Redemption

Chapter II

It was the first day of spring and Safiye felt better than ever, she even thought she rose from the ashes like the phoenix. But this happiness depended on something, and any happiness that depends on a person or an object is artificial and is doom to fail. Safiye placed her roller blades and exited her house. She began to skate to the park nearby, while listening to her favorite music from the nineties. Once she arrived at her destination she skated in circles on the sidewalk that surrounded the lagoon. The people working out that came across her instinctively smiled at her and she corresponded with her usual innocence, not looking any different to the kids that played around. But then she lost all sense of what happened around her, falling into a deep trance with her mind wandering to the previous night and her conversation with Renato. As a coincidence she received a call from him "Hi," She said, "Hey, how are you doing?" He asked, looking at her from the distance, "Good, what about you?" She said with a silly smile, "As good as anyone could be talking to you" He said, and she felt her heart skipping a bit, "Are you doing anything important?" He asked, "Hm, not really, just went to skate" She said, "Really, 'cause I was wondering if we could meet today, I know a park near our school, you more than likely know it too" He said grinning to himself, "That's where I'm skating! Let's meet here" She said, and after ten minutes he appeared in front of her while she was looking at the lagoon, she bumped into his chest which caused her to laugh considering it an accident.

She wanted to hold his arm, and he wanted to feel that he owned her, it was difficult for her to skate slow so she wouldn't pass him, and it was hard for him to keep her pase without having to jog, with that excuse he offered her his arm, and convincing herself that there was nothing wrong she accepted. He walked in circles around the park pulling her "I think I can get used to this" She joked, "Me too," He looked at her making her blush. Running out of words and afraid of an uncomfortable silence, Safiye commented to him on the movie they watched last night, "So, you really liked the movie?" "I think I love it, even more than you do" He said, "That makes me so happy, Coy didn't like it at all" Her mention of Coy angered him, because that meant that her mind wasn't fully on the moment with him, "Really?" He questioned, "Yeah, he said it wasn't that good, and then he joked saying that I was overthinking like always and that 'movies were meant to entertain and not to study,' It felt odd when he said it" She said looking disappointed and he took the opportunity, "What do you mean by odd?" "Well, it sounded like he wasn't joking, though he insisted he was, it made feel dumb" She said, "Sometimes people say things joking but they actually mean it, they hide it in a joke because they are afraid to say it in your face. He seems like a good guy, and maybe he didn't want to hurt you but still get you to stop being yourself" His words worked perfectly on her mind, she looked away from Renato not focusing in anything, Renato wasn't directly talking bad about Coy, so she couldn't detect his true intention of poisoning her against Coy, "You are right, we don't have that much in common, other than we know each other since we are so young, he is a science guy, he is good with numbers while I'm good with words" She looked at the ground wondering how many times was she a stubborn to Coy when she never has, but she always worried to much, and fear of being annoying settled in her . "At least we have each other" He said, and she hugged his arm "You are right."

Safiye and Renato had lunch together but when he offered her the ride home with the intention to take her to one of his favorite places, she kindly refused, still afraid of cars. Because of the time of the day he couldn't force her, but he remained calm and told himself that there would be easily another opportunity where she willingly would get inside the car. On her way home she received a message from Coy inviting her to his house to watch a movie like they were used to do before Renato took his place. Coy knew she had been talking more to Renato, and that he was the reason Safiye wasn't going as often to his house to visit him and his father that she considered family, in his fear of losing her to him, he searched for a movie that fitted Safiye, that was considered cinematography, that was based in something she was familiar, and on a topic she was sure to enjoy, something she could analyze with him.

She made it to his home and greeted Coy's father with a loud "Uncle!" And hugged him, something she never did when she encountered him in college, in school she would always greet him as profesor Wood. "I haven't seen you in a while" He said freeing her of his embrace, "I have been a little bit distracted," She said, "I hope your grades are not affected by that distraction" He said partially joking and partially as a father, "And lose my scholarship? Like I could afford it" She laughed and walked inside the home as her uncle motioned. Coy was in the living room setting the movie, "Sup, Safy" Coy greeted but instead of sparking joy in her, she was a slightly uncomfortable with the idea of watching a movie with him, it was something she did with Renato, it was something special she did with Renato and no longer had meaning with Coy.

"I found this" Coy said enthusiastically showing the case of the video to her and she genuinely smiled at him while nodding, though Renato's words were on her unconscious. Five seconds into the movie and she already loved the soundtrack, she reacted like the characters, impressed with the unique introduction of the protagonist and amazed at his actions and way of speaking, found relatable the topic they spoke of, and yet she didn't dare to speak, because every time she had the feeling to react out loud Coy's words replayed on her head with the interpretation Renato gave her, and instead on enjoying the moment to the fullest, every second that passed, and every scene she found mesmerizing the more uncomfortable she felt and the more she wished to be watching it with Renato.

"You have been very quiet today" Coy said feeling uncomfortable and disappointed, even in her saddest moments she always escaped into the moment of the movie and spoke with happiness forgetting her reality, "Hm, what do you mean?" She said looking from the movie to the other extreme on the sofa where Coy sat, "You haven't reacted, nor point out anything, you don't like the movie?" He asked, "I do, but it's like you said; movies are meant to watch not study" She said and he felt annoyed because of how personal she was taking the joke, "Safiye, you know I was joking, I can't believe you resent me for that" He said, his voice showing his annoyance, "You know I have never felt hate or resent towards nothing or anyone, how would I resent you over something so stupid. For real, I'm just watching it right now, I'm not even really thinking about the movie" She said, "Yeah, you have been distracted lately, I can tell" Coy said messing up even more the situation, but not knowing what to answer she preferred to remain quiet before the situation could get off her hands, she still loved Coy as a brother, and after losing her parents she wasn't willing to lose her brother yet.

By the end of the movie Safiye concluded simply saying "Beautiful" With a wide smile from ear to ear that calmed Coy's spirit and motivated him to behave like nothing happened, "I'm glad you liked it" He said and she turned to look at him, "Yeah, but there were a few things I didn't understand about his character and before I say anything stupid I think I need to watch it a few more times," She said, "Nothing you say sounds stupid to me" He said indirectly referring to their argument from that time that was brought up again. She noticed what he meant but decided it wasn't worth clinging to it and that it was better to let it go, so she simply smiled at him.

She hugged Coy and his father goodbye and left at five to make it back to her home before evening since she didn't want to accept the ride. Back at home, sitting on the kitchen countertop, looking at the sunset from the window she called Renato, "Hey" She said, "Hey" He mimicked which caused her to chuckle, "You know" "No, I don't" He interrupted her jokingly, "Ugh" She laughed, "Let me finish. You know, I just watched the greatest movie ever made, the cycle of the hero is just perfect, but watching it without you was" She stopped not finding words to describe it, "Was, what?" Renato asked amused, "Meaningless" She sighted, satisfying Renato like never before, knowing exactly who she was with when she first watched the movie, and knowing exactly the potential happy moment he ruined, "I think it would never be the same without you" She said biting her lip out of shines as he did out of excitement, "Wish to watch it together? You can come over if you want" He said, experimenting how she would react, "Hm, I have been out all day, I think I prefer to get comfortable at home. Maybe next time" He got her hint, and that was enough to make him wait since it confirmed him that she was almost his, "I'll watch it on the app with one condition" He said, worrying Safiye, "What condition?" "That you allow me to rent it this time since you already rented the last two" He said, "Fine" She chuckled.