[GL] Black Gold

Chapter 46

As Camie was putting back her toys to their place, Théa continued looking around:

"I really like your room. It suits you very well.

-Really?

-Yes. It's very warm and welcoming. It's just as colorful as you."

Camie tilted her head. Was her room colorful? She had plain walls and only had a few pictures laying around. She had no idea what Théa was talking about but she didn't ask. Looking around, she suddenly realized that Black Gold was standing in the middle of her room. Camie never would have thought that Théa would come into her room. Only her closest friends had set foot there and seeing Théa in her safe space felt normal and weird at the same time.

Camie was lost in her thoughts, staring at Théa without blinking. The latter made her jump when she finally broke the silence:

"Did you not want your father knowing about what happened?"

Camie needed a second to understand what Théa was talking about.

"I just didn't think about it.

-I am not criticizing you. You don't have to tell him if you don't feel ready to or simply don't want to. But I hope it's not because you are still feeling bad."

Camie noticed that Théa wasn't looking at her. She had been avoiding her eyes for quite some time actually which wasn't usual.

"Are you mad?"

Théa's head jerked up and she finally looked Camie in the eyes:

"What do you mean?"

Camie avoided talking about Lula for weeks so she had a hard time finding the right words:

"I... With Lula... I..."

Théa bent down to be at Camie's level. It did feel better having her stare at Camie as usual but the latter still looked away:

"Camie, you did nothing wrong. You don't have to feel bad in the slightest. I am sorry if I may have seemed weird. I... I feel bad actually.

-Why? You didn't do anything wrong.

-I should have been there quicker. I should have helped you.

-No!"

Théa jumped:

"How can you say that? You didn't do anything wrong. They are in the wrong for reacting the way they did.

-But if I had been there...

-I didn't ask you to be there! I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.

-But you got hurt...

-I get hurt all the time."

Théa didn't like the answer and her eyes immediately went dark.

"When else did you get hurt?"

Camie shook her head:

"That's not important. I don't want you to feel bad for what happened. You couldn't have known what would happen and you still..."

Camie pinched her lips.

"You still saved me. Thank you... And sorry.

-Why would you apologize?

-I didn't want to disturb you...

-You could never disturb me, Camie.

-That's not true.

-Why do you think so?

-You would be disturbed if you had to help me all the time.

-I don't think so. That's what friends are for aren't they?

-But what if I started asking you for help all the time?

-That would be nice.

-No. You would be annoyed.

-Should we try it out?"

Camie sighed. She had no idea what Théa was playing at but she didn't want to continue that conversation:

"I am sorry that you were there."

Théa sighed as well:

"You know what? Let's agree that we both won't apologize anymore. Let's just have each other's back from now on."

Camie nodded slowly:

"Okay.

-I do have one last thing I should apologize for. I shouldn't have introduced you to Lula in the first place. And I told you she would never see you again. I promise that I won't ever break a promise again. This was the last time.

-It wasn't your fault. And..."

Camie pinched her lips:

"Don't you... Feel bad?

-I do. I hate seeing you hurt."

Camie blushed from head to toe:

"No! I mean... Don't you feel bad about Lula? She was your best friend..."

Théa shook her head vigorously.

"She is not my friend. You are the best friend I could ask for.

-But... You were friends for a long time. You could still feel sad that it ended.

-I don't. I only need you."

Camie didn't imagine how touched she would be by such words. She had worried about Théa being sad for a long time. In the visions Théa never got angry at Lula and always continued being friends with her therefore Camie thought that realizing how bad a friend Lula was would be hard for Théa. Fortunately it didn't seem to be the case. Having Théa grow apart from toxic people and getting new friends was exactly what Camie had hoped for. The new Théa looked way happier from her visions and Camie felt like this deserved to be celebrated:

"We should go somewhere together."

Théa flinched before smiling:

"I would love that.

-Where do you like to go?"

Camie didn't remember Théa ever going anywhere nice in her visions. She was way too busy between classes and superheroing and the only moments she went out was to go somewhere Lula wanted to go. Where did Théa like to go to have fun?

"I don't care, as long as we are going together.

-I...

-We could go to the aquarium. I would love to see you as happy as on that picture."

Théa was staring at her with such intensity that Camie had no idea what to do. Fortunately she received a text at that exact moment and she rushed to get her phone.

"It's Violet! They are worried about me.

-That's very nice of them.

Théa was staring at Camie weirdly for some reason and she didn't realize that she started rambling:

"She told me that she heard what happened from an annoying guy from her class and she immediately recognized me from his description. They said that they were worried about me and wanted to know if I was okay. And she also said that what I did was very cool. And I will tell them that I am completely fine. Nothing happened and you were there. It would have still been fine if you weren't but I am very grateful that you were. Anyway..."

Camie tried her best to stop talking as Théa was still staring at her, smiling.

"What is it? Do I have something on my face?

-No. You are just adorable, all flustered."

And just like that, Camie went back to rambling.