Chương 18: Can you please stop acting like this?

Alice's Pov:

It feels like there is no point in living anymore.

Everything seems so emotionless.

I don't have an appetite or the will to go out.

Ryan and Mia are trying to do anything to make me smile and be alive again, you can say, which I appreciate, but nothing feels the same anymore after my father left me.

After a while, Mia comes into my room.

"Hey, how are you feeling? Do you need anything? Do you want something to eat? Ryan just made something, and it was really delicious. You won't believe it."

I am sorry, I am not feeling like eating.

"Well, why don't you at least try his food and then you can judge if you want to eat it or not."

WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I JUST SAID?!! I say.

Mia goes back in shock. I saw a tear falling from her eye.

Look, I am sorry. I try to hug Mia, but she pushes me away.

"Stop! Can you please, stop acting like this? I can't do this anymore.

We are trying everything we can to make you happy. Why are you pushing us away?" She cries.

You don't know how I feel, Oke!

It hurts! He was my everything.

He was my happiness. He was the one I would go to if I had problems.

He was the one that made me smile whenever I was sad.

He was the one that always put me first.

How can I just forget that? Uh?

"Oke, so I may not know your real feelings, but I didn't leave yet. Ryan is still here, and for what reason? For you, Alice.

We are here for you! Why don't you understand that?

I know it is hard to forget him, but you don't have to do that.

Use your memories to stay strong. At least you know he fought till the end. He fought so that he could stay with you. To see you rise and achieve the things that you want.

Do you think he would be happy to see you like this? in this state?!

Well, I don't think so, but you can forget what I said because really, Who am I?" and Mia storms out of the room and closes the door with a loud BANG before I could say something.

Alice goes to her bed and throws herself on it.

She knew Mia was right.

She knew she hasn't been good to them.

They tried so hard, yet here she still is, acting like she is all alone.

Mia's Pov:

How can she push me away after all that I did for her?

It hurts that I can't be of help.

It hurts me to see her in this state.

She is soo pale, and she became so skinny.

She is not eating, nor does she want to talk.

I thought what she needed was time, so I tried to give her that, but I didn't know she was trying to push me away. Push us all away!

After a while, I go to the kitchen.

I see that Anne is cooking something.

Hi Anne.

What are you cooking? It smells so good.

"Hi, darling. I am cooking cheese macaroni with meat, and for dessert, I made you guys Tiramisu," says Anne.

Oh really, Anne?

Thank you so much. You didn't have to.

"What are you saying? It is my job to do this, and I promised Ryan that I would look out for you guys. I can't break that promise, or else he will fire me," she jokes.

I smile.

"What happened, darling? I heard you guys arguing."

I just got mad at her, and then we argued.

It was my fault. I shouldn't have done that.

I know she is going through a hard time, but I just want her to be happy.

I want her to talk to me, to tell me how she is feeling, but she is pushing us away, and it hurts me that she is doing that.

Anne gives me a reassuring smile and stops doing what she was doing.

"Darling, when people are grieving, they want to be alone as much as they can because that person thinks he is alone, but he is not, and sometimes they need friends to make them realise that.

Friends are blessings, and one should be grateful to have a good friend.

She is not pushing you guys away. She doesn't want to burden you guys with her pain. She is afraid to rely on you."

Really? Then why isn't she telling me that?

Anne comes closer and touches my cheek.

"She is afraid that you guys will think that she is weak.

Now, why don't you go and talk to her? Bring some food on your way and some dessert. Maybe she is waiting for you," she says.

Do you think so?

"Yes. Now go before the food gets cold," Anne says while giving me the food and shoving me away.

Wish me luck! I say.

"I know you can do it," she says.

After taking a deep breath, I go upstairs and knock on her room.

She opens the door and tells me to come in.

Anne told me to bring you some food. It smells delicious, and there is meat in it. I think you will like it.

When I look at her, I see that she is just standing there looking at me.

Are you okay? I ask her.

"I am sorry about earlier. No! I am sorry for everything.

I wasn't pushing you away. I was just...."

I know.

"Really?" she says with hope in her eyes.

"Wait! What do you know?" looking confused now.

I smile at her.

I know you were just afraid, but I am your best friend. You can always rely on me. If everything is too much for you, don't be scared to tell me.

I can't take something away, but we can do it together. Can't we?

Alice comes near me and hugs me.

"Yeah, we can, because after all, we are best friends, and best friends can break every wall as long as they are together."

I hug her back.

I missed you so much.

While we were hugging and crying together, we didn't notice that Ryan was home. He was leaning against the door, staring at us.

When we faced him, he said

"Am I interrupting?"

We both shook our heads, saying no.

"Can I join then? I love hugging too." We both stared at him in disbelieve. Sometimes he can be so childish, I thought.

"So, you can smile, huh?" He was talking to Alice, who was smiling for the first time after her father passed away. I was actually amused. How did he do that?

"Just kidding. I wanted to ask if you two would like to watch a movie with me?" lifting his eyebrow.

It depends, what movie? I ask him.

We don't want to get bored that we

Alice was silent for a while before she said

"Okey"

"Don't worry, you both won't regret it. First, I am going to change into something comfortable." He smiles before he goes to change.

Damn! His smile is a killer. I curse myself inside before Alice notices me.

Ryan came down wearing his grey sweatpants with a black T-shirt. The table was full of snacks and popcorn. I was sitting next to Alice, and Ryan was the opposite of us.

The movie we were watching was Hitman's wife bodyguard.

It was quite funny. Alice and I were laughing all the time. Ryan was sometimes on his phone while he suggested the movie. How rude of him.

Sometimes I caught him staring at Alice as well. Does he like Alice? Or else what can the reason be that he is staring at her all the time then?

I was deep in my thought that I didn't realise that the movie came to an end. Alice was laughing so hard that she started to cry. I couldn't help but start laughing at her behaviour.

"See, I knew you guys wouldn't regret it." he prices himself highly.

"Thank you," was all Alice said, grinning.

"My pleasure. We can do this whenever you guys want to." They both start hugging each other, but what I see is not just a hug.

What am I seeing? my jaw dropped open.