||Hello Neighbour: A Better Timeline||

||Chapter 17: Mya's Gift||

"She got suspended???"
Enzo nods,"Yeah, and her dad is not getting her another camera until she learns to not take pictures of people without permission.", Trinity nods,"And was told to resign from the newspaper and photography club.", Ivan picked at his food,"I feel bad now. . . She really like like those clubs. . .", Enzo just patted him on the head,"This is just the consequences of her actions, Ivan; She won't learn unless something like this was done.", Ivan nods, he still felt bad that because of him, she had to resign from her two favourite clubs.

=

"Hey Dad, is it okay if Mya, Nicky, Maritza and Aaron stay over to play?"
Mr Blades looked up from the pan, seeing his daughter peeking in and her friends placing their bags by the door to have them out of the way.
"Of course, just remember dinner."
"Okay!"
So they went upstairs to her room, probably to play video games.
Mr Blades didn't mind, though he did remind himself to go pick up his wife from work.

~

Nicky came out of the bathroom, having splashed some water on his face to try and stay awake, though it honestly made him look more tired.
"Nicky!"
Mya ran up to him,"Mya? I was just coming back now sorry-", "No, no, no!", Mya was jumping up and down,"I have a surprise!", Nicky nods,"Okay. . . What is it?", Mya pointed to him,"Close your eyes.", oh that just scared Nicky, but. . . He closed his eyes.
"Hold your hands out and no peeking!"
And that made his heart race more.
He felt something very light drop in his hands.
"Now; Open your eyes!"
Nicky did, looked at his hand and. . . It was a gold chain bracelet, holding it up it was like Mya's, Lucy's, Maritza's and Trinity's but his had a Science Beaker Charm and a Magnifying Glass Charm.
"I really, really wanted to give you a gift as it has been months since you've joined the friend group and you're just fun to be around; It is a friendship bracelet!"
Nicky. . . Was moved, surprised; So they really considered him his friend?
He's never had a friend before.
Mya smiled,"You don't have to wear it, but you carrying it around; It will be so nice of you!", and with that Mya ran back to Trinity's room as she declared war against her brother in a video game.
Nicky was not one for jewellery, but. . . The fact they made this, wanted him to have it; It meant a lot to him, more than is probably should mean to people that have friends.
So he put it on, with some struggle but he honestly really liked it.

=

Valeria ranted about her whole week to Gerda, probably helped with the alcohol.
Gerda sighed,"You know, Valeria; You were good at your job, you were until you let your fear and paranoia cloud your vision.", Gerda poured herself a drink,"You were so caught up with Theodore's kids, having it out for them and Theodore especially when the whole showdown happened at the Theme Park, you completely strayed back to the path you tried to leave.", Valeria looked at her, hair bun was coming lose, she looked tired and definitely not happy about her old Headmaster now back to monitor her and the teachers.
Gerda shook her head,"Look; You don't have the right to target students, especially based on the past. You and I both know, how grateful we should be that Theodore hadn't unleashed hell on us from the moment he came back into town!", Valeria looked at her cup of coffee,"I understand you're scared, I am too; But there's no need to get children involved that have no idea what's even going on!", Valeria opened her mouth to say something, but didn't. . . She just took a swing of her drink as Gerda shook her head.
"I understand you don't want others to go down the path we did, but you lost sight of that the moment his kids came, shit hit the fan and when it was all clear, you literally ate your words."
Gerda put away her cup,"We're not 15 years old anymore, we have to be the example, we were given so many chances and we didn't take them until too late.", Gerda carried the tray to the kitchen.
. . .
She paused.
"I don't expect him to forgive us."
Valeria looked at Gerda, back turned to her but Gerda's voice became shakey.
"I wouldn't forgive us either."
Gerda's eyes filled with tears, blinding her vision, she gripped the tray harder and tried to shallow the lump in her throat.
"And I still haven't forgiven myself."
. . .
Valeria turned to her drink, downing it and barely holding back tears.
She removed her glasses, trying to compose herself.
Gerda was right, she knew she was. . . But she knew it was far too late now to change anything.