Umbrella [COMPLETED]

Chapter 26

MICHAEL COLLINS

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"Are you ready?", Christine asked.

"Yes. I'm gonna face this head on!", I replied.

"Atta boy!", she cheered me on. Honestly, Christine is funny, smart, hyper, and clumsy at times. She's a really good friend.

"It's been two weeks already. She's definitely okay by now.", Christine said. Christine and I planned that I'd talk to Catherine after two weeks so that both Catherine and I would be ready.

"There she is! Now go and make your move!", she pushed me towards Catherine. I looked behind and I saw Christine wink and gave me a thumbs up. I gulped and nodded. I need to do this.

"Hey Catherine!", I called out. She turned to look at me and stopped walking.

"Hey Michael.", she plainly replied.

"I want to talk to you about something.", I said.

"Okay. Let's talk right here.", she replied. I took a deep breath and composed myself.

"Listen, Catherine. Let me make this clear. I'm sorry that I punched you and I'm sorry for starting a fight with Dylan. I hope you'll forgive me.", I said.

"Apology accepted. So, we're friends again. I was even wondering why you won't talk to me or something for two weeks now.", she replied.

"That's the point exactly.", I said and she wondered.

"What do you mean?", she asked.

"I'm officially and really permanently ending this string that is tying us, and that is friendship. I can't be around you anymore. I just can't compose and forgive myself if I'm still with you. That's why, it would be best that we forget each other like everything in the past never existed. I guess, this is really a goodbye Catherine.", I told her. Catherine frowned and remained silent.

"Goodbye Catherine. Forget about me and everything that happened between us.", I said and walked away. I didn't want to do this but it was the only way to move on.

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DYLAN WILSON

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I saw Catherine standing towards the direction I was heading to. As I was approaching her, I had observed that she was silent.

"Catherine?", I whispered from behind. I saw Catherine's shoulders twitched like she had just noticed a person's presence. As I was about to reach her, she turned around and smiled at me.

"What's wrong?", I asked.

"Oh, nothing's wrong! There's nothing wrong with Michael, who had permanently quit being my friend after he apologized to me awhile ago. I mean, there's nothing... wrong... with that... right?", she asked in a trembling voice like she was about to cry. I wrapped my right arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to me. I did not say anything for I might say the wrong words. Sometimes, silence is the best comfort you need. Yes, Michael made the right choice of finally letting Catherine go. I'll be here for Catherine when she needs me, as a friend. There we stand along the silent hallway that only Catherine's sobs echo along the empty place.

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CATHERINE MCMILLAN

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I went home safely today thanks to Dylan. I threw my bag to the side and jumped on the bed. I stared at the blank ceiling and a flashback came to me.