Irene ordered a coffee while she waited for Effie to show up in the cafe they had decided on. She had decided to skip her classes to meet Effie.
Effie came before the coffee did. As Effie sat in front of Irene, Irene was taken aback to see the striking differences between the Effie in the past and the Effie in the present.
Irene's gaze stared at Effie's shoulder-length hair. Effie… loved long hair. Irene could not forget how much Effie adored her hair and cared for them.
Her eyes traveled to her face and the tight-lipped smile left Irene, worried. Effie… loved smiling. It was just the kind of girl she was. There would always be a smile on her face. She still had a smile but the radiance was missing. Her smile no longer was the genuine one like of the earlier times.
"Thank you for coming, Irene. I really… needed someone. I couldn't... think of anyone but you because…. I don't think anyone will understand." Effie began, with the hesitation conspicuous in her stammering tone.
"Effie," Irene's expression softened as she placed her palm on Effie's hand resting on the table. "It's gonna be okay."
Effie was in tears as soon as she felt overwhelmed by the warmth of support.
"How did this happen, Effie?" Irene started getting to the matter.
"I don't know. I just couldn't… stop myself from falling for him and once I fell for him, I fell hard, Irene. There was no way of coming back. And… I never… never thought that he would do this to me."
Irene had a moment of dejection because she could relate so much to Effie. She had never thought that Ayden would do what he did to her either.
"I really thought that he loved me. At least he made me feel that, Irene. The pregnancy was unexpected. I mean..."
"Ah, it's okay, Effie," Irene said, as an attempt to comfort Effie. Meanwhile, her order came and she forwarded the coffee mug to Effie and ordered another one for herself.
"I thought he would be happy but he…" Effie's voice trailed and Irene could just see how unexpected everything was for Effie.
Irene decided to break the news to her. "I know, Ashton."
Effie's gaze stilled on Irene, as it took her several seconds to absorb it. She had not expected Irene to know Ashton.
Before Irene could speak further, she felt that she spotted someone outside the cafe window but when she looked there again, there was nobody.
Effie asked for the explanation, catching Irene's attention. Though Irene shifted her eyes at Effie, a part of her kept forcing her to glance outside every once in a while. She was sure that she saw someone there and someone... who was staring at them. Who could it be?
"We are in the same college, Effie and Ashton… is my ex-boyfriend's best friend."
"Ex-boyfriend?" Effie asked but her face saddened at the next moment. "Also, Ashton never mentioned his best friend."
"We will talk about my ended relationship later. How long have you been dating Ashton?"
"Six months," Effie mumbled, and expected Irene to call her out for getting so close to him despite knowing him for barely six months but Irene did not do anything of that sort.
"Hmm. You haven't told your mother yet, right?" Effie did tell Irene that over the call but Irene had to bring it up. Effie would have to let her mother know someday or the other. The sooner, the better.
"I can't. She would be very disappointed in me and I won't be able to take it." Effie covered her face with her palms. "Mom's then-boyfriend left her when she was pregnant with me."
"Oh," Irene murmured. She could now see why Effie could not talk to her mother about it. "It's complicated."
"I just feel that I should die."
"Effieee." Irene's voice rose, displaying the fear that was visible in her eyes as well but she was quick enough to realize that it was not how things were going to work. She needed a calmer approach toward Effie, Irene knew.
"That can never be your solution, Effie. Do not think about that again. Promise me. You are precious to a lot of people. One boyfriend or ten boyfriends… they should never be able to put you so low where you would feel the need to consider this option."
"I don't know what to do." Effie cried softly, taking utmost care of the fact that they were in a public place. She was not going to create any scene.
"What exactly did he say to you?" Irene still was not getting why Ashton would do that to Effie. He really did not seem that kind of a jerk to her.
"He told me to abort the baby. He told me that he won't marry me. He told me that we… do not matter to him." Effie pulled out a tissue paper to wipe her tears. "He was the same one who had said to me that I lighten up his world and now… I don't know what to do, Irene. I don't know what to do. I can't tell, Mom. Ashton is not going to take the responsibility and I… I am scared."
"Relax, Effie. We are going to figure it out. Don't worry. You are not alone in this. I am with you. I am going to have a conversation with Ashton and figure out why he is doing this." Irene was determined there. Ashton owed her some answers and he would have to give them.
"What if…" Effie stuttered, as if fearful of opening up with her fears. "What if he does not accept us? What will I do?"
"Give me your hands." Irene held Effie's hands in a protective hold. "Listen to me, Effie. You have to accept yourself. People accepting you or not is another thing. It is hard. I know, it is extremely hard, but our acceptance matters. It does and it makes a whole lot of difference. As far as Ashton is concerned, we really have to figure out the entire matter first and let me tell you if he has really played with you… then you are not going to beg him to come back to you. Believe in yourself because I believe in you. Your existence is not dependent on any guy. If you want to have this baby, then you will. If not, then you won't. It is your choice and I am with you in whatever you decide."
Thank you for reading. Do let me know if you are reading this story and how you find this so far. It is always an encouragement to hear from readers.
"I am going to talk to Ashton. You want to come along?" Irene was not sure if asking Effie to join her was a good idea. Effie's comfort mattered. She was not willing to put her in any stressful or uncomfortable situation when she had already been exhausted with all the recent happenings in her life. Besides, she was pregnant. Irene's knowledge about pregnancy was pretty limited but even she knew the basic thing that Effie must avoid stress.
"I do but this is pointless. He has made up his mind. If he is not listening to me, why would he listen to you?"
Irene gave an assuring smile to Effie. "He will have to listen. He owes me some answers that I never demanded but today, I will. You must get clarity and I will do everything I can to give you that clarity. Because we have to figure things out soon because your pregnancy will show up soon enough. We don't have much time."
Visibly overwhelmed Effie could not restrain the thin layer of tears shining in her eyes. "I can't thank you enough. We haven't been in touch for so long and yet… on my one phone call, you are here, making me feel that this is not just my problem. That I am not alone. Thank you."
"You are definitely not alone. I am always with you."
Effie might never be able to put it in words but at that vulnerable time in her life where the guy she trusted the most left her alone when she was pregnant... having Irene's support meant a lot to her.
<>
Along with Effie, Irene headed to her college, hopeful of finding Ashton there. Still deciding to be on a safer side, she tried to call him.
His phone was switched off which was strange because Ashton was a phone addict. No matter what he was doing, he always needed his phone with him. It didn't matter if he was partying or just randomly talking to someone in person, he would keep his gaze on his phone every now and then. Irene herself had observed that about him.
She recalled Ayden also mentioning Ashton's obsession with his phone.
Why would his phone be switched off that day? Something did not seem right. 'Or perhaps, you are overthinking, Irene.' She commanded her brain to stop considering probable scenarios and wait until they reached college.
Her suspicion grew stronger when they arrived at the college and did not find him anywhere. Irene made sure that they scanned the whole college but Ashton was nowhere to be found.
Irene and Effie were moving back to the entrance when Ayden stumbled upon them in the corridor.
Irene's head was pounding. Her mind was messed up due to Ashton's disappearance which was why her speed left her to almost bump on to Ayden but she halted on her steps just at the right moment and pulled herself back.
Effie's head turned to Irene whose change in expression was indecipherable to her.
Ayden's hands had instinctively reached out to hold her but she had managed her all by herself. He slowly got them down. "Are you okay?"
Irene tugged the strands of her hair behind her ear, glancing a look at Effie before she replied, "Hmm." She intertwined her fingers with Effie's and walked past him.
But when it struck her that she could get some information about Ashton from Ayden, she stopped in her tracks. She found him still standing at the same place when she turned around.
"What is it?" Effie asked, who was keeping quiet all along. She was saving her questions to ask later once they were out of Irene's college.
Irene whispered in Effie's ear, asking her to wait. She walked back to Ayden.
His gaze held surprise but he instantly tried hiding it and started to walk away but her call held him back.
"Ayden, wait."
Those mere two words were enough for him to get back to his previous place.
"Where is Ashton?"
And those mere three words were enough for him to frown at them. "We have talked about this. Why are you behind him? Talk to me whatever it is. You want to blame, accuse, punish… go ahead but with me. Not him."
Irene was starting to get angry at him for jumping to conclusions again but she reminded herself that she needed to keep calm. For Effie.
"Are you going to tell me where is Ashton or not?" she asked, keeping aside her annoyance and frustration.
Ayden did not speak for a while. He wasn't getting why she was after Ashton despite how hard he had tried to convince her that he wasn't to be blamed. Why couldn't she understand?
"He is not in town. He left just a while ago but I don't know where he is." He did not know why he passed that information to her but he did.
Irene's mind debated over if Ashton's disappearance was just a coincidence or if it had got something to do with her. Was the person who was spying over them in the cafe... Ashton?
She went to Effie and got themselves out of the college. As she told Effie about it, Effie became more disturbed.
"Something does not seem right about this whole thing," Irene muttered to herself.
"What?" Effie asked and Irene realized that she wasn't certainly as inaudible as she wanted herself to be.
"I am not sure right now but we will have to find out."
Irene felt that her mind was blocked. She felt so lost. How on the earth did everything decide to mess up at the same time?
What was happening in her life?
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