The Act

Chapter-13

The trio sat in silence for most of the trip back to Arvania. Navia was reading something that looked like a book to the duo but actually was a diary she had prepared by compiling all the letters, pages from Katherine's diary and her own research's assumptions and conclusions. She wrote everything she knew about Katherine so far in that diary, it was completely dedicated to her and her side of the story. She was reading the diary and trying to put all the events together because she knew, the reason they reveled everything to her was because there was something that happened with Katherine in the forth coming events of the story and they can't keep hiding it any longer.

'As much as I enjoyed seeing them a little distressed, I was also very concerned weather I should trust them or not. I did not have any right to be mad at the two to begin with. Since, it was their  story, it should be their choice weather to reveal or to hide certain facts and they must have a reason to do so. I also do not have the power or the authority to pry any further into their stories than I already have, except for my secret research on Katherine, that is. I could see the duo steeling some occasional glances at me in the hopes that I may start a conversation and being a little mischevious, I acted oblivious to their advances of making me want to converse with them. It continued for another half an hour and then Madam Celina, being a little fed up of our game decided to speak first.'

"We are extremely sorry for hiding such crucial facts about Katherine from you Navia."

'Madam Celina said with a regretful tone and Sir Mekiel nodded in agreement. The duo kept looking at me but I kept staring at my diary.'

"We wanted only the good things about Katherine to be revealed to the world and we know we acted selfish but we couldn't help it."

'Selfish? How is it selfish? Is it not okay to want to only remember the good parts of the people who are important to you? And in their case they can't even see her anymore she's just a part of their memories now. If this is what they call selfishness, then  by all means they have the right to act that way.'

Navia closed the diary with one hand and lightly set it on her lap. She took a deep breathe without looking at the duo and then lift her head so that she could only see the ceiling of the compartment. She shook her head a little and then looked at the pair.

The duo silently sat and watched her movements, it wouldn't be a lie to say they were startled when she suddenly closed the book she was reading. Her movements made them believe that she was angry and decided to keep quiet instead of blabbering any further than they already have.

It was true that Navia wasn't happy but she wasn't particularly angry, she was rather disappointed and a little restless. The definition of selfishness the duo had set for themselves was very inaccurate, it was wrong in any sense and they had no reason to feel any sort of guilt for acting the way they did before.

"You know."

Navia's sudden speaking startled the duo. They just decided to keep quite and give all of their attention to her.

"I am not mad at you, neither do I need you to explain to me why you did what you did because, as a professional I believe everyone has their own right to privacy. So even if you did hide the truth from me it won't harm me in any way."

*Sigh*

"Also I have been suspecting that you might have been hiding somethings from me. So I was prepared in case you decided to let me know or not, either way was fine by me."

"Let me also add, no offense but this is just another story that I write, but for you, it is your life, you have lived it. Your choices changed your paths then and your choices will change it's path now. It can be your story or a completely different story with a completely different plot, it's all up to you. I won't say much anymore than this, just, please remember your choice affects you the most, not me, not Katherine or the world so weather you wish to be transperent or not is entirely your own decision."

Navia said with a very soft tone. She slowly got up putting the diary in her bag and leaving the compartment without looking at the duo.

"..."

"..."

"You know Mekiel all this time I had thought that we were acting selfish and hiding the truth from Navia was going to hurt her but_"

"But not telling her and feelings of selfishness are things that hurt us instead. The thing that hurt her was us trying to not hurt her. Isn't it, Celina?"

"..."

The pair sat in silence thinking what Navia had said to them before leaving.

~Meanwhile Navia's Side~ 

Navia wiped her wet hands with a tissue paper and threw it in the dustbin nearby. Then slowly started walking her way back to the compartment.

'Oh god, I wanted to go use the washroom but Madam Celina suddenly started talking about why she and Sir Mekiel lied to me. I wanted to go so bad that I took a deep breathe and just spoke whatever came to mind and gracefully exited the place. I hope they didn't suspect anything, and now I'm really worried because I can't remember what I told them back then. I just hope that they sit silently and we all go back without saying a word to each other.'

~Back at the compartment~

"Navia we would like to talk to you." Mekiel said.

'Fuck. I knew I should have jumped off the train when I had the chance.'

"We thought over what you told us and we finally understand what you wanted to make us understand."

"You-you do?"

"Yes."

"What-what did you understand?"

"You wanted us to stop thinking about what we could have done in the past to change our present and instead think about what could be done now to change our future."

'Did I really say something like that? I don't remember even implying the idea. Where in the world did they draw this conclusion from? Were they even listening to what I had said to them or was I talking to the opposite wall?'

"Well I appreciate that you think that way but what I told you was_"

"What are you talking about Navia we did not think of this ourselves you were the one who told us about this weren't you?" Celina said.

The duo kept smiling, feeling proud and content of themselves while Navia stood at the door contemplating where had it all gone wrong?
And thus the bumpy ride back to Arvania continued.