Shall We Take A Leap? [GXG]

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Waiting Game

"Yes po, Tita." Saph immediately replied with a stiff tone and followed the elder woman towards the living room like a puppy, sitting on the seat across from Rory.

Rory asked the housekeeper to get them some tea and they immediately prepared cups for them, and Saph could only nervously shift on the seat. Suddenly, in the Ashworths' home, her second home — she felt very uncomfortable, as if she didn't have the right to be there anymore after hurting Nyeve.

Rory poured some tea in her tea cup, and Saph's, and she noticed how tense Saph was so she eased a little and smiled at her, taking the warm cup with her hands.

"So, how have you been these past few weeks, Saph?" Rory softly asked, genuinely concerned. She noticed the drastic and bad changes in Saph's appearance.

Saph gave a wobbly smile as she took a sip from her jasmine tea. "Not... really doing so well, Tita, as you can see. I'm a huge mess." She murmured honestly, no point in denying anyway. "It didn't help na I needed to study po for my finals which are done na, by the way." The tests which Saph was sure she flunked because all she wanted to answer was Nyeve's name and how much she missed her.

Rory hummed, pity and sadness swirling in her eyes, those eyes that looked like Nyeve's. It made Saph's yearning for Nyeve get even more intense.

"You and Snow are the same," Rory gave her a sad smile. "Both such a pretty mess." She took a small sip on her tea, gazing at the wall behind Saph.

Saph's heart dropped, she felt a sense of culpability. She knew that Nyeve was a mess because of her, and god, wait — Nyeve was also a mess like Saph because of her!

"T-Tita, I—" Saph was about to apologize but Rory smiled at her.

"I know everything, Sapphire, Snow told us everything that has happened. From when she started to admire that turned into romantic deep feelings for you until the recent happenings the night after her birthday." Rory cut her off, direct and firm but there was no anger in her tone at all.

Saph felt like she got thrown over by a bucket of cold water. So, Rory knew, and she shouldn't be surprised because she had expected it. She was sure that they would know what was wrong with Nyeve, and the latter would definitely tell her parents about it for comfort and advice.

Saph had never been this ashamed. The one she was facing was the mother of the woman she had hurt, the woman who stood as her second mother and literally treated her as a family member.

Fear and shame were attacking her but she knew that if she ever let it grow into her, then she wouldn't be able to show Rory that she was still worthy of loving her daughter.

This is a step, Saph. Be brave. For Nyeve.

Taking a deep breath, Saph let out a shaky sigh before facing the elder woman, bowing her head in apology. "Tita, I'm really so—"

"No, Saph, do not bow your head at me and never apologize." Rory immediately told her gently, holding her shoulders to prevent her from bowing which made Saph blink, meeting eyes with the older woman.

Those gentle and cold eyes that held nothing but sadness, there was no hatred — disappointment, yes, but it was inevitable after all but Saph was surprised that Rory was not glaring at her in anger, not shouting at her for making Nyeve a mess. She even refused to make Saph apologize.

Rory gave her a pointed look, "Don't apologize to me, Saph, there's no need," She murmured, "You will only apologize to Snow." She added.

Saph bit her lower lip, clenching her fists. She insisted, "I think I should be apologizing as well sa inyo, Tita. I-I hurt your daughter, badly at that too. You should be hating me, Tita — I made your daughter shed sad tears and made her heart ache," She started to stammer, in shame, in guilt, in regret. "Tita, I'm really sorry for hurting Nyeve..."