Before You Say Goodbye

CHP 20: A NEW PHASE

Everyone was happy that Oliver and Cheryl had sorted out the issues between them without any tension or drama but with maturity. Kate, the new member of the group got to know everyone's family background, their likes and dislikes and the other usual stuff. Kate was very happy to be included in a group like this. She was finally getting what she deserved! Meanwhile, Oliver was thinking of whether or not should he confess to Cheryl what he feels about her. Shall he reveal what has been confined in his heart for such a long time? Shall he express how much Cheryl meant to him and how much he could do for her if only she gave him a chance! After high school was done for the day, Kate and Oliver left together as they stayed nearby while the other four, Felix, Cheryl, Michel, and Catherine went in the opposite direction to go for work at Bernard's.
"So how's school going till now?" asked Oliver finally breaking the awkward silence between Him and Kate.
"Umm.. great till now. To be very honest, I never thought I could become normal again and get out of that ridiculous group of bullies," replied Kate.
As she completed her sentence,  Oliver instantly thought of Jennifer upon hearing the word bullies and asked: "Umm, How's Jennifer? I mean, you guys would have been in contact, right?"
"No... actually not, it's complicated dealing with her. She doesn't share her feelings at all and just keeps them concealed from everyone, and then as an outlet, she takes out all her anger on the poor victims. I spoke to her last week before the party but after all that happened, we haven't spoken. It's almost like she's disappeared," replied Kate.
"Ohh! Any news about when she's gonna be back to school?" asked Oliver with a tensed sigh but curious at the same time.
"No idea...maybe tomorrow or Wednesday" replied Kate.
They both continued walking silently. After hesitating twice, Kate finally asked Oliver very politely. "You hated me, right? I mean, in the beginning when I asked to have a seat with y'all,  you didn't like it, did you? And also, you love Cheryl, am I wrong?" asked Kate as if she was a perfect mind reader and knew everything that only Oliver, his room and his little diary knew.
"Uh...what? You...umm. I...I guess so...I mean, ye-es, how do you know all this?" asked Oliver shell shocked and completely stressed at the same time.
"Oh! Did I shock you so much? Haha...sorry if I startled you, but I'd seen your expressions when I asked for a seat at lunch time and you even looked away then. And the remaining part about loving Cheryl, that was just a guess from my end but, Jennifer had told me this once, so....yeah" responded Kate with a smile.
"Oh okay...Wait! Kate, how does Jennifer know this?" Exclaimed Oliver.
"You know Oliver, when we see the person we love leaving us or getting close to someone else, we do understand how they truly feel. See, there's this thing, I don't know how to describe it, but you just know that this person doesn't like you back or doesn't like you anymore and you realise what they actually feel and for whom," answered Kate with an air of calmness.
"What do you mean "when you LOVE someone"!? Jennifer....love-s me? You've  gotta be joking. C'mon it's not funny, stop it....it's a joke, right?" asked Oliver shivering slightly.
"Figure it out yourself boy" replied Kate and left to go home which was on the right side of the road.
Oliver just stared in the distance when Kate left and was left agape with what he had just heard. He started having flashbacks of that 3-hour talk with Jennifer and he was unable to figure out how to react. How could Jennifer love him! And what about his own love, what about Cheryl? He hadn't confessed to Cheryl yet and nor did he have the courage to talk to Jennifer and reject her if she proposed him before he could make a move on Cheryl. Oliver returned home lost in his own thoughts and just then his phone buzzed. He checked it to find a text from Jennifer saying
"Hey love! I mean Oliver. I am coming to school tomorrow and it's going to be amazing meeting you after so long. Also, I'll make sure that I apologize to that whole group of yours. Tomorrow you will see a changed Jeni😊 Biee...love ya❤️"
Oliver was in no state to comprehend what was going on in his life. His uneventful life had turned into a beautiful dream when he met Cheryl and now, it was slowly starting to turn into a chaotic nightmare, a nightmare where he would have to pass a huge test of patience, calmness and keeping himself level-headed amongst all that was happening. He never imagined that the rude Jennifer he just felt like punching in the face a few days back, was  changing now....that too, just because of him! He couldn't process the thought that a girl like Jennifer could change so drastically just because someone she loved asked her to introspect and change herself to a good person.
In all her previous relationships also, Jennifer was that type of a girl who dominated and never even considered what her boyfriend had to say. Even with her parents, Jennifer was always rude and the only thing she did in school was BULLY the weak and lonely kids. Such a drastic change in Jennifer, that too, so suddenly! Unbelievable! Oliver wasn't entirely convinced that Jennifer had actually changed but, some part of his mind was also saying that she sounded genuine this time...Damn, Oliver was just hoping that things don't go wrong tomorrow.
He hurried into the mansion and rushed to his room. He thought of calling Jennifer but then stopped because he knew he didn't have enough guts to have a proper normal conversation with her...especially not after what Kate had told him about her. He just went and sat in his dark corner, overthinking, just like every other teenager. He thought about every possible outcome of the next day's meet, when Jennifer would apologize, how Oliver would face Jennifer, how he would confess to Cheryl and how in the world was he gonna cope up and manage all this stuff!