The Quiet Girl (An International Story)

Return the Favor

Hello.

Welcome back to The Quiet Girl! I am currently unemployed again because I have ZERO luck in life. I will be using this time to update and finally finish this story! Yes, I am also applying for jobs. But there are only so many jobs a person can apply for before you gotta stop and wait to see what happens.

I'm also back into gaming so if anyone wants to play or just chat, message me. 

Wish me luck y'all.

Enjoy this update!

September 2026

Virginia's POV:

"Lola." Mariana smirked. "How about I share that lovely story from my time in Madrid?"

"You wouldn't." 

I looked at Lola.

"I would."

She stood there. "EVERYONE OUT! Leave them alone! Jokes over!" She dragged us out. 

"What happened in Madrid?" I looked at Lola. 

"There's no way she knows." Lola shook her head. 

"I'm lost."

"So am I." Alexia said. "What did you do?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." 

Mapi and Mari joined us. "What happened in Madrid?" I asked her. She shrugged. "Sick."

We all went out to dinner. Leila and Mariona ended up getting engaged. "I'm actually gonna marry this idiot." Mariona said.

"Yes, you are!" Leila was very excited. I was happy for her. For both of them.

But as usual. I have to ruin it.

"Hey, Mari! Reminds you of when you agreed to marry that idiot doesn't it." I pointed to Mapi. Nahikari elbowed me in the side. "Ow." I looked at her.

"Do you take a day off?" 

"Never." I winked. I put my arm around Nahi and smiled. 

We finished up dinner and were out walking. Nahikari was with Mariona and Mariana. I stayed back with Leila and Mapi. "You're married. You're engaged. Man crazy times." I said.

"I know." Mapi smiled. "Just don't do what I did, Leila. You'll be fine."

"You know how some people think what would this person do? I wake up and think "What would Mapi do?" and then do everything BUT that."

"You really set yourself up with that one, Mapi." I laughed.

"You and Nahi better be next." Leila said. 

"Us? What about Lola and Carmen! They've been together way longer than me and Nahi, you and Mariona, AND Mari and Mapi."

"True. But if they were gonna tie the knot they would've by now. Maybe they just aren't marriage people." Mapi said.

"Maybe they're already married." Leila said.

"Nah only Jenni and Alexia seem like secret wedding people." Mapi said. "Speaking of those two when are THEY gonna get engaged? I mean come on!"

Nahikari's POV:

Mariona walked to talk with Alexia. I was left with Mariana. "You talk to Nat at all?" I asked her. 

She nodded. "Yeah. She wouldn't tell me everything cause of everything with Mapi. I get you guys don't want me to worry, but I'm always going to worry. Promise me that no matter what's going on in my life, you'll tell me if something is wrong." 

"Promise." I said. "I just can't believe Daan just left like that."

"She left a note." She said. "On the topic of being on the same page. You and Vir. Have you two talked about that?"

"A little bit. Been thinking about it more though. I don't want what happened to them to happen to us. It took us a long time to get together."

"It will work out." She looked behind us at Virginia, Leila, and Mapi. "We'll all end up where we need to. "She looked back at me. "It will work out for them too. I don't think it ends this way for Daan and Nat. It can't."

"Why do you want us all to be happy? Why are you so focused on us?"

"You guys welcomed me into this group without hesitation. Always had my back. My brother's death, the bullshit in Utah, leaving Sporting, this period going back to Portugal. I never would've ended up where I am without all of you in my corner. I'm gonna return the favor. Whether y'all ask me to or not. I'm going to."

"Mapi your wife is an angel!" I yelled.

"I know! I'm stupid!"

"You said it, not me!" I yelled. 

"That's my girl!" I heard Virginia. I turned and looked at her. 

"Don't you forget it, Torrecilla."

November 2026

Alexandra's POV:

"You've made a lot of progress." My therapist said. "But there's one thing I want you to do. Nahikari and Virginia." I looked at her. "Hear me out. That is the one thing that will forever hold you back. In order for you to let go and move on, you need to ask for forgiveness. From them and yourself." She said.

"I can't have a civil conversation with Virginia. Something about her gets under my skin."

"When you've talked to her, how does the conversation go usually?"

"It usually goes to Nahikari." 

"What about her?"

"How I don't think Virginia deserves her. I don't think she's good enough for Nahikari."

"Do you believe you're the better choice?"

"No." I shook my head. "I don't think either one of us is good enough for her. Nahikari is amazing. I don't believe there is a single person on this planet that is good enough for Nahikari Garcia."

"Why do you believe Virginia isn't good enough?" She started writing on the notepad. I talked about their history. The road it took for them to get together. "But they're together now. And have been for a few years it seems. If you want to talk about their history, look at your history with Nahikari as well, Alex." She said. "You put that girl through a lot. Much like your sister."

"Yeah. I put people through some shit. I'm aware."

"But when I bring up your sister, you don't get defensive. You acknowledge that you hurt her. You made progress with her and you two have a better relationship now. Nahikari on the other hand." I looked at her. "There is a part of you that believes you did nothing wrong. That holds you back, Alex." She looked at the time. "This is what I want you to do. Write three letters asking for forgiveness. One to Virginia. One to Nahikari. And the last one to yourself. Bring them in for our next session. We'll go from there."

It seems pointless.

"Trust me on this one, Alex. It will make sense once you do it."

"Ask them for forgiveness? And then forgive myself?"

"Yes. Exactly." 

"Why do I have to forgive myself?"

"It will make sense after you do it. Do theirs first, then yours last."

I got home and went right to my office. With Beck living with my sister now, I felt it'd be better to get my own place. Nothing too big as I'll be on the road a lot. But this way, they have their privacy and I have mine. I'm leaving and coming home at weird hours from practice and road trips. I don't have to worry about waking them up or waking in on something now.

I sat at the desk and started the first letter.

Dear Virginia,

Let's see how this goes.