The Red Bow [Chaelisa]

44. Wedding bells

December 11, 2021. – New York, NY.

9 days until the wedding.

Narrator POV.

The room looked a lot smaller than it actually had been since it all started. Or as Lisa used to think, since it all ended. The windows closed, the light off and the TV on mute serving only as a source of light for the room, that was how Lisa found herself these last few days. Depression? No. She had shut herself out of the world of her own free will, because she was ashamed of herself and her cowardice with Chaeyoung. The Thai knew that everyone judged her and even so she decided not to confront them, no one can understand what they don’t know; no one is in her head being tormented by childhood demons.

A writer once said: There are no skies without storms, nor roads without accidents. Don’t be afraid of life, be afraid of not living it intensely.

Perhaps her greatest fear was to live intensely.

Logan didn’t bring it up anymore, the boy knew that his relationship with Lisa was on the line and that if he moved more he could lose everything, while he watched his fiancee sink into the misfortune of giving herself to another, her selfish love it was still greater than any self-sacrifice. And he was proud of Lisa and everything she had done for Chaeyoung in the past, sometimes he found himself wondering if he would ever have the courage to do such an act.

As much as some said his fiance was a coward, he knew she was strong.

They had moved away from the office for final wedding preparations, if Lisa helped something. She just said yes or no to the options Logan gave her and dedicated her free moments with Ethan.

The bedroom door opened with a bit of violence making Lisa jump out of bed, she knew it couldn’t be Logan, as the fiance had gone out with Olivia and Ethan was at school, and no one else knew the access code for her apartment except Somi.

Lisa has known Somi since they were a little kid, they’ve been best friends and have shared everything since her first birthday, even secrets like her first kiss, her first boyfriend, the craziness with Jennie that no one but the three of them knew. Lisa knew her every reaction and every expression of the youngest girl, but today what was on her face went far beyond anger or hurt.

"Why are you here?“ the Thai asked sitting on the bed. Somi closed the door and turned on the light causing Lisa to close her eyes until she got used to the light. Meanwhile the younger girl walked across the room and opened the windows, turned on the air conditioning and tossed the comforter covering Lisa away. “Somi, have you gone crazy?"

And when she got to her feet to face her friend, she was slapped on the right side of her face. The sting made her eyes water as she pushed Somi reflexively.

"I’m your best friend, Lisa." Said the younger girl, her voice so serious that for a moment Lisa wondered if she was dreaming. “I saw you grow up being tormented by your father, I watched you be beaten by him, remember? When it came to defending Lucas and Jules, you didn’t mind taking the blame as long as your brothers got away with it.“ She continued and the Thai felt hit by the words, so the burning in her face was forgotten. “I’ve seen you dream up big dreams for your life, but never really realize them. You dreamed of traveling the world, what happened?" She took a step forward, her aura was heavy making Lisa afraid. “What happened to my best friend?"

“Somi, people change and I had to grow up early…"

“Yes, I know you had to grow up too soon. I was there! I saw you take care of your siblings when your mother should, but in doing so you sacrificed your childhood and adolescence. Lisa, have you ever noticed that you are always putting people first?“ as much as she didn’t want to, tears were already rolling down her face, Somi shouldn’t touch her weak point, Lisa was so tired that she often wanted to go to sleep and not wake up anymore. She was tired, weak, exhausted from the weight of the world on her back. And Somi knew it. “When are you going to start putting yourself first too?"