Two-Sided Love

Chapter 27- She Knows

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Thirty minutes passed and Talia and Iris finished practicing. "Woo!" Iris exclaimed, "I am exhausted!" She rubbed her sore throat as she wiped the sweat off from her forehead. Talia chugged down some water, exhaling as she looked back at Iris, "Want to go grab some smoothies? Say hi to Nathaniel?" She asked. "Of course!" Iris exclaimed. She looked at Opal and Auriana, "Would you guys like to join us?"

"I think I'll stay here." Auriana said just as she was about to answer for herself. Opal started to get a bit fed up with the way Auriana was reacting, she had a right to be upset with whatever she was upset about, but the way she was reacting so her and Iris and Talia was kind of cruel.

Iris smiled faded by Aurianas unusual response, "Oh," she exhaled, her cheeks dusting peek from the awkwardness. "Okay, sure." She glanced away, rubbing her arms. Talia tried to ease the awkwardness, and perhaps try and make Auriana feel a bit better, "I'll bring you back a smoothie, okay?"

Auriana scoffed again, but much more heavily and much more annoyed, "Don't bother!" She growled. Talia's eyes went wide as her kind expression shifted into an offended and angry one. "Fine," she muttered. "Come on Iris. Opal, you coming?"

Opal glanced back at Auriana who didn't dare to look at her. She bit her bottom lip and looked back at Iris and Talia, "Of course." She replied softly.

As the three left their training room and made their way out the door, Opal stayed quiet while Talia and Iris chit-chatted. Opal didn't want to leave since she honestly wanted to squeeze out any answers that Auriana could give her to why she was acting so upset! But with the energy that she was giving off and the atmosphere that she created, she felt a bit unsafe. For now, she would leave Auriana alone.

7:58 P.M, Iris's house:

The three spent a few hours at the smoothie bar. Talia and Iris bonded with Nate and Matt and Douge who decided to pay a visit. Opal minded her own business, pretending to listen to music, but she wasn't. Her mind was too scrambled and anxious that if she listened to music she knew her brain would twist and turn into a knot and caused herself a headache.

Opal was good at managing her emotions, it was something that Mia taught her at a young age. She was a very anxious child since she grew up in a tougher environment, she longed for many things she couldn't have, which resulted in her developing very heavy and challenging emotions. The truth was, Mia was able to transform into a human when Opal was younger, but that was a limited form that she wasn't able to stay in for long, and as years passed that ability faded away. But when she was human, she helped Opal when she'd have meltdowns and anxiety attacks influenced by her fear from being blind. But a lot of her anxiety has come back ever since she started becoming friends with Iris, Talia, and Auriana. Because she never had many long-lasting friends before, and she didn't know how to be a good friend. She never knew how to help people when they were down, so that's especially why she was panicking a lot for Aurianas sake.

As the three headed home, Iris and Talia decided to help Aunt Ellen with dinner, and Opal finally built the confidence to approach Auriana. She made a little script on her hand of different things she could say to soothe her and even questions she could ask to dig to the root of her problems.

As slowly made her way downstairs to the training room, she could hear Auriana play a few guitar chords. So softly. So gently. For as long as Opal knew Auriana, she always treasured the fact she was an amazing musician. She never messed up when she played instruments, even ones she was just starting to learn. That fact set her at piece, and wiped some of the anxiety she was feeling away.
She began to walk faster, her heavy footsteps radiating on the carpeted floor. She placed her hand on the door frame as she looked at Auriana.

Auriana glanced at Opal, she looked a little bit annoyed as she scanned her up and down, then going back to strumming her sparkly orange custom made guitar. Opal gulped as she looked at her hand that had her writing on it. She was sweating so much the writing had completely melted in the cracks of her hands. She sighed, knowing she would just have to...do it. Without no help, no scripts. Nothing. She just hoped she didn't mess it up.

"Au..Auriana?" She croaked out. Auriana glanced at her and rose a brow, shaking her head ever so slightly. "Could we talk?" She gulped again. Auriana gave no response, she gently put the guitar down and slipped down from the stage in which she was sitting on. Her slightly loose ponytail bounced as she looked at her with her arms crossed.

"...Are you okay?"

Aurianas annoyed expression faded away for a moment, her eyes went wide, as if she was awaiting for this question the whole while she was upset. "No.'' She responded.

Opal sat on the couch. "What happened? I'm here for you, y'know." Auriana frowned, crossing her arms closer to her chest as she looked as if she was in pain. "Are you really?" She faced away from her, lowering her head.

"Of course, and I'll always be." Opal kindly reassured her, smiling slightly through the tight anxiety that squeezed her heart.

Auriana inhaled, "I saw what you did Opal, and I can't even say it because honestly...I feel kind of disgusted." She replied shakily.

Opal furrowed her brows as she shook her head, "W-What?...I don't— I don't know what I did—"

Auriana turned with a furious expression on her face.

"I saw you kiss MEPHISTO!"

Opals heart dropped as she looked at Auriana with shock. How did Auriana find out? Did she tell Iris and Talia? And if she didn't, was she? The feeling of regret radiated through her body as she began to feel sick. She struggled to speak, the words latched onto her throat and didn't want to come out, "I.." she croaked out.

Auriana's angered expression softened as she exhaled quickly, "Why did you do it, Opal?" Her voice was hoarse and she could tell Auriana was holding back tears. Opal didn't know what to say, she stared at her for a moment before sighing, "He liked me for a while...I think, and I—I started to like him to—"

"My gosh..." Auriana mumbled with disgusts as she massaged her temples. Opal grabbed Auriana's shoulders, startling her. "Auriana, you are my best friend and you are so incredibly understanding, and you don't have to accept the fact that I kiss Mephisto, but I need you to understand deep down he isn't the villain, he doesn't want to be on our bad side, but he has no choice. And I bet if he could...he would be good— A good person."

"I know I made a mistake, and you can...tell Iris and Talia if you want, but I know that my relationship with Mephistio is more good than bad...so..." Opal let go, awkwardly taking a step back.

The two looked at each other. Pain in both of them. Words that the two couldn't speak out. Auriana broke the stare and looked down, a gulp that echoed from her throat, she looked back up, and managed to  have a slight smile on her face.

"I believe you. I always had a feeling Mephisto was different from his sister and Gramorr, but you need to be careful, Opal."

Auriana held Opals hands, gently rubbing them with her thumbs.

"No one can find out."

Opal felt her eyes become glassy from gratefulness. Her mouth shook as she nodded, inhaling quickly, she patted her hand.

"I promise. Thank you."

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Written and published on March 7th, 2022.