A Gentle Collision

Chapter 10

The backyard was a scene of fading chaos as Freen followed Becky back into the heart of the gathering. The crowd had thinned, but the lingering hum of conversation and occasional bursts of laughter still filled the air. Freen’s steps faltered as they neared the table where Becky’s mother had gathered a small group of guests.

“Sit,” Becky muttered, pulling out a chair next to her. Her gruff tone didn’t leave much room for argument, but her hand lingered briefly on the back of Freen’s chair as if silently reassuring her.

Freen lowered herself into the seat, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She could feel eyes on her, the curiosity of strangers prickling her skin.

The group at the table consisted of a woman with kind eyes and her daughter, Nam, who looked to be in her early twenties and carried herself with the easy confidence of someone used to being noticed. Next to them sat another woman, sharply dressed with a calculating gaze, and her teenage daughter, Kate, whose smirk seemed permanently etched onto her face. Across from them sat a middle-aged man and his son, Nop, who seemed disinterested in everything around him, his focus entirely on the plate of food in front of him.

“Finally,” Becky’s mother said, her smile warm as she gestured for them to join. “We were wondering where you two had wandered off to!”

“Just avoiding the noise,” Becky replied, her tone flat as she leaned back in her chair.

Freen glanced around nervously, her gaze flitting to Becky for reassurance. Becky caught her eye and gave a small shrug, as if to say, Relax, it’s just a bunch of people.

The conversation at the table resumed, the adults chatting amiably while the younger ones listened in varying degrees of interest. Nam and Kate, however, seemed to have other ideas.

“So, Becky,” Nam began, her tone light but with an edge of teasing. “Is this your new friend?”

Freen stiffened under Nam’s gaze, her cheeks flushing.

“Freen,” Becky said curtly, her voice flat but firm. “She’s new in town.”

Kate leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she studied Freen with a smirk. “You look nervous,” she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “Don’t worry, we don’t bite.”

Freen opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat. She wasn’t used to being the center of attention, especially not from people like Nam and Kate, who seemed to radiate confidence and condescension in equal measure.

“Kate,” Becky said, her tone sharp. “Knock it off.”

“What?” Kate said, feigning innocence. “I’m just being friendly.”

Nam chuckled, clearly enjoying the exchange. “She’s cute, though,” she said, her eyes narrowing slightly. “A little shy, but cute.”

Freen felt her face grow hotter, and she ducked her head, wishing she could disappear.

“Enough,” Becky said, her voice low and dangerous.

The table fell silent for a moment, the tension thick in the air. Freen risked a glance at Becky, whose expression was unreadable but whose eyes burned with quiet anger.

Kate huffed and leaned back in her chair, clearly annoyed at being shut down. Nam, however, seemed undeterred.

“So, Freen,” Nam said, her tone overly casual. “What’s it like being new here? Must be hard adjusting, especially without your dad here.”

Freen’s stomach twisted painfully at the mention of her father, and her hands tightened in her lap. “It’s… fine,” she said softly, her voice barely audible.

Kate snorted. “Fine, huh? Sounds thrilling.”

Freen’s throat tightened, and she struggled to hold back the tears threatening to spill. She felt exposed and vulnerable, like a rabbit cornered by a pack of wolves.

And then, to her surprise, Becky spoke up again.

“Seriously, knock it off,” Becky said, her voice cold and unyielding. “What’s your problem, Kate? Didn’t your mom teach you how to be decent?”

Kate’s smirk faltered, and she sat up straighter, clearly caught off guard by Becky’s sudden defense.

“Relax, Becky,” Nam said, trying to diffuse the tension with a laugh. “We’re just teasing.”

“Well, it’s not funny,” Becky snapped, her eyes narrowing. “So maybe back off.”

The table fell silent again, and this time, the tension didn’t ease. Freen stared at Becky in disbelief, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t understand why Becky, who barely knew her, would stand up for her so fiercely.

“Fine,” Kate muttered, rolling her eyes. “Whatever.”

Nam shrugged, clearly deciding it wasn’t worth the effort to push further.

Becky’s mother, sensing the awkwardness, quickly changed the subject, steering the conversation back to lighter topics. Slowly, the atmosphere at the table began to relax, though Freen couldn’t shake the lingering discomfort.

She glanced at Becky again, who was now pointedly ignoring everyone as she focused on her plate. Freen’s chest tightened with a strange mix of gratitude and confusion.

The rest of the meal passed in a blur, and when it was finally over, Becky stood abruptly. “Come on,” she said to Freen, not waiting for a response before walking away from the table.

Freen scrambled to follow, her heart racing as she trailed behind Becky. They stopped near the edge of the yard, away from the others.

“Thank you,” Freen said hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Becky glanced at her, her expression unreadable. “For what?”

“For… defending me,” Freen said, her cheeks flushing.

Becky shrugged, her gaze shifting away. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

But to Freen, it was. It was a very big deal. For the first time in as long as she could remember, someone had stood up for her. And even though Becky’s brusque demeanor made it clear she didn’t think much of her actions, Freen couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope.