The Quiet Girl (An International Story)

Mean A Lot

November 2022

Alexandra's POV:

"That's the friend in Portugal right? You're meeting with her aren't you?" I scoffed. "Of course you are."

"No. You don't get to do that." Nahikari said. "First of all, Vir is my friend and teammate. I'm not going to Portugal for her, will she be there? Yes. A friend of ours just lost her brother. Everyone is in Portugal, not just Virginia. I really thought you were changing. Back to the Alex I knew."

"The hell does that mean?"

"It means that you need to get over this whole thing with Virginia! You knew I liked her from the start! You offered to help. Now you have a problem with her?"

"Because I'm in love with you!" I yelled. Nahikari just stared at me. "I am madly in love with you, Nahikari. And I've tried to not let it happen because I know how you feel about Virginia. But I couldn't help it. I fell in love with you. I am in love with you."

"Then why do you act like this?"

"Like what?"

"Like such an asshole!" She sighed. "It's so difficult to be around you. You get so jealous of Virginia."

"Can you blame me?"

"Yes." She said. "Because we are FRIENDS!"

"She likes you!" I said. "And you like her!"

"You tried to punch her!" I looked down. "You punched a wall. You shut down and disappear on me sometimes and then just show up! Alex, I've tried to be there for you, as a friend and you make it so difficult. I wish I could tell you that I feel the same because I know that deep down, once you get past all of these obstacles in your life, you are an amazing person. So deserving of love." She shook her head. "But I can't. I don't feel that way for you, Alex. I'm sorry but I don't."

I nodded. "It's always going to be here right? I'll always be second to her?"   

She crossed her arms. "I've felt this way about her since I first met her." She said. "Which was way before I met you. Alex, there is someone out there for you, I know there is. It just isn't me." I grabbed my jacket and walked out. "Alex!" I turned around. "Don't shut down on me. I do really care about you. And I meant what I said. Whenever you need to talk, I'm here for you." 

I nodded. "I know."

"Then why do you shut down on me? You're going through a lot, you don't have to be alone. When we first met you said we met for a reason, Alex. We met each other when we both needed a friend. Let me be there for you."

"I'll talk to you later, Nahi." I said. "I hope your friend who lost her brother is ok. Losing family is never easy. But as long as she has a friend like you in her corner, she'll bounce back."

Virginia's POV:

I sat on the couch and looked at my phone. "Nothing from Nahi?" Jenni asked.

"No." I sighed. "She said she doesn't think she'll be able to make it. The earliest flight here she can get will be too late." I shook my head. "All because of Alex."

"Nahi made the smart choice here." Alexia said. "If she turned Alex away, who knows what she would've done."

"Yeah, that girl gets violent when things don't go her way." Leila said. 

"I just want to know that she's safe." I mumbled. "That Alex didn't do anything.

My phone lit up. 

Nahikari

"It's her." I got up and answered. "Hey."

"You got a minute?"