𝚠𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 (𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎)

𝐢𝐢𝐢.

𝐢𝐢𝐢.

After an emotionally draining week, Rue found herself withdrawing from everyone around her, even her favorite student, Joelle. Though Rue typically enjoyed spending time with the bubbly young girl, chatting over lunch or hanging out after school, this week she just couldn't muster the energy.

When Joelle approached Rue one afternoon, crestfallen that her teacher wouldn't let her eat with her, Rue felt a pang of guilt but simply said she was too busy with work. Unconvinced, Joelle pointed out that Rue always had time for her in the past, even calling her by her special nickname, "Jojo."

Rue sighed, not wanting to explain that she was upset with Joelle's father, not Joelle herself. As the dismissal bell rang, Joelle grabbed her things, her lip trembling as she apologized for whatever she had done wrong. Rue's heart broke watching the normally cheerful girl leave with slumped shoulders.

Once outside, Joelle confided in her father that Miss Honey must be angry with her since she was denied their usual special time together.

Though Joe suspected Rue's distance had more to do with their own recent falling out, he hated seeing his daughter so upset. He reassured Joelle that her teacher was probably just busy, though he knew how out of character it was for Rue to neglect her favorite student.

Worried that whatever anger Rue felt toward him was now affecting his innocent daughter, Joe decided to talk to Rue directly. He found her just outside her classroom after school and called out to her.

As expected, Rue rolled her eyes at his presence, her body language communicating her irritation. Joe gently explained that he understood Rue was upset with him but pleaded with her not to take it out on Joelle.

Rue denied she would ever do such a thing, though Joe wondered if she even realized how her emotional state was unintentionally hurting his little girl.

Though tensions were high between himself and Rue, Joe hoped she would be mindful to separate her feelings toward him from her interactions with his sweet, sensitive daughter.

"Look I'm sorry for what happened at True and Jeremiah's place, but don't take it out on Joelle, she looks up to you," Joe said.

Rue looked at Joe and pursed her lips. "I know how important I am to Joelle and like I said I'm not taking anything out on her. I'm just too busy at the moment to hang out with her," Rue said.

Joe and Rue stood in the middle of Rue's classroom, the tension between them palpable as unresolved hurt and anger from the past simmered to the surface.

Rue threw her hands up in exasperation as Joe asked her to help him understand why she was so upset.

With rising emotion, Rue explained how traumatic it had been when Joe believed rumors she'd had an abortion and abruptly ended their relationship, leaving her to grieve the loss of their baby completely alone while he and their friends simply moved on, treating her like a pariah.

Rue was still deeply wounded remembering how vicious gossip had circulated about her at the end of the school year and how utterly abandoned she felt in the aftermath, forced to bear the pain and ostracization without support.

Anger welled up inside at the injustice of it all and the fact that everyone now expected her to just forget and forgive when she was still struggling with the emotional fallout.

As Joe pulled her into an apologetic hug, admitting he had been immature and handled things poorly, Rue lashed out in lingering hurt, punching him in the chest.

She told him she was sorry for her attitude toward his daughter but that he and his family needed to leave her be, as her sister helped her see she was an outsider who couldn't keep clinging to their circle.

Joe protested that his family loved her, but Rue cried it was the same family who had turned on her for still being upset.

Overwhelmed by the swell of emotions, Rue sighed it was all too much to handle right now. Though unsure why Joe still affected her so deeply, she knew she just couldn't do this anymore and asked him to please stop pursuing her, defeated.

Joe left Rue's classroom with his shoulders slumped and head hung low, feeling utterly dejected. This conversation with Rue finally opened his eyes to the full extent of the damage he had caused with his thoughtless words and actions.

As he shuffled down the empty school hallway, Joe reflected remorsefully on how he had hurt Rue's feelings by being so blunt and critical of her teaching methods.

He realized now that he still cared deeply for Rue, he had gone about everything the wrong way. Joe had allowed his strong opinions to spill out as harsh accusations without considering Rue's perspective.

The conversation had been emotional and difficult, but ultimately enlightening. Rue shared how Joe's criticism had discouraged her and made her feel inadequate as a person.

Her words pierced Joe's heart, and he truly understood, perhaps for the first time, how badly he had hurt this woman who cared so much for Joelle.

Joe wished he could take back the things he had said in anger and frustration. But Rue had gracefully accepted his stammered apology but put off the chance to move forward.

As Joe exited the school, the weight of regret lingered heavily upon him. But there was also a flicker of hope that things could be mended.

When he slid back into the driver's seat beside his eagerly waiting daughter, Joe forced a weak smile despite the sadness in his heart.

"What did she say?" Joelle asked.

Joe painted a rosy picture to protect her from the truth. "She's sorry and you guys are back to normal."

Joelle beamed. "Thank you Daddy!" she exclaimed. "We should stop and buy Miss Honey's favorite snack so I can give it to her tomorrow."

Joe nodded slowly. "Yeah," he murmured as he started the ignition, wishing he could as easily fix the wounds he had caused.