Chapter Sixty-Seven
Fiona’s Point of View:
“Such a weird guy,” I thought.
We had driven back quietly and peacefully, very unlike us, as we both did not want to talk to each other.
Everyone was alone in his thoughts, and we might have decided to keep silent, as none of us was willing to speak up first or apologize. Better to keep my pride than apologize to Amber.
If only she would just trust me. Sometimes, it felt like she wanted to control me.
She would guess I liked someone and give off tips and comments about why she likes or dislikes the person in question.
She believed, as friends, I should hate who she hates and love who she does, and it is certainly frustrating.
I, on the other hand, do not do that, she does not even tell me what goes on with her. I even gave an opinion about what I thought whoever it was she had met. I did not interfere with Fanny or anyone else before that.
“Girls, c’mon. We do not have to do this now or today,” James was trying his best to get us to reconcile when he had seen us both come in looking like co-wives who hated each other.
“She started it,” we both said in unison, pointing our fingers out to the other’s face.
James got us to sit down facing each other, placed a knife between us, and said, “How about we just finish this now, heh? I have given you both knives. Just kill each other already.
Maybe by doing so, we would have some peace and your minds would still be aligned with each other, because I know your minds would not fight each other the way you do,” he ended.
We both looked at him surprised. Yes, he had been the one to end any rift we might have with each other, but today, he sounded more logical.
He never sounded like this before, it was so sincere and straightforward.
We turned our backs to each other and dropped our eyes in shame. “I am sorry, but I just wish you would let me do things my way. I feel like you like to control and oversee anything I do,” I gave her a look saying I meant every bit of word I just said.
“I am sorry too, but everything I do is because I love you and, somehow, I feel inclined to protect you, and it seems there is nothing I can do about it except I stop loving you,” I had to believe her, this was the closest I had seen her be emotional, and we hugged it out.
“Now that we are on the same page, can anyone tell me what the fuss was? Yeah? I deserve to know, I just helped you girls sort it out,” that was the prideful James asking for his accolades.
“It is nothing really,” Eleanor had added quickly. It was more of a sister’s code where we promised to not tell another guy that we had a fuss or fight over one guy.
This must have been what she wanted to do, but I was done with that childish thing and would no longer let someone else decide for me, I was done with that.
“It was the guy from the concert,” she said quickly, seeing I was about to spill it out already.
“Bitch!” I cursed under my breath.
James was silent for a minute or two there. I am sure he was thinking carefully about what to do next.
“That guy?” he asked, feigning surprise; he had said that like he knew something we did not.
“Yes, and he did introduce himself. You could never imagine he would have a name that suits him so well,” Eleanor had completely gone over. I did not know why she could see that James did not like the direction the conversation was going.
“His name is Tristan, and he had called Fiona’s name beautiful,” she finished, satisfied with the information she had just given out.
Only I and James seemed to notice the oddness of this weird talk.
“I think you should be careful with this Tristan guy. Is it not surprising how he is in every place you are? Almost at some time? I am just looking out for you,” he had said.
There was something wrong with James today. He was never this bothered about anything.
“I do not think there is anything wrong with it. He might have just saved our lives today,” I retorted and saw James’ face drop the moment I said that, and I immediately regretted it.
“Nice to see you finally admitting to something,” Eleanor had said, referring to our little meeting with Tristan earlier. I shot her the look that was said to be quiet.
I went over to where James was, with him pretending not to notice me and being busy. I knew he was trying to avoid me and was not ready to answer my question.
“Is there something wrong, James?” I asked with concern written all over my face.
“I have seen you like this,” I added for effect, and he did not seem moved by it either.
James gave a long sigh and said, “Everything is fine. I am just overly worried these days and just want you two to be safe.”
“We are safe,” I said, patting him on the back to reassure him, and he still did not seem to budge.
My thoughts ran back to Alex, who was yet to call me. I wondered what had gone wrong. Maybe he had gone low on battery? Or something else. If there was anything wrong with the plane or flight, it would have been reported already.
“Maybe he has forgotten to call me,” I had said, trying to think of all the reasons why he would not call. But I knew he could not forget me.
“He is fine,” it was more of a prayer to reassure me.
Tristan’s Point of View:
I do not know why I reacted the way I did when I saw the princess in danger. He had always thought of himself as resistant to reflexes, but with the way he did today, he was not so sure. It was like something had changed in him.
I did not know why I had decided to follow her that day or shout at her to watch out. I have indeed become softer here, more like a human.
I still had yet to tell Molly and the rest about the escapades with the rival. I did not want to give them false hope until I was sure. I could not raise their hopes high for anything.