Love Punched | COMPLETED

36. Talk It Out

"You were drooling." Her patronizing tone had me narrowing my eyes.

I glanced at Michael, but he was engaged in conversation with Warren, and I sighed.

Nora bit her lip as she looked me in the eye seriously. "About the past few months.....I feel like we've gotten distant."

I blinked, and guilt swallowed me up because I knew she was right. I'd been so concentrated on revenge, Derek, my feelings, my life as Wildcat....

I know we'd grown distant, but I hadn't done anything to fix it even though I wanted to.

I frowned, "I know. And I'm really sorry." I exhaled tightly, "I just...I've had a lot on my plate." Frustration crawled up my chest.

My blonde friend nodded understandingly. "It's fine. I get it." Always so understanding.

Then she gave me a soft look, "But I don't want us to grow apart, Lila."

"Me either." I shrugged almost helplessly. "But I don't know how to change things."

She grinned, her shy nature always taking a rest when she was with her kind of people, and since that included Michael now, she was more at ease.

"It's easy, Lila." She leaned closer, and I did the same, enjoying the light heartedness she exuded. "Just tell me when things are hard. Share your feelings. Tell me mundane things like you used to."

I opened my mouth, but she cut me off before I could even start.

"I know it's not like flipping a switch on. Take it easy, but..." She lowered her eyes, nibbling on her lip, "Include me."

My heart melted, and I reprimanded myself for letting us drift away even a bit. It's just....

"I have so many secrets." I pleaded. It was my undoing.

"And I can hear them out when you want to share them." Nora shrugged,  fiddling with her hair. "Or you can keep them to yourself. I won't ever push you."

I stared at her, feeling myself getting emotional.

After Mellisa died, it's no secret that I had a hard time conversing and letting people in. But Nora had been there before and after, and time and time again, I'd shut her out.

But whenever I'd needed a friend, she'd been there. She'd been so patient with me, always there.

All my friends had. My family had. But I'd been so absorbed in myself that until Derek changed my views on things, I hadn't ever noticed how much I was cherished.

The dead were gone, and they never wanted us to linger in their memories. Moving on was a part of growing up.

Revenge was my solution, and I'd been exacting it steadily. But simultaneously, I needed to move on because now that everything was starting to end almost end, I couldn't be a vengeful soul left alone.

Didn't mean it was easy to put into practice. Chuckling sardonically, I looked at Nora.

"Thank you." I went in for a side hug and realized almost everyone at the table was looking at us.

Maybe they knew what we talked about. Maybe they were glad for us. I don't know.

But I do know that I was glad for Nora.

"Thank you for always being there."

With a small smile, she hugged me back, "As long as you need, Smith."

"Love you, James."

We all chuckled at the joke, reminded of how Nora and I had played Derek when he was new to school.