…
All of a sudden, Navia doesn’t feel like she can breathe.
With a gentle thud sound, her bag falls to the ground of the driveway as she stares at her.
“What?”
It’s barely above a whisper.
“...I’m sorry.”
The response she gets is equally soft, and though usually Navia is so, so adept at just getting Clorinde, she can’t feel anything from her words.
“No, this…what? I don’t get it, Clorinde, this isn’t funny, stop joking with me, I’m not laughing.”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are! Oh, for the love of God, Clor, please tell me you are, aren’t you?”
“I’m not.”
“I- What?...So- So, that’s it, then? You’re leaving?"
“...Yeah. Sorry.”
“Can you at least tell me why…?”
“I…can’t.”
“Why?! My father just died, Clorinde! And, and what? Now you’re leaving me too? We set him to rest in the grave two weeks ago! Why can’t you at least tell me why you’re leaving me too!”
“Navia, not everything is about you.”
Her face is probably some degree of furious red right now, she can feel the beginnings of droplets blurring her eyes, but Navia can’t find it in herself to really care, or try to, at the moment.
“Okay, then. You know what? Fine. You want to go? Go! I never want to see you around here again!”
For a second, something that reads out like regret, or sorrow, flashes over Clorinde’s face, shadowing her gaze for a moment before she strides by Navia.
It almost makes Navia want to take it all back, to beg her to stay, but she holds her tongue.
“..Sorry.”
Navia just stands there as Clorinde walks off into the unfamiliar car on the street, quickly speeding away and taking a piece of Navia’s heart with her.
After it leaves her sight, she sinks down to the pavement, clutching herself, trying to make sense of everything.
Everything’s gone, now.
The future she had dreamed of, her father, and most importantly, the only person she’s ever fallen in love with and ever will.
…
“Haaa…”
Navia lets out a little whew before looking around for a seat, finding one and sitting down on it.
I need to remember to check my watch more often, huh? I almost missed the train.
“Hm? Someone’s calling me?”
Reaching into her pocket for her phone, Navia turns it on, fiddling with the phone strap attached to it, a string of cute charms that jingle and clack with each other with every movement.
Silver, eh? Wonder what’s wrong this time…
She taps on the ‘accept call’ button, and is immediately met with the most nervous greeting someone’s ever given her.
“H-hello, Boss. It’s Silver.”
He sounds so terrified Navia can bet that he’s probably angered Melus again, with something as odd as usual.
He sounds just like the first time I met him, when I was five. Come to think of it, he’s not that much older than I am, is he?
Laughing at him just a little bit, Silver is something of a delicate soul, she reminds herself, she sticks a hand into her bag, fishing around for her foundation mirror.
“I think I understood that much, you know, from the caller’s name. What’s up?”
“S-so! I might have burnt a…few pans.”
“A few?”
“W-well! Maybe a few more than a few…”
“Oh, Silver, what am I going to do with you? Actually, what’s Melus going to do to you?”
Jokingly, she tsks at him a little bit.
When she picks it up, tracing a finger delicately over the engraved flower pattern on the top, flips it open, and looks into the mirror, her jaw drops.
Behind her, there’s….
It can’t be, can it? Is it really?
She rubs her eyes, looking back into the mirror.
It…no, I don’t believe it!
Navia thought she’d never see that colour again.
It’s beautiful. The deep, purplish shade reminds her of days she’d card fingers through that while chatting away to her.
Everything on the train feels so loud all of a sudden. The noises of the wind, the chatter of people Navia will never know, even Silver fades into the background.
At the same time, nothing else matters, right then.
(Mindlessly, she hangs up on him, leaving Silver to fend for himself.)
As she stares, years of regret and feelings that never died come rushing back into her head.
Navia’s always been a confident person.
So, why can’t she find the words that she so desperately wants to let out?
As she tries to say something, the next stop comes up, and the girl gets up.
(Navia knows she’s leaving because she didn’t see Navia’s face, they were sitting back-to-back, after all. Still, it feels like this kind of chance will never happen again.)
“W-wait!”
Tumbling out of the train seat, Navia practically trips over herself running towards her, reaching out and gripping onto her arm for dear life.
The girl turns around, and Navia looks up into her eyes.
She’s greeted with the eyes she thought she’d never get to look into again, deep purple meeting sea-blue.
As they stumble out of the train together, onto the platform, they both still, the wind blowing Navia’s hair in her face.
Time slows down, and Navia can’t tell if she’s been looking at Clorinde for a second or ten years.
(She couldn’t care less.)
She’s jolted awake out of her trance by a hesitant voice.
“Navia…?”
“Oh! Uh…hi.”
Navia expects Clorinde to turn away from her, or something like that.
Instead, Clorinde wraps her arms around her, pressing her face into Navia’s shoulder.
Navia does the same.
“Is…Navia, are you really Navia?”
“Mhm. That’s my name. Don’t wear it out!”
“How…?”
“Honestly, I’m surprised too.”
“...I’m sorry, Navia. I’m so, so sorry that I left you there.”
“I…no, no, it wasn’t your fault at all, Clorinde. I was being self-centered, and because of that, I didn’t pay any attention to what you were feeling. I deserved it.”
“No, you didn’t. I didn’t want to leave you, but I had to. They…were going to take me regardless of what I wanted.”
“Huh? Is this finally the part where you tell me why you left? You don’t have to if you’re not comfortable, Clorinde, it’s fine.”
“No, I’m fine. I’ve had eight years to regret what I did, Navia. I wish I told you the truth that day, so I’m going to make up for it now.”
“Well, let’s go find somewhere to talk first?”
Clorinde suddenly realises they’re on a train station platform, going a little pink.
“Ah. Sure.”
…
By the time they’re seated in the corner of some little cafe, Navia’s already fidgeting with her nails.
“So…?”
“Do you remember my legal guardian?”
“Uh…Miss Petronilla?”
“Yes. A few months before I left, she seemed to have up and disappeared on me, I think. I’m not sure. When I went to bed, she was there, and when I woke up, she wasn’t.”
“...Oh.”
“Given her personality, it wasn’t out of character. Made a little bit less sense at the time, but I could take care of myself. It’s just that the legal system doesn’t like minors who can take care of themselves.”
“Wait, so you got shipped off to foster care?”
“...Technically, I did. About two hours after I got there, I picked up my things and took a bus to a different city.”
“...Hold on. You mean to say you…broke out of your foster care home? I thought you were a rule-stickler!”
Somewhat awkwardly, Clorinde brings a hand to the back of her head.
“Well, to be honest, I’m not sure what I was thinking. It led me back to you in the end, though, so…”
“Mm. I’m glad for that, too.”
A little bit more quietly, Clorinde says something else that Navia can’t hear.
“Say what now?”
“...Still, I missed you. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you.”
“I missed you a lot, too, Clor. You know, we didn’t ever officially end things, right?”
“Not that I recall.”
“Well, then-”
Navia stands up over the table, leaning over.
“-how about we bring it back?”
For a second, she looks at Clorinde, who has a certain sparkle in her eye.
Reaching for Clorinde’s face, she takes her in her palms and lands a kiss on the lips.
They’re still the same as Navia remembers. A little chapped, bitten, but still perfect.
Pulling away, Navia caresses her face in her hand, marveling over the little details.
Clorinde’s face is sharper, her features are more defined; her hair is longer, and she’s wearing a semi-formal suit. Things have changed, but at the same time, they haven’t.
God, she’s still so pretty.
Settling back down after another quick peck, Navia crosses her hands.
“We’ve got a lot to catch up on, Clor. Better give me your number.”
“A-ah. Sure, let me put it in.” Clorinde’s face is a little pink.
“You’re so cute.”
“You too.”
Navia takes her phone back after a minute, and sets Clorinde’s contact name up with a bunch of hearts.
Quickly, she types in a little, ‘hi’, and smiles.
Maybe it was meant to be, after all.