The Gold and the Forest

XXVII

Chapter 27: Encourage

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The first thing that ran through Min's head was confusion. The second was denial. Then she searched through the thousands of moments she had with him, and felt accused. She was going to open her mouth when Angel spoke up, cutting through the loud silence.

"Min, I just got a text about Kady wanting to meet you."

They all knew that was a lie.

"In the garden." Angel finished.

Min bit her lip, got up, and left.

The room returned to its silence.

Angel trained her eyes on Vivi, breathing out deeply, her arms folded across her chest. Vivi looked down at her lap.

"I know the four of you have history." Angel's voice was serious. "But some things you cannot say."

Vivi lifted her hands to her face and then put them back to her lap.

"Every time I see her, there's this twisted jealousy in me that just tells me..." Vivi shut her eyes. "It just hurts so much."

"What does?"

"He couldn't even deny my statement when I told him that he was still hung up over her." Vivi looked up at Angel. "What could that possibly say?"

"You are accusing the wrong person." Angel replied. "You put the right person on trial for the wrong reasons. They both feel wrongly accused, and become defensive."

"I just need to move on."

"You have done anything but," Angel looked from the door and then to Vivi. "With that statement."

---

"Vivien?" Carl echoed. Both Sean and Kade shot him the look of "you better not play dumb."

Carl cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.

"Well?" Kade pried.

"It was..." Carl scratched the back of his neck. "It was the coffee."

Both of them stared at him like he had lost his marbles.

"Is there going to be an elaboration?" Kade asked, making a rolling motion with his hand.

"I... I started talking to her to get over Min." The other two went eerily quiet. "And now Vivi still thinks that."

Sean let out a whistle of astonishment. "Now that's a fuck up. Pardon my french."

Kade looked down at his drink. Sean started to fear there would be some serious crap that was about to go down in his quiet shop.

"I didn't know." Kade looked up at Carl. "I'm sorry."

Kade knew exactly how Carl felt. In fact, he's done the same thing. They both used the same kind girl who just happened to be readily there. Kade swallowed hard, feeling the old memories bubble up, and the sick disgust he felt towards his actions. Carl frowned.

"It's my fault." Carl mumbled. "And I left to try to help her. But I've hurt her instead."

The two guys shared a long, hard look, sympathizing with each other.

"Do you love her?" Kade asked.

Carl's mind flashbacked to the day Vivi confessed to him. Her hand held a ring. Her eyes held unwavering hope. He wondered if that was the question in her head. Do you love me?

Or maybe it was in his head. Do you love her?

And he did answer that question. He had told her he didn't.

Now that Kade had asked him the question, he stared at him with mild abandon.

Kade's lip quirked up in a smile. "Well, he is definitely a lot slower than I am," he joked to Sean, chuckling.

"What does that mean?" Carl shot back.

Kade turned his eyes back towards his friend and gave him a grin. "You're swaying, aren't you?"

Carl made a face of confusion.

"Just go with the flow, then. Run with it. You have nothing to be afraid of." He sipped his coffee. "You do things better when you don't think, after all."

Carl grunted in annoyance.

---

Min was kicking some gravel around in Vivi's backyard. She checked her phone a few times, contemplating if she should text Kade. She found herself opening the text conversation she had with Carl instead. She renamed him Woofer. He used to be Wolfie. The words that Vivi said shouldn't have bothered her, because he was her best friend. And she knew that—

Her eyes skimmed over one of his older texts. It will be alright.

She was going through a hard time with her father in that period of time. It wasn't that long ago, a few months in the past. He was the grounded reasoning to her panic. She had called him after that text, standing outside her door sobbing that maybe she could go stay with him for a few until the tears stopped flowing.

I know he's still hung up over you.

If that was true, then she had been oblivious. She had been stepping all over his feelings. Leading him on. That hurt her so much she couldn't stand it.

Obviously she got angry.

Even if she did have a history with him, they worked hard to be friends. And they value each other as friends. To have Vivi come over and discredit their sincerity to each other was insulting.

Though she did understand her frustration. The anger and jealousy that built up the foundation to the exit of those words.

She got a text from Kade. We're coming over. Better have cupcakes for us hungry boys.

She smiled. Ofc we do.

She heard the gravel crunching beside her and she turned to see Vivi standing a few feet away from her, looking apologetic. Vivi opened up her mouth and then stopped. Min felt a sense of warmth for her, appreciating that she took the time to come find her.

"To begin, I'm sorry." Vivi shut her eyes. "It was not in my place to say anything like what I've said."

"Yeah." Min agreed.

"I hope you know it comes from..." Vivi sighed. "A place of darkness."

"We both know you're frustrated and pining after the most frustrating person ever."

Vivi looked up and received an understanding smile from Min.

"And no." Min began, reading the question she didn't ask. "He's not hung up over me. I know the Woofer."

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