"I'm very serious, Shauwn," Astrid insisted.
"I know that very well. Don't worry, I have no intention of involving her anyway," Shauwn replied, euphoric.
"Good. Then let's focus on what's more important: you are very special because of the blood running through your veins. You are destined to accomplish great things."
Special because of his blood? That could mean many things, but Shauwn didn't dwell on it. It was when she mentioned accomplishments that he hesitated.
"I don't mean to doubt your gifts, but I can already tell you that, while young, I've had to achieve great things as you say—and look where I am now… believe me, nothing rewarding, quite the opposite," he added, disgusted with his own actions.
Lily's mother didn't fully understand what he was talking about, nor the references he was making, since she was speaking about the future. Seeing his reaction, she chose not to probe further or question him about it.
"Just remember this: staying here will hold you back. Only when you meet the man with the rune will you realize it, and then everything will start moving."
Shauwn's eyes widened as if he had just had a revelation. Could it really be a coincidence? Didn't the supervisor also have a rune tattoo? He needed to be sure.
"Was it a mix of Celtic runes and others? Was he wearing a suit? Are the runes on the back of his hand? Oh, I get it… he came here so you could convince me, right?"
"You better relax. No one like that is here, even if you've already met him. Everything is already in motion, and before you ask me anything, you should talk to Lily—you'll see more clearly with her gift for painting combined with our shared visions."
"One last thing: the future can be changed, but destiny will eventually unfold, no matter how much one resists."
With that, Astrid stood up, smiled at him, and returned to the counter, watching him curiously.
Shauwn got up, a little unsettled after the vision and the words of the shop owner. The scent of incense in the room helped him calm down.
The future can be changed, but destiny will unfold.
He expressed his gratitude through respectful gestures and went to the back studio where Claire and Lyli were.
Both young women were standing in the back. Lyli was explaining one of her paintings, adjusting her oversized glasses, while Claire watched her with crossed arms, until he entered the room.
"Shauwn!! Come see this—looks like you're the star in the center of these new works," Claire said teasingly.
In the middle of the room stood Lyli, a young redhead in casual clothes. She wore large circular glasses that often slipped down her nose, struggling to keep them balanced. Her hair was tied in two braided pigtails.
Unlike her mother, who had a gypsy-like appearance, Lyli exuded something more modern. As soon as she saw him, she leaped into his arms. Shauwn welcomed her warmly.
"Who would've thought you'd come today! I was thinking of heading to the diner, but human interactions tend to drain me, even when I step outside," she said, her voice full of energy.
"Don't worry, I understand. I should've come to see you more often—it's my fault." He stroked her head, a gesture of affection she particularly appreciated.
Lyli snuggled in for a moment, then grabbed his cheeks and pulled hard.
"Ouch!"
"I thought we agreed not to have too high expectations between us. You know me, and I know you, and we both know that under normal circumstances our personalities wouldn't allow us to be friends. So we agreed on this. Stop apologizing—you're going to annoy me!!"
She was right. Shauwn was a boy unfamiliar with friendship, closed off from forming bonds. His attempts at friendliness and interest were sometimes just simulations, while Lily was an introvert who preferred to stay in her world, undisturbed.
Their meeting had been coincidental, and Lily never expected to develop a desire to connect with someone. But that day, he was genuine, unfiltered, and authentic. Shauwn had been hesitant at first, but she didn't care and kept pushing against that invisible wall until he gave in. That's how they began to get along, sharing opinions about their interests: reading, DIY projects.
Sometimes she encouraged him to try painting, her passion, while Shauwn taught her how to care for her body and defend herself. Over time, their bond strengthened, and they decided to define their relationship with agreements.
Claire was somewhat jealous of their closeness, and Lily's very tactile nature toward him drove her mad. She calmed herself, realizing there was nothing she could do: if she tried to act aggressively, Shauwn would reject her, and she wasn't ready for that yet.
Watching them increased her irritation, so she focused on why she came: securing the transport of Lily's works. She left the room to gather her tools.
Lily's studio resembled almost a crime scene. Long sheets covered the paint-stained room, splattered wildly with multicolored paint. There were two workbenches facing each other: one held all the painting tools, with the pots underneath.
The second bench was cleaner and more organized, with her mediums arranged neatly and, next to them, covered artworks. In the center of the room stood three easels, each displaying a painting.