CHAPTER 48: The Confrontation

KATE’s P.O.V.

As we entered one fast food chain, the three of us, Claire, Cloey, and I, instantly search for a table before Claire decided that she should be the one to order in the counter. So I was left alone with Cloey, and I took the opportunity to talk to her and know more things about her parents relationship to Elijah. I know that Darren and Elijah are long time besties, but what I wanted to know is the relationship between Claire and my boyfriend. Call me a narrow minded person, but can you blame me? After all the things that I have been through... I just couldn’t trust anyone else anymore.

“Hey, Cloey...” I trailed off, calling her name.

“Yes, lady?” she asked me. I don’t want to take advantage of her innocence but I know to myself that I need to do this.

“Your Mom and Elijah... Are they really friends?” I asked her.

“Of course! Uncle Elijah is Dad’s bestfriend... And Mom as well! Mommy always told me about you before, that she knew a beautiful girl... And Uncle Elijah did the same, every time that he will come to our house to spend some time with me... Sometimes I thought that the person that Mommy is pertaining to is the same person that Uncle Elijah is talking about... And I knew it... It was you... I’m so lucky to meet you, lady!” she blurted out, before running towards my direction to give me a big hug.

I was stunned for a moment, uncertain of what to do. I sighed, biting my lower lip. How could I use this little child to satisfy my curiosity and trust issues? She is so pure... And everything that she said... That only made things clear to me... It was visible that Claire and Elijah are always thinking about me for the past few years of their lives... Even though I did a lot of bad things to hurt them, specially Claire... She never intended to ruin my name in front of everyone even though I was living far away from them... She acted so mature... She raised her kid well without teaching her to hate anybody. She still... She still the same person I knew back when we were in high school.

And that is when I realized how I failed before... I failed as her friend when I let my anger get in the way of our relationship... I shouldn’t have let my pride pushed her away from me... I wasted a lot of time not being with her... I wasted the moments that the two of us should have cherished and enjoy together as bestfriends.

“I’m so lucky to be able to see you too, my little angel...”

“Angel?” Cloey looked up to me, her face was looking very confused but despite of that, she is still hugging my waist.

“For me, you are an angel... You save me from everything... From hatred... I know you probably couldn’t understand this but... Thank you, Cloey... Thank you so much...”

I planted a kiss on her forehead, before secretly wiping my tears away. She giggled, not knowing what she just did to me. She just made me realize things... That I shouldn’t be worried about her Mom taking Elijah away from me because the two of them really care about my feelings, and all these years, they thought of nothing but me.

“Here’s our food,” Claire announced, holding a tray of food while walking towards our direction.

“Thank you, Mommy!”

Cloey get back to her seat, before the three of us started eating. Sometimes I unconsciously looked over to Claire’s direction, just to check up if she is looking at me as well... But she is not. Maybe I hurt her earlier... When I told her that I am only here because of her daughter.

As I turned my gaze towards her direction once again, our eyes met, and she gave me a small smile that completely wrecked my heart... She looked hurt, and I know that I already caused her too much pain but still, she didn’t even bother to avenge herself. I badly wanted to tell her that I am sorry, but I know that it would be a long story and we shouldn’t do our little confrontation in front of her child.

And so after we ate, they decided that they should probably went back home. The funny thing is that the two of them will be using a public transportation, even though how rich Darren is. Maybe because of the fact that Claire is not a fan of luxurious things, that is why. So I think that I should grab this opportunity and offer them a free ride home since I got my car with me.

“Uhm...” I trailed off, suddenly hesitating to offer them a ride for I am afraid to face rejections.

“What is it, lady?” Cloey asked me.

“Do you want me to take you home, Cloey? I got my car with me,” I stated, simply addressing my offer to the child.

“Sure! Mommy, Mommy! I want to see lady’s car!” she stated, while tugging the skirt of her Mom.

“Cloey... I think we already taken too much of her time,” she explained, and I saw how Cloey pouted.

“No, no, no! It’s fine with me... I’m taking you home... Come, Cloey, let’s go and see my car,” I said, before smiling.

Cloey excited jumped up and down in delight, before running to grab my hand and pulled me along with her. We reached the parking lot, and I could see how happy she is before I help her get inside of the backseat. Claire was about to come in as well, but I motioned her that it was totally fine with me if she will seat in the passenger seat, so that Cloey could sleep and take a rest comfortably at the back if she wanted to.

I started the engine of my car, before I drive away from that place. It was about ten minutes before Cloey passed out in the back just like what I thought, and now I got the opportunity to tell Claire how sorry I am for doing all those things to her... My my tongue wouldn’t allow me to. I feel so ashamed of myself, for doing all those immature and unnecessary things to her before. And I could also feel the awkwardness between us two.

“Kate...” Claire surprisingly started, and I gently pull over at the side of the road, knowing that our conversation will be so long... And a bucket of tears will surely be shed later on.

I looked at the front mirror just to make sure that Cloey is still asleep, before I faced Claire, and then I sighed.

“Kate... I don’t know what to say but thank you... Thanks for doing this for Cloey... She is so lucky to have you,” Claire stated, before I heard her voice cracked up.

I just nodded, unable to say anything. I expected that I should be the one handling this little conversation of ours but I was wrong... She started it for me, and she handled it very well.

“I guess I’m lucky to meet her as well...”

“And about the other night...” Claire started, pertaining to what happened to her and Elijah. “Please talk to Elijah... He was so broken last night... I heard him and Darren talking about what happened... I know that I don’t have any rights to tell you this but... Please forgive him... What you saw the other night, it was nothing... I would never ruin something very important to you again... Never, Kate. And please believe me for that. I blame myself every single day knowing that I was the one who caused you too much pain... I made you like this... But please... Elijah didn’t deserve this kind of pain. He waited for you for it seems like forever... So please... Forgive him, just him...”

I burst out in tears, before I started sobbing. I tried to control it for I don’t want Cloey to witness this scene and be confused if her Mom and I are fighting or what.

“I-I’m... I’m so sorry, Claire! I’m sorry for everything that I have done to you... For trying to put you in a bad situation so many times before... For hurting you physically and emotionally... For causing too much pain not just to you but to the people around us... This is all my fault...”

She reached out for my shoulder, before gently tapping it. It felt so comfortable for a moment, even though she is not saying anything yet. All I wanted was for everything to come to an end... In a way that our problems will be solved without any remaining hatred in our hearts anymore.

“I’m so sorry, Claire... I’m so sorry...” I stated, multiple times.

“Don’t be, Kate... This is both our faults. I broke your trust...”

“No! You didn’t, Claire... Gab liked you so much before even if you done nothing... He liked you for who you are and I shouldn’t have blame you for that... I ruined our friendship... I ruined everything...” Her tears started to stream down on her face as well as mine.

“We ruined it. We promised to be have each other back but we broke that... We didn’t stay for all of each other’s ups and downs... We ruined our friendship,” she cried.

“I’m such an idiot for starting that,” I sobbed, before the two of us chuckled bitterly.

“Me too, for surrendering as I was not able to save our friendship... But what is ruined can be fixed, right? Will you still be willing to be my friend, Kate?” she asked me, and I could only see the sincerity in her eyes.

“That is not the question! The question is... Do you forgive for everything that I have done to you?” I asked her.

“Of course! I forgive you, Kate... I forgive you even before you asked me. Friends?” she asked back, and I gladly nodded.

The two of us both sobbed, before hugging each other. How I missed her hug... My bestfriend... After all that I have done, she forgave me. She never even fought back when I tried to do some bad things to her before... She never planted any hatred inside of her heart for me even though she have every right and reason to do so.

“I missed you, Kate...” she whispered.

“And I missed you too. I missed our friendship.”

And with that, I knew that everything has an end. Even hatred and pain. Why live in the past when we can fix it in our present time? And who knows, maybe in the near future, we would just laugh at those silly and scandalous things that we did before... The things that made our friendship stronger, and better this time. Maybe all of those things indeed happened for a reason, and that is for us to find our own weaknesses without each other. Maybe the time prepared us for this day... For the day that we completely restored our broken friendship.