The Quiet Girl (An International Story)

Lead the Way

May 2023

Virginia's POV:

I got to Nahikari's and saw her car. I knocked on the door and waited.

"Hey." She answered. "Thanks for coming." She let me in.

"You call me, I'll be there. No matter what, you know that." I put my hands in my pockets. "So what's this about? Are you ok?"

She smiled. "I'm fine, Vir." She walked into the kitchen and I followed. Alex stood up. "But you two need to talk everything out." She turned to me.

"No." I said. "I'm leaving."

"Vir." Nahi grabbed my hand. "You won't even do this for me? For us?"

"I don't trust her." 

"I don't trust me either." Alex said. "If it makes you feel better."

"It doesn't." I looked back to Nahikari. "Nahi, I'm sorry. But I'm not talking to her."

"Why do you hate me so much?" Alex looked at me. "I never did anything to YOU."

"No you didn't. But you did shit to HER." I pointed to Nahi. "And that's where you crossed the line with me. Nahi didn't deserve any of the shit you put her through." I walked towards her. "And she's such an amazing person, an amazing friend, that she didn't give up on you. She kept giving you another chance. After calling me, freaking out, terrified because of a conversation she had with YOU." I stood right in front of her.

"I changed."

"Yeah how many times is this?" I said. "How much longer till you snap again?"

"Keep pushing me."

"There it is!" I turned to Nahi. "No amount of therapy will fix her. I feel bad for you, Alex, I really do. I know what happened to your parents. I'm sorry. I truly am. But Nahi has only tried to help you. And you do the things you do, for what? What do you gain?"

"Don't talk about my parents." I saw her fists clench. "You don't know anything."

I pointed to her fists. "You going to hit a wall again?"

"No." She looked at me. "I'm not going to miss this time."

"Ok!" Nahi stood in the middle. "Both of you relax. You said you would stay calm."

"Then I remembered just how much of a pain in the ass she is." Alex glared at.

"Yeah, I'm the pain in the ass." I nodded. "I don't try to solve my problems with a drink and my fists." 

"You just run away from them right?"

"Nope that's also you."

"Stop!" Nahi yelled. "I'm sick of you two fighting."

"You wanted this!" Alex yelled.

"I said you two needed to talk. You're the one who said she'd fly out and sit down with Vir."

"Vir, Vir, Vir! All you talk about is this asshole!"

"Nahi move." I said.

"No." She shook her head. "Not everything has to get violent."

"I'm not going to get violent." I said. "You know me." 

She looked at me. "Please just talk this out." She said softly.

"There's nothing to talk about." I said.

"It's her or me." Alex said. "You clearly can't have us both."

"She doesn't WANT you." I said. "Give her some space would you?" I pushed Alex.

"Don't touch me!"