and quiet, with comfortable seats near the windows. They ordered their food and settled at a table where they could talk without being interrupted by the noise of the street.
For a while, their conversation stayed light. They discussed the pottery class, and Felix insisted that his creation deserved some recognition for its originality. Aurora disagreed, which led to another round of teasing.
Eventually, the laughter faded into a comfortable silence.
Felix leaned back in his seat, looking out of the window.
"I needed this," he said.
Aurora turned towards him. "The pottery class?"
He smiled. "Not necessarily the pottery class."
She laughed softly.
"I've just had a lot on my mind lately. Training, the competition, my father and the business..." He paused, choosing his words. "Sometimes it feels like there's always something I should be doing."
Aurora listened without interrupting.
"I enjoy skating. I really do. But with the competition getting closer and my father expecting me to learn more about the business, it's been difficult to switch off."
"I can understand that."
He looked at her. "Can you?"
Aurora smiled faintly. "You know how much work I have. Sometimes, even when I'm not at the office, I'm still thinking about a project or a deadline. It can be difficult to give yourself permission to rest."
Felix nodded.
"Exactly."
She rested her hands on the table. "But you don't have to figure everything out at once, Felix. You can take things one step at a time."
He studied her for a moment before smiling.
"You make it sound simple."
"It isn't always simple. But that doesn't mean you have to carry everything at once."
He looked down at the table, considering her words. Then he glanced back at her. "Thank you, Rora."
Aurora smiled. "For what?"
"For today. For making me do pottery and giving me something else to think about for a few hours."
She laughed. "You're welcome. Although, I still think your bowl has potential."
"My bowl is not a bowl."
"Of course it is."
"It's an abstract piece."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night."
Felix shook his head, smiling.
"I had a good time," he said after a moment. "Really."
Aurora felt a quiet warmth settle in her chest.
"I'm glad."
They stayed at the café a little longer, talking about ordinary things and enjoying the afternoon without rushing anywhere. For once, neither of them had to check the time every few minutes or think about what they were supposed to do next.
Eventually, they decided it was time to leave.
Outside, Felix walked her towards her car.
"Thank you for today," he said again.
Aurora smiled. "You're welcome. And don't forget to collect your masterpiece when it's ready."
Felix groaned. "I knew there was a catch."
She laughed as she opened the car door.
"See you soon, Felix."
"See you, Rora."
He stepped back, watching as she got into the car. Aurora waved before driving away, still smiling at the memory of his horrified expression when his clay had collapsed.
It had been a simple afternoon, nothing extraordinary or particularly expensive. Yet she had enjoyed it more than she expected.
For once, she hadn't needed to impress anyone, solve a problem, or prove that she could handle everything on her own.
She had simply spent time with someone she cared about.
And that was enough.
Across the city, Felix made his way home with a smile he couldn't quite explain. His training schedule, the approaching competition, and his father's expectations would still be waiting for him tomorrow.
But for a few hours, he hadn't needed to think about any of them.
He had laughed, relaxed, and spent time with Aurora.
And as he thought back to the afternoon, he realised he was already looking forward to seeing her again.