Past Meets Present

Narcester hesitated, yet slowly, he reached his hands out toward her as they shook each other's hands. Avyanna watched as the two smiled and agreed to get along for her sake.

Though at sunset, Xshena temporarily bid goodbye as she went her way out the gate waving goodbye and shouted, "Let's go roaming some time, Avie!"

Avyanna smiled as she giggled and replied with a soft yell, "Sure!"

"I'll call you!"

Avyanna stretched her hands out in the air and waved them joyfully, with that widened smile on her countenance, Xshena went inside her vehicle and drove off.

"You seem to be so fond of her." Narcester smiled at her.

"Yes, indeed, Xshena was my comfort until the last day she was forced to study abroad. Xshena has always been my home."

Narcester looked at the soft smile she wore, her eyes twinkled as they told her genuine feelings towards the topic.

"Then, can I be your home too?" he said as he brushed her hair behind her ear.

Avyanna flushed, feeling his slender fingers touch her ear, but his deep voice was so beautiful as it continued to speak soothingly.

"Run to me when you need me, I'll be the fortress that will save you from the storm, come to my embrace when you need one to let you feel the warmth as I shall give it to you. Let me exist and your world, let me heal your wounds even just a little." he softly spoke.

The butterflies started fluttering their wings once again, it was starting to tingle inside her stomach as her face flushed red.

'Why does this man continue to make my stomach feel so word every passing sentence his tongue lets go of? Why…do I feel so touched by the words he spoke?' She thought.

"Mama Yanna!" Nafeli broke the silence between them as she rushed toward her.

"Y-Yes…?" she stuttered and swerved her foot to turn in Nafeli's direction.

"Grandma said I'll sleep in her home today, so I came to say bye for a while, I realized how it would be a bother of me to stay here any longer and get you tangled with my drama." she smiled.

"You are no bother at all…" Avyanna was cut off as Narcester's voice sprung up in the wind as his voice got carried by the sound waves and reached their ear.

"Yes, you are."

Nafeli frowned at him, slowly he reached his hands toward the young child as he softly patted her head. "You still have to help me with something. So return, it's an order."

Nafeli pouted as she mumbled, "You will just use my knowledge again."

Narcester snickered as Avyanna gave a smile to them.

"I'll see you next time." Avyanna smiled.

Nafeli nodded as she ran towards the gate where Mrs. Stawarski waited for her. She clung to her hands as she also waved a goodbye temporarily.

Once again, the house was replenished with sheepish silence as the clock ticks and the wind moves the leaves so that only then its sound can only be heard.

Avyanna thrived to free herself from the awkward silence as she slowly footed away and went straight to her room. As she waited for the night to befall, she heard her phone rung as a notification popped up on her screen.

[Sunny: Hey, Avie, it's been a while, I heard you are now married and are happily owning a resort!]

Avyanna's expression contorted to a hateful and obnoxious demeanor. Sunny Athanasiou was Avyanna's classmate back then at high school. The only friend she viewed was not until she proved that no one would want to be acquainted with her if it weren't for the wealth her father has. It was so unpleasant for her sight to see her messages out of the blue.

What made her more irked is the way Sunny talked cheerfully as if she did not do anything, Avyanna can't seem to find any space inside her to at least forgive Sunny for the unruly behavior Sunny showed towards her during her time in high school.

She forced herself out of the zone and tried to reply but her fingers can't seem to know what to say.

Her hatred towards the person ran deep inside her. Then again, another message rose.

[Sunny: I know you hate me for what I did, but shall we just forget about it and move on? Let's start anew as friends again. I repented my sins the moment I realized how petty, dishonest, and unworthy I was. You showed me kindness and I threw it away, my deepest and sincerest apologies, Avie.]

Avyanna was quite surprised by then, she knew so well that Sunny is such a big-headed person. She would never step down to the ground and would never want to sully her feet. She is proud in a form of living human anatomy.

She felt distrust toward it but then she thought it was better to forgive than never pardon anyone. 'It is all buried in the past.' she thought to herself.

As she fully convinced herself, she picked up her phone and made her fingers start moving.

[Avyanna: It's okay, let's forgive and forget. Let's leave that behind us and look forward to what's ahead.]

[Sunny: Thank goodness, I wasn't wrong that you'll eventually forgive me.]

Avyanna doubted the sentence but since she had spoken of forgetting she reminded herself that whatever's done in the past shall not happen again, there's no use doubt g Sunny now for the time has passed or so she thought.

[Sunny: By the way, I heard that you are now married, Congratulations!]

[Avyanna: Thanks.]

[Sunny: I heard it's Narcester Thaddeus, is it correct?]

Avyanna paused for a while and replied.

[Avyanna: Yes…]

[Sunny: Then, that makes you a Thaddeus now.]

[Avyanna: Yes…]

Slowly, Sunny pursued to approach the topic of the marriage that it felt weirder and weirder as time passes.

[Sunny: How much do they pay you?]