Heartstrings

Thirteen

Even though Bo told me I should talk to Angelina, the calls kept coming, and I kept ignoring them. The truth is that I was embarrassed to see her back and tell her what had happened. To explain to her why I had chosen myself and not her. If I was that selfish as a friend, what would I be like as her girlfriend?

Fate, however, did not want things to go my way: as much as we met by chance, we found each other again through another coincidence.

"Miranda?"

I raised my gaze. Angelina was holding a coffee and staring at me surprised, as if she had found a million dollars on her couch.

"Hi".

"Hi. I would like to talk. Are you waiting for someone?"

I shook my head. I said nothing as I watched her sit in front of me.

"Why didn't you call me back that night? And why, after that, did you disappear?"

"Disappearing for no reason isn't right, Miranda. I thought you wouldn't want to see me anymore".

"It's a very long story".

"Well, I have time. I can tell you don't open up easily but you can trust me".

I took a deep breath and thought about it for a moment. Did I have to tell her everything, the whole story? I definitely didn't want to say anything about feeling ashamed.

"Right. My mum is back home. She works out of town and pretty much made a life for herself since my brother and I were little, sometimes not even visiting us for the holidays. She said several times that she was going to come back, and she never kept her promise. But I believed her. I still believe her every time".

"Shit, Miranda. I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm... sorry, so sorry".

"You really don't need to be".

"But I am, Miranda. I care about you, you matter to me".

"Why, Angelina? There's no need for that. Besides that, I don't deserve it".

"I've been such a shitty friend to you".

"No, you haven't! In these last months, you always said yes to whatever I suggested, you were always there for me no matter what. Do you think that, for the one time your family needs you, I'm going to forget the rest of the times you were there?"

"You may be reserved and not talk much, but you have such a kindness that anyone would agree that you are one of the nicest people they know. And you are highly intelligent, I would listen to you explain things to me for hours".

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I like you, Miranda!"