How Much Is Too Much

CHAPTER 6 - Unrelenting Truth

Previously...

"Well of course she has been. That girl is in love with you, and has been since you met." Amelia says nonchalantly.

"WHAT?!" Carina screeches at the top of her voice.

Amelia winces immediately, eyes wide. "You didn't know." She says as Carina sits wide eyed and open mouthed staring at her. "Well, I thought... What you were saying earlier, and with what Leo's parents said you knew or they knew and clued you in... But... um..." She trails off as Carina sits unmoving in a trance. "Oh shit..." Amelia mutters

"Carina?" Amelia tries as the other woman remains staring straight ahead. "Hey..." She tries, putting her hand on Carina's arm who seemingly snaps out of it at that point, moving her shocked gaze to Amelia. "You really didn't know..." She says.

"Oh my god..." Carina whispers. "This isn't... I mean, she isn't, there's no way... I would have noticed. She would have... There would have been signs." She mumbles out in astonishment.

Amelia smiles reassuringly at Carina giving her a knowing look, Carina immediately starts motoring through her memories, replaying interactions, lingering looks, touches, cheek kisses... Frowning, she shakes her head. "No...This... You're wrong." She says with certainty. "She's my best friend, she has never shown the slightest intention of anything else."

Amelia rolls her eyes. "Carina..." She starts gently.

Carina cuts her off. "No, this is bullshit, you're wrong, Maya doesn't like me like that."

Amelia rolls her eyes. "Ok so you are further along in the denial process than I realised." She mutters. "Are you seriously telling me, not only do you not think Maya is into you, but that you don't feel the same way?!" She asks with trepidation.

"WHAT!?!" Carina screeches at a volume Amelia didn't know she was capable of.

Amelia widens her eyes. "Okayyyyy not talking about your feelings either. Gotcha." She mutters, lowering her head.

"I don't... She, we aren't... I'm not INTO her. Hell, I'm not into ANYONE. My husband just died! WHAT IS GOING ON?!!" She huffs.

Amelia looks at her. "Ok... If you say you don't have feelings then ok. And yeah Leo hasn't been gone that long, but Carina... There is no timescale on grief. And so if you did feel something for someone...Anyone-"

"I DON'T!" She forcefully yells, interrupting Amelia.

Amelia nods, holding her hands out in a way that shows she isn't trying to start anything. "I get it, I was wrong about you feeling the same way."

Carina makes a strangled noise of frustration. "What do you mean the same way?! There is no way. Maya doesn't feel anything for me romantically." She says. "Why are you so sure she does? And what in the hell made you think I reciprocated these imaginary feelings?!" She scoffs.

Amelia fixes her with a look, tilting her head. "Seriously? I mean you two were always close, sure, but in the months since Leo, it seems... more somehow. I don't know, you seem to never be without the other, I mean she moved in here!"

Carina scoffs and rolls her eyes. "Plenty of people live with friends, how does that equal us giving off some kinda vibe we are together or that either one of us would want that?!" She asks.

"I don't know, ok!!" She huffs, sighing out a big breath looking at her friend for a second. "I mean... Do you ever just look at people when you're out and no matter if it's two guys, two girls, or a guy and a girl, and sometimes you just know without knowing them that they are a couple? And not because they do something obvious like make out in front of you, but just because of how they are and how they look at each other... Well that's how you and Maya have become."