Episode 174 - Loose Ends 4

Episode 174 - Loose Ends 4
The blankets were spread out, the food unpacked, laughter rising in uneven waves. But beneath it all, the tension was intense, palpable. James sat down across from me, his smug smile returning as if nothing had happened.

James - So, Ness… what's your excuse this time? Does this sudden disappearance have something to do with you having feelings for me?

Isen frowned and stared at him. I raised an eyebrow as I looked at him and smiled slightly, tilting my head.

Isen - James, that's enough. She just got here.

I kept my gaze steady, even though I felt a tightness in my chest, but I felt confident. I imagined Joe, Luke, and Tobias standing behind me.

Ness - I don't owe you any excuses. Not anymore.

The words hung heavy in the air. James leaned forward, his voice low and mocking.

James - You know... you always think you're above us. But you're just running away. You've always been running away. You come from a family with many resources and yet you chose to distance yourself from them, to prove a point, right?

I felt the cool grass beneath my palms, the air cooling with each word I spoke. The silvery sheen curled faintly at the edges of the picnic blanket, bending the sunlight into threads only I seemed to notice.

Ness - Do you think I left home to prove something? No, James. I left because I had to survive. Because I had to find myself.

His smile faltered, but he pulled back, mocking me.

James - Survive? From what? Your own family dinners? You've always been dramatic.

The words cut, but they no longer pierced me.

Ness - Dramatic? You have no idea what I've been through. You don't know the battles, the nights I thought I wouldn't make it. You don't know the people who stood by me when I couldn't stand alone, but I can assure you, it wasn't you.

Kim chuckled softly after my words.

Kim - Come on, Ness, you're just a kid. We all have problems, but not to the point of dying.

My mouth was agape after hearing that, truly agape.

James - What surprises you so much? He's right.

Ness - And why should I have to give explanations to you guys, who weren't even there for me when I needed you?

At that moment, I answered myself what I'd been thinking for so long: I didn't want to go back for them, I wanted to go back for Santiago and Isen, who were the only ones who had truly been by my side in the difficult times, answering my calls at 2 a.m. and secretly helping me move my things when I left my parents' house. If I had something to prove, it wasn't in front of these people... when I finally understood, I couldn't help but laugh, I laughed so hard that a tear came out.

The laughter startled them. James's smile vanished, Kim's laughter caught in her throat, and even Isen tilted his head, confused. Santiago, however, smiled faintly, as if he understood.

Ness - Do you think I came back for you? For explanations? For forgiveness? No. I came back for myself. For Santiago. For Isen. For the people who were there when I was falling apart.

James - You're delusional. Do you think you're some kind of hero now, or someone different, after disappearing for weeks?

I leaned forward, my voice firm, my gaze fixed on his.

Ness - No, James. I'm not a hero. I'm someone who survived. And that's more than you'll ever understand.

I stood up, ready to leave, when suddenly I stopped. A surge of smugness and a desire to boast came over me, something I don't think I'd felt in a long time. I took out my phone and selected a photo of Luke, Tobias, Joe, and me, all together, smiling on a palace balcony. I zoomed in on the image and walked over to James. I crouched down beside him and showed him the phone.

James - What?

Ness - You see this guy here?

James - What the hell? Yeah, so what?

Ness - That's my boyfriend, way better looking and more polite than you.

James opened his mouth, which trembled slightly before he spoke.

James - You! You what!?

James's voice cracked, his bravado vanished. His gaze shifted from the photo to me, searching for some angle to twist, but he found none.

Ness - Yes. My boyfriend. Someone who stood by me when my world was falling apart. Someone who didn't mock me, who didn't dismiss me, who didn't disappear when I needed him.

Santiago's smile widened slightly, while Isen's gaze softened with understanding. James clenched his jaw and raised his voice.

James - You think showing me a photo proves anything? You're still the same old Ness, pretending to be special.

I straightened up, my voice calm but sharp.

Ness - I'm not interested in what YOU have to say. Stultus

James - What does that even mean?

Kim - Ness… this is getting awkward. You don't have to act like this with us.

A spark jumped from my fingertips, faint but undeniable, and caught the corner of James's eye. He shuddered, and his mocking smile vanished into silence.

Ness - Awkward? Maybe. But it's real. And I don't need you to know that. I'm no longer interested in what you have to say, and you won't be seeing me again anytime soon.

The air grew thicker, expectant. I put my phone away and looked again at these people who, in a moment, had made me feel like my world was crumbling around me.
Ness - I hope you'll forgive me, but I have to go to my parents' house now. I hope the picnic goes well. Non nos videmus

I waved goodbye and went over to say goodbye to Isen and Santiago, although Kim and James were still talking, I didn't really care anymore, I had something more important to do now, say goodbye to my parents, with whom my relationship had been broken since the moment I decided to leave home without their support. I turned around and was about to walk towards the parking lot when I saw something that left me speechless.

In the distance, I could see Luke's figure near the parking lot. He was looking at me, a smile on his face. I was starting to think I was going crazy, that they didn't really exist and were just figments of my imagination, because the image I saw of Luke in front of me couldn't be real; he didn't look like he was there, but somehow, he was. I swallowed hard, while Santiago turned to look where I was looking and let out a strange groan.

Santiago - Ness, I think...

To be continued..