Pent-Up Feeling

Catherine POV

Something is wrong. But I can't tell what it is.

Weeks have gone by, and we still hang out all the time, but...

As of late, she has not been responding well, as if she is worried over something. Once in a while, she will have a gloomy aura surrounding her as though something has been bothering her. I asked her about it, but she told me that it was nothing.

I know that it might be a personal problem, but I want to help her...

◇◇◇

We were strolling the bookstore to see if there were new romance novels, trying to distract myself, or rather ourselves.

"I've never seen this before," I said, grabbing it and looking at its cover.

It's a book about birds...

"How did it get here?"

"Did you find something new or interesting?"

"I found this book in the romance section. Don't know how it got here."

As I was about to put it back, she stared at it and mumbled something.

"Samuel would have loved that book. Maybe if I give it to him...Who am I kidding...He hates me..."

I heard her mumbling.

"Are you all right? Is something bothering you?"

"What, no. I'm all right. Why did you ask?"

"I mean, you have been spacing out... a lot. I don't want you to feel that I am forcing you to answer... but if something is bothering you, you can talk to me."

"I'm all right, Catherine. I'm sorry if you feel that way. I guess I am bothering you after all."

As she said that, she started shedding tears...

"This was supposed to be a fun outing, yet here I am... only thinking of myself. I'm sorry, Catherine. I'm sorry."

"Stella, I didn't mean it like that. You're not bothering me."

"Stella, I know that we hang out so that we can have fun. But that doesn't mean that you can just ignore your own problems for my sake... We're BOTH having fun, remember... I know that I'm being pushy for asking these questions, but if I can help, no matter how little, please...tell me."

Stella looks at me then looks down.

"All right then. If you say so," Stella replied as she nodded.

After Stella stopped crying, we went to the nearest bench for us to compose.

"This nobility... It is still bewildering me... I'm just a commoner just trying to survive, and the next thing you know, I can have everything I want," Stella continued.

"I didn't know if I deserved this. I didn't know if I could fit in with this new life of mine. I had a lot on my mind."

"But when I didn't know what to do, Samuel welcomed me with open arms. He treated me as if he already accepted me into his family."

"He stayed by my side, cared for me, and listened to my every whim."

"He did everything for me," she said with a smile on her face.

"But suddenly, he stopped. I don't know why, and it's been eating me alive." As she said this, she started crying.

"What did I do wrong?! Did I annoy him too much! Does he think I'm too much of a burden?! Does he think I'm useless?!"

"I'm sorry for being a burden, but I don't know what to do! What if my brother hates me? What if they also start hating me? What should I do?!" Tears were now falling from her eyes.

She was shedding tears as I gently stroked her back. She must have been holding her guilt for so long.

I need to say something...

As I tried to pick the right words, I started to talk.

"It is okay that you're feeling this way."

As I started talking, Stella looked at me with tears still in her eyes.

"I know it is hard for you. But I'm sure that it will be fine. I'm sure that you and Samuel would make up. After all, you're the sweetest girl I know."

I mean, I know the future of this world.

Even though I wasn't able to start Samuel's route, I know that Stella and Samuel's riff is a major plot point in that route. And if I had to guess, they will make up at the end of the route.

So I'm pretty sure that they still care for each other.

"Just know that if anything happens, you can tell me, I'll do anything to help. Whatever happens, I'll just be here by your side."

"Thank you... so much, Catherine. Thank you for being there for me. You are the greatest friend I've ever had," she said as she looked relieved and happy.

It made me glad knowing that she sees me as a "great friend."

As the sun set, we then went back to our homes.

As I lay down to sleep, I started thinking about what happened today.

How do I get them to make up?

I don't know what caused the split between them...

And even if I try to, I might accidentally worsen their riff between them.

What to do...

As I scrambled my mind for the answer, a thought came to my mind.

Even though I don't know what will happen in the future, I'll do my best to make sure that it will work out in the end.