Reunion and Revelation

After the New Year, the holiday fervour waned, and the group chat fell eerily silent. El, accustomed to the lively banter that typically filled the chat, sensed an absence of the usual chatter. Nia, usually the conversational catalyst, seemed unusually subdued, her absence keenly felt. As classes resumed post-holiday, the atmosphere had shifted, laden with unspoken tension. Despite sharing a class with Ash, his preference for the company of his friends left a palpable rift between them. The two-week break had failed to dissolve the tension that hung in the air. El, perplexed by the sudden change in dynamics, found herself met with tight-lipped responses from her friends, leaving her in the dark. Nia's reticence, coupled with Ash's detachment, only served to deepen the mystery. Determined to uncover the truth, El turned to Joyce for answers, only to find her equally perplexed. With Nia's uncharacteristic silence and her uncharacteristic attentiveness in Economics class weighing on her mind, El sought out a private moment with Nia, hoping to unravel the enigma that had gripped their group.

"Hey, girl, you alright?" El asked Nia, concern evident in her voice.

Nia remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"Do you want to talk about it?" El pressed gently, sensing Nia's hesitation.

Nia didn't outright refuse the offer, but the events of the day weighed heavily on her mind. Despite her reluctance to open up, Nia knew she couldn't keep it bottled inside. Of all the people she could confide in, El seemed like the safest choice. With her level-headedness and impartial nature, El was someone Nia could trust. Moreover, considering El's lack of history with their group, she wouldn't be quick to judge. There was also the fact that Nia had wanted to set El up with Ash, making her feel even more compelled to confide in her.

"On the night of the outing, Ashton confessed his feelings to me. I feel like such a fool for not realizing how he felt, especially when I was trying to set him up with you. I'm sorry if I made things awkward for you," Nia confessed, recounting the events of that day.

"Nia, it's okay, really. But how do you feel about him?" El inquired, her concern evident in her voice.

"I love him too, but only as a friend. He's been there for me through thick and thin. If you asked me who's closer to me, Joyce or Ash, it would always be Ash. But I can't see him as anything more than a dear friend" Nia clarified.

"Hmm, I understand how you feel. And what about Ash?" El inquired further.

"After hearing his confession, I'm not entirely sure," Nia admitted.

"We don't know how deep his feelings are. Maybe give him some time. I don't think he'd let this come between your friendship. He's a bigger person than that," El reassured her.

As they talked, El realized the complexity of the feelings between Nia and Ash. Though their bond was strong, their emotions were clearly different.

El's reassurance brought comfort to Nia's troubled mind. She had been grappling with these thoughts for some time, and confiding in El lifted a weight off her shoulders. Knowing that her feelings were valid and that she wasn't alone in her struggle allowed her to breathe a little easier and wear a genuine smile once again. However, while Nia's heart felt lighter, her revelation weighed heavily on someone else's. Unbeknownst to them, their supposedly private conversation had not gone unnoticed. Standing quietly behind them, Joyce had overheard every word.

***

Amidst the lighter class schedule, the weight of assignments loomed large, each one crucial for the course's grading. In pursuit of a book essential for their assignment, El found herself navigating the shelves of the campus library. El sifted through bookshelves in search of a specific tome crucial for their assignment on financial investigations in business audits. Despite the abundance of online resources, this particular scenario required information only found in a certain text. As she pored over the pages, engrossed in her task, an unexpected visitor made their entrance into the library.

"Hey!" greeted Pip as he entered the library.

Lost in her task, El instinctively returned the greeting without looking up. It was only when she turned her head that she realized who had spoken.

Surprised by El's casual acknowledgment, Pip raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips.

It dawned on El then the situation she found herself in. Instead of being annoyed or agitated by Pip's presence as she usually was, she felt indifferent, hardly bothered by his presence as she continued to peruse the books. Recalling their initial encounter, El recognized that her negative opinion of him had been shaped by unfortunate circumstances, casting him in an unfavourable light.

"Based on your reaction, I guess you don't dislike me anymore? Can I take that as you remember how we met before?" Pip inquired.

"I'm sorry if I didn't get a chance to say this before, thank you for your timely help. I wouldn't forget it, I just didn't realize that it was you," El paused. "But that doesn't mean that I have forgiven you for the way you treated me after," she added before returning her attention to her book.

Hearing her response, filled with attitude, Pip couldn't help but laugh. Before him stood the headstrong yet soft-hearted girl. Once again, he was reminded of their first meeting, an encounter that had captured his attention enough to recognize her at the Freshmen Welcome party.

A year ago…

After a traditional round at the Christmas market with her dad earlier in the afternoon, El joined her high school friends for a fun evening. The day was cold and windy, with an extra layer of scarf and gloves barely enough to stave off the chill. But just like the weather, El's mood wasn't great either. It had been two days since her ex-boyfriend Noah broke up with her. In Barkhill, a small town where everyone knew each other, they had been acquaintances since childhood, their relationship blossoming after Noah's persistent pursuit. Although initially hesitant, El found herself charmed by Noah's personality, and they had been together for over a year before he abruptly ended things. Without any explanation, he simply declared it wouldn't work out just days before the Christmas lunch he had planned with El and her dad. It was El's first heartbreak, leaving her bewildered as to why he would do such a thing, especially when they were so familiar with each other. To help her clear her mind, her friends whisked her away from her father so she could distract herself and have some fun.

They indulged in a photo booth session, picking out matching red and green beaded bracelets adorned with various Christmas-themed charms, and savored plenty of fried snacks. These three girls proved to be invaluable sources of support for El during this tough time. They enjoyed themselves on fun rides and watched as the fireworks illuminated the dark sky. When the firework display concluded, the crowd dispersed, with El remaining in her spot, her gaze fixed intently on something. It was Noah, amidst the throng, accompanied by a new girl. El hadn't expected her first love to last forever, nor did she anticipate Noah returning to her, but witnessing him with someone else just two days after their breakup shattered her heart. Her friends noticed him too and confronted him, leading Noah to express a desire to speak with El alone and clarify things so that she could move on. Recognizing the importance of closure, her friends agreed, believing that Noah's explanation and ability to move on would facilitate El's healing process.

Noah led El to a nearby alley, seeking a quiet space away from the crowd and the music. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Elle," he said, his expression weighed down by guilt.

"So you're sorry because I caught you?" El's voice trembled with anger, tears welling up in her eyes. "We've known each other for so long, and we were together for over a year, but it only took you two days to move on? Or were you already moving on while we were still together?" Her words pierced through him like arrows, leaving him speechless and consumed by guilt. No excuse he could conjure up would suffice; he lacked the courage to confess his true feelings. After a year with El, Noah had come to realize that he was uncertain about his emotions towards her. The spark he had hoped for never ignited.

Noah, usually a social butterfly with a knack for conversation, found himself speechless. He stared at the ground below, unable to utter a single word.

"I understand," El replied, her voice steadier now. "I had a feeling it wouldn't work out. It's not the heartbreak that hurts the most, but the betrayal." She wiped away her tears, feeling embarrassed as she noticed a group of young men approaching from a nearby restaurant in the alleyway.

Noah's words cut through the tension like a knife, his voice sharp and accusatory. "Don't lay all the blame on me, Elle. I'm not the only one at fault here," he began, finally breaking his silence in the face of her accusations. "We just didn't click. I didn't realize it until I met someone else."

Elle felt a surge of anger rise within her at his callous words, but she held her ground, refusing to let him see how deeply they wounded her. "You might be a good friend, but you weren't suited to be a girlfriend," Noah continued, his tone dripping with disdain. "Word of advice, if you want to act reserved and shy, just don't get into a relationship and cry when he leaves you for someone else."

El, known for her intolerance of jerks, crossed a line. With a swift motion, she delivered a resounding slap to Noah's cheek. Though his cheeks bore the mark of her strength, his ego did not take it well. Anger flared in his eyes as he clenched his teeth and grabbed her hand. Before he could react further, they heard a clapping sound from one of the approaching men.

El, known for her intolerance of jerks, crossed a line. With a swift motion, she delivered a resounding slap to Noah's cheek. Though his cheeks bore the mark of her strength, his ego did not take it well. Anger flared in his eyes as he clenched his teeth and grabbed her hand. Before he could react further, they heard a clapping sound from one of the approaching men.

"Let her go," the tall figure among them commanded, striding forward.

"Just walk away, man. She hit me first," Noah retorted, showing no intention of backing down.

After a heavy sigh, the man firmly pulled El's hand away from Noah, his gaze stern. "I said back off," he commanded. El's hand slipped from Noah's grasp, and in the process, she dropped her new bracelet adorned with Christmas charms. With the other men surrounding him, Noah had no choice but to leave the alley.

Bending down, the man retrieved the bracelet and examined the intricate charms with his piercing blue eyes. He then extended it towards El. Overwhelmed with emotion and embarrassment, El couldn't hold back her tears as she muttered her thanks before quickly darting away.

"You don't have to thank me, I didn't do much that time," Pip said, his tone surprisingly modest.

El responded with a sarcastic smile. "I didn't know that you could be modest," she commented before shifting her attention to the next section of books, scanning for the right one.

Pip followed her, continuing the banter. "Wow, way to go El. Once a girl who wouldn't even look at me out of fear after hearing about my family, now being sarcastic."

"Fear and intimidation are two different things. I never feared you or your family. And it was you who was intimidating," El clarified, though she remained reserved about her opinions regarding his family. The mention of it recalled the news she had read earlier in the morning when she was scrolling through her morning news feed.

"Two men arrested for dealing illegal drugs and weapons inside renowned casino owned by Carter's family; Is this part of Clan's business too?"

The headline was bold and provocative, designed to grab attention. However, upon reading the details, El found that the article didn't offer much substance. The investigation was still ongoing, and the arrested individuals seemed to have no direct connection to the Carter family. It appeared to be another sensationalized piece of news, lacking in authenticity.

Despite knowing better than to trust such reports without validation, El couldn't shake her worry. She couldn't help but think of her acquaintance who hailed from the same family. The tarnished reputation of the Carter name left her concerned about any potential involvement, even if indirectly.

El couldn't bring herself to ask Pip about the news. She knew it would cross a line, one that Pip had drawn when he mentioned not getting involved in other people's business. Besides, she had a feeling that Pip wouldn't care as much about it as she did. So, she swallowed her questions fearing it would only create unnecessary tension and silently made her way out after grabbing the book, leaving Pip behind.

On the other side, Pip sensed the sudden uneasiness on El's face when the topic of family came up. However, he didn't want to probe further. He could tell that El wasn't showing the same animosity as before, and he didn't want to ruin that. He suspected that she might be curious about the news and wanted to check if he was alright, but he didn't realize that it wasn't him she was worried about.

***

Since returning from the holidays, El hadn't visited Mrs. Shaw. Now armed with the answers she sought, her mind was troubled by a new dilemma. As a daughter, she found it difficult to reconcile the revelations about her mother enough to forgive her grandmother. Yet, as an observer of her grandmother's life, she understood the weight of her suffering and felt compelled to alleviate her guilt. Caught between conflicting emotions, she struggled to make a decision. However, if honouring her mother's wishes meant granting her grandmother forgiveness, then she felt compelled to do so.

"Natasha dear, come here. How was your school?" Grandma greeted El warmly as she entered her home.

Touched by her grandmother's affection, El fought to keep her emotions in check, not wanting to burden Mrs. Shaw with her inner turmoil.

"Mrs. Shaw, what was your daughter like when she was young?" El inquired, hoping to gain insight into her mother's childhood.

Grandma's furrowed brow betrayed her struggle to recall memories, but then a glimmer of recognition crossed her face, accompanied by a warm smile. "You were a happy kid, sweetie, especially when we went to the children's playground. Would you like to go down the slide one more time?" she asked, her voice tinged with nostalgia.

Sensing Grandma's fragile state, El saw an opportunity to bring her comfort. Taking Grandma's hands in hers, she met her gaze with unwavering sincerity. "Mrs. Shaw, there's something I need to tell you, and I need you to listen carefully," El began softly. "Your daughter lived a happy and fulfilling life. She was surrounded by love and had a beautiful family. So please, let go of your guilt and find peace of mind." Her words carried a weight of reassurance, hoping to ease the burden that weighed heavily on Grandma's heart.

As El observed Grandma's distant gaze and realized that her words hadn't reached her, a wave of helplessness washed over her. Grandma seemed trapped in a blissful moment from the past, oblivious to the complexities of the present. In that moment, El understood that she couldn't alleviate Grandma's suffering or bring her peace. She was confined within the confines of her own mind, beyond reach.

With a heavy heart, El made a difficult decision. Despite the lack of understanding or acknowledgment from Grandma, she chose to forgive her. It was a gesture not only to ease Grandma's imaginary burdens but also to bring solace to her own troubled mind.

As El reflected on the events of the day, she realized that life had its own mysterious ways of unfolding. In both her interactions with her friends and her family, she had learned a profound lesson about the complexities of love and forgiveness. It dawned on her that one could not give these gifts if the other party was not willing to accept them. No matter how much she desired to mend relationships or offer solace, she had to accept that each person had their own desires, their own wounds, and their own paths to walk.

With a newfound sense of clarity and resolve, El made a silent vow to herself: to continue extending love and forgiveness wherever she could, even if it meant facing rejection or indifference. For in the end, she understood that true compassion lay not in forcing others to conform to her desires, but in embracing their humanity, flaws and all, and offering them the freedom to choose their own paths. And with that understanding, she found a sense of peace that transcended the turmoil of her own heart.

*****