𝐁eyond the Lens - b.e

61 -

London blossomed under a soft light in the late afternoon, bathing the cobbled streets in an almost magical atmosphere. For Ellie, Joan, and Aubrey, exploring the city had become a routine that never ceased to amaze them. Every day, they allowed themselves to be guided by the unknown, losing themselves in narrow streets, discovering secret cafés, improbable art galleries, and shops full of hidden treasures. The beauty of London lay in its nooks and crannies, in the city's ability to always offer something new to those who dared to get lost.

Yet, despite these lighthearted moments shared with her friends, Ellie felt a weight growing on her shoulders. At every street corner, with every turn, something inside her seemed to remind her of Billie's absence. Weeks had passed without a single sign from her, and it weighed heavily on Ellie. A dull tension followed her, like a shadow growing longer with every moment.

"How could I see her again without seeming pathetic?" she wondered inwardly. She had pushed Billie away at the time when she needed her most, and now she was stuck. She knew she had been unfair, but how could she start a conversation after so much silence? And then, the silence itself... Maybe Billie didn't want to hear from her anymore.

Ellie's dilemma appeared to her in a cruel form: send a simple, direct message, and take responsibility for her mistakes... or keep running, out of fear of rejection. The idea of a simple "Hey Billie, I was a huge jerk to you, will you forgive me?" felt too blunt, too raw: "I can't send something like that," she thought.

One morning, while they were enjoying brunch at a quaint café in Shoreditch, the conversation took a decisive turn.

"You really should contact her, Ellie," Joan said, putting down her coffee cup. "The longer you wait, the more it's going to eat you up. And then, what do you have to lose?"

Ellie sighed, absentmindedly poking at a slice of toast. "I know, but I can't just show up like that. I was horrible to her. And I don't even know how to reach her. She's probably deep into tour preparations, and I can't see myself doing something so... desperate."

Aubrey, who had been quiet until then, finally joined the conversation. "What if you didn't address her directly? Maybe you could go through someone who knows her well, someone who could help ease things."

Ellie looked at her, intrigued. "Like who? I don't really have any connections left... well, except..."

"Finneas!" Joan exclaimed, suddenly lighting up the room with a brilliant idea.

Ellie froze. "Finneas?"

Joan nodded, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Yes, Finneas. Her brother. He always liked you, right? You had a good relationship. I'm sure he'd understand that you want to apologize. Maybe he could even help you arrange a meeting."

Ellie felt a weight lift from her shoulders, as if the solution had suddenly appeared before her. It was so simple, and yet she hadn't thought of it. Why hadn't she considered this earlier? Finneas had always been a quiet ally, a protective but open brother. If anyone could understand what she was going through, it was him.

The rest of the brunch was spent drafting a message to Finneas. Joan and Aubrey helped her choose each word carefully, weighing the tone and sincerity Ellie wanted to convey.

"Okay," Joan said after a long reflection, "you could say something like: 'Hey Finneas, I hope you're doing well and that you've had some time to rest during this break. I'd really like to talk to Billie. You probably know how badly I acted with her, and I feel terrible about it... Do you think you could help me see her, maybe before the concert?'"

Ellie read and re-read the message, her fingers trembling slightly. "It sounds good," she murmured, trying to stay calm. "But isn't it too much...? I mean, what if it's already too late? What if he doesn't want to get involved?"

"You have nothing to lose, Ellie," Aubrey reminded her gently. "If he doesn't reply, at least you'll know you tried. But you need to take that step."

Ellie took a deep breath, then pressed "send." It was done. The message flew into the digital void, carrying with it all her fears and doubts. But instead of feeling relieved, Ellie immediately felt a surge of stress.

Joan, anticipating what was going to happen, snatched the phone from her hands. "No way you're going to spend the day staring at your screen waiting for a response. Come on, let's keep exploring this city."

London awaited them, and even though Ellie felt nervous about the looming silence, she knew that staying still wouldn't help. So, they set off on another adventure, wandering through less touristy neighborhoods, blending into the crowd with no specific direction. Ellie loved these moments when they lost themselves in the city, where the unknown took over from her worries.

But despite everything, the waiting was unbearable. Time seemed to stretch on forever, as if each minute without a reply from Finneas amplified her inner discomfort. The hours passed, and the lack of a notification on her phone made her increasingly anxious.

That afternoon, after a long walk along the Thames, Joan decided to return Ellie's phone. "Here, I think you can have it back now."

Half relieved, half terrified, Ellie grabbed her phone and looked at the screen. Nothing. No message, no notification. She felt a wave of panic wash over her. "He hasn't replied," she murmured, trying to hide her disappointment.

"Maybe it's nothing," Joan tried to reassure her. "He might be busy, or maybe he's thinking about the best way to help you."

Ellie nodded, but deep down, doubt was beginning to spread. "What if... what if he doesn't want to help me? What if Billie has already moved on, without me?" Her mind raced, imagining the worst scenarios. What if she had truly become an unwanted part of this story?

The hours continued to drag on, and Ellie's anxiety reached its peak. She tried to focus on conversations with Joan and Aubrey, but her thoughts were elsewhere, always circling back to that message sent into the void.

Then, finally, as the sun began to set over the London horizon, a vibration echoed in her pocket. Ellie's heart immediately started racing. She pulled out her phone with trembling hands and looked at the screen. It was a notification. From Finneas.

Joan and Aubrey, who had been watching closely, saw Ellie's expression change in an instant. "What did he say?" Aubrey asked eagerly.

Ellie opened the message, her heart pounding. Finneas had replied. But what he said... was going to change everything.