FORTUNE: A FREENBECKY STORY

Chapter 26 🪩

Freen stood outside the physics faculty office looking around for hours. She looked like a lost puppy and people had started to notice. Noey had gone away for the week so there was no one she could speak to or ask about Becky's where abouts.

She had been messaging Becky since that night, after their kiss. Freen wanted desperately to finally come clean about how she feels about Becky but wanted to do so in person. She wanted to explain that her marriage was not a marriage for love but one that would help them save their business from hostile takeover. She wanted to explain that she had never felt that way before and that was why she didn't understand how she felt initially. She wanted to tell Becky that she was in fact in love with her.

-RING RING RING-
The bells in the lecture halls rang.
Classes were finished for the day and a rush of students barged past Freen as they left the physics building. After the crowd cleared Freen saw Baitoey standing in the corridor staring at her.

"She's not here" Baitoey said
"Huh?" Freen said
"Becky, she's not here" Baitoey repeated
Freen clenched up at the thought of having to ask Baitoey where Becky was so she grabbed on tighter to her bag, turned around and walked away.

Freen sat in her car thinking. It wasn't that she hated Baitoey but she knew that Baitoey was a near perfect person and if Baitoey was interested in Becky then she had no chance. Baitoey was genuinely kind and thoughtful and communicated well. She thought that she was lacking in all of those departments.

Freen started her car and drove to the city centre till she arrived at Diversity. She sat at the bar looking around. It was early in the evening so the club was not yet packed with people it was actually kind of empty.

Suddenly a young woman came up to her and asked "can I get you anything?"
Freen looked up and it was Irin.
"Uh, vodka cranberry please" she said bowing her head

Irin recognised her of course, even though she hoped Irin wouldn't. Irin went behind the bar to prepare the drink.

Freen thought asking Irin would be far less embarrassing than asking Baitoey so she gathered her courage and looked up.
"Do you know where Becky is?" She asked
"I do" Irin answered
"Can I see her?" Freen continued
"She doesn't work here anymore" Irin replied coldly.

Freen remembered that Irin wasn't the biggest fan of her. She remembered how she had overreacted that night at North Hann Spring Garden while Irin watched on. She quickly understood the hostility.

Freen sighed.

"I'm in love with your friend" Freen blurted out.
Irin was taken back "in love? I'm sure you were just messing with her." Irin asked
"No... I've never ever felt the things I feel for Becky before" Freen replied softly
"Hmm.." Irin said, "I remember you, when diversity first opened up, you definitely dated around. So I'm not sure I believe you" she continued

"I don't blame you" Freen replied
Irin placed Freen's drink in front of her
"Do you really love her?" Irin asked
"I love everything about her. Her kindness, intelligence, dorky-ness, her love for family. I love the way her head tilts to the side when she's trying to figure something out. I love how freakishly long her fingers are, her singing voice, the birth mark on the left side of her head and her cute smile when she's being facetious. I love how she cares for and takes care of others, how viciously she loves her family and the way she exercises patience. I love everything about her because I am in love with her" Freen explained

Irin wiped down the bar underneath Freen's cup. She smiles and turns around to pour herself a drink then comes round to the front of the bar to sit next to Freen.

"She's in London" Irin said
"London?" Freen asked
Irin sighed said "her dad died"

It all made sense, why she had never heard back from Becky that night. Freen was overcome with sadness for Becky. Freen knew just how much Becky loved her Da and how much she had missed him.

"Oh my god, how did he die?" Freen asked