"...because as far as I know, I did nothing to deserve the hostility which you are treating me with,"

It is Sunday night, nearing almost 10 and Foster's words still keep ringing in my ears.

I am lying straight on my bed, wearing my peach printed pajama shorts and a white camisole, and have been staring at the white ceiling for the past one hour, trying to sort out my inner turmoil.

I had been fine yesterday when I came back as I was so consumed with my own rage to think about anything rationally.

The guilt of the entire thing set in today morning when I woke up feeling like an absolute bag of crap. It always happens to me when I have a conversation with someone which remotely resembles a fight, be it the small disagreements I had with my Mom, or the time when I had been rude to a girl at the Mall who had accidentally pushed me when I went shopping with Aunt Heath.

The day had gone by pretty smoothly, with me immersed in my work and Adele's Rolling in the deep blasting in my ears, which had also prevented Liv from badgering me with her questions.

But now I no more work to do ( having done assignments not due for two more weeks already ), well except for studying OC but I don't want to do that now, because I know if I did open that wretched book, I will be reminded of how Foster had cleared my lame doubts yesterday, and hence I will be pushed deeper into the guilt that I am already feeling.

Liv is out at some frat party and at this time of the night, I don't really want to interrupt in between her escapades. Calling Sarah is out of the question as I do not want to get another earful from her about my lack of manners.

So I dial my closest confidante to help sort out my brain for me.

"Rachel sweetheart you called at just the perfect time." I hear a jingle of keys from the other end and guess that Aunt Heath is either going somewhere or just returning back home.

"Are you out? I can call you later," I ask and cringe at how my voice sounds, as if I am recovering from a bout of flu.

"I just got back home, are you okay, you sound as if you have a fever?"

"No, I am fine, just a little tired, from where are you coming back?"

"Went out with a colleague for drinks,"

"Was it George?" I ask with a smile knowing how both of them have been spending a lot more than just friendly time with each other.

"Yes, it was him," I can feel her smile while speaking and am ready to bet a million dollars(even though I don't possess that kind of money) that she is blushing at the other side of the phone.

"Just inform me well in time when I have to start planning for your wedding," I say and hear her laugh out loud before settling herself down.

"Fine, I will! What has been up with you? How's that job of yours?"

"It's just fine," I sigh as I turn to lie on my stomach and prop my face in the cup of my palms.

"Tell me what it is."

"What is what?" I ask confused by her statement.

"You want to talk about something sweetheart, I can see right through you,"

"You technically can't see through me right now you know?" I mentally pat myself for the amazing reply before Aunt Heath decides to cut my euphoria short.

"That's a very uninformed thing to say to psychologist honey, stop pushing it and just tell me what's going on!"

"Okay, I will," my voice comes out a bit muffled as I had buried my head in the pillow in front of me. I raise my head and take a deep breath before continuing.

"I will ask you some questions and you have to answer me, okay?"

"That's supposed to be my line Rach,"

"Besides the point, okay or no?"

"Okay, go on,"

"Suppose that you know some random person X,"

"Alright,"

"A long time back a few friends of X harmed you a lot," I feel a small frown creeping up on my forehead but try to shake it away to keep any thoughts of Christian and Hannah at bay.

"Rach, baby - "

"No, no Heath, let me get just this out please?" I groan a little, wanting to get over with it as soon as possible.

"Go on,"

"So, X never harmed you himself but he did not stop his friends as well."

"Did you by chance come across Mr. X Rach?"

"No Heath, you meet X after many of years,"

Aunt heath sighs before asking, "And then?"

"Now X cannot recognize you, and he is very friendly to you and all the people around him, and has many times helped you with a lot of things,"

"Now you get confused because you have always hated X and his friends with a passion, and now there he is helping you by going out of his way, what would you do Aunt Heath?"

"Umm, okay. I would definitely not trust him at the first, even if he does not recognize me, cause that would just be stupid,"

"Then?" I try to prod a little more when Aunt Heath does not speak for a few seconds.

"Gradually, I might forgive X, because as you said, it was a long time ago, and people always grow. Also, X himself never harmed me in the first place,"

I am playing with the cushiony pillow, my fingers tracing the outline of its sides as I contemplate Aunt Heath's reply to my questions.

"What if you shouted at X, taking all the frustration of the old time out on him?"

"I wouldn't apologize, but if I truly believe that he is a changed person, I think I will forgive him and make amends,"

I nod a little at her words before realizing that she cannot actually see me.

"How do you always clean the clutter that my brain is Heath?" I ask her as I rest my forehead on the pillow beneath me.

"Because I have known you since you were born sweetheart, and I have seen you go through some really serious stuff and come out as the strongest woman I know,"

"After Mom of course?" I ask as a tear escapes my eye listening to her say those words.

"After Christina of course!" she says and I feel a hint of sadness in her voice as we both silently remember my mother.

"You should rest now, you have work tomorrow and I have already taken a lot of your time," I say after a few minutes of silence in which I successfully stopped myself from crying more.

"And you should sleep too, who even takes early classes on Monday Rach!"

I laugh at her mock surprise and get up from my bed to brush my teeth before going to bed.

"Bye Heath, I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart, hey, Rach?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you truly believe that he is a changed person?" At first, I can't process her words but soon catch on to what she is talking about.

"I can't be sure, but I think he is, I would like to think that he is,"

"That's a good start then,"

"Bye Heath,"

"Bye, sweetheart,"

As soon as Mr. Clyde is done with explaining us the details of the next assignment that we are supposed to submit, he dismisses us from the class and now we have a good thirty minutes before the next class starts.

It is Monday. And just like it is supposed to be, there are a very few people around the campus at this time of the hour and we hardly meet anyone as Sara and I move towards our beloved coffee house.

I personally have never hated Mondays unlike others. One of the major reasons being that I did not have the experience of getting up early against my wishes and going to school. In fact, I hated Sundays more, because I spent a better part of them contemplating about the classes and work next day and also, they signified the end of the so-called weekend.

"How was your study session on Saturday?" Sara asks as she gets back to our table with her signature Monday-morning-black-coffee.

"Umm, we studied?"I say, trying to hide the fact that I blew up at him. As I said earlier, I did not want another earful from her.

"Well, that's what you do in a study session," she raises her eyebrows at me in a what-the-fuck expression and I fumble, trying to get out a legible reply.

"Rach,"

"Yeah?"

"I am guessing something happened, am I right?" she asks while stirring her coffee looking at me with her knowing expression.

"Well.."

"Spill! Right now."

"Geez, calm down woman!"

"Only if you just start -"

"I shouted at him,"

She stares at me for one whole minute before speaking, "Oh, but that's nothing new?"

"Well, new is that he got aggravated and shouted back at me," I see her eyes widen in her sockets and continue.

"I know right, the nerve of him -"

"It was about time Rachel, you cannot just shout at him for no reason whenever you feel like it,"

"Why do you assume there was no reason?"

"If there was, you would have already told it to me,"

"Yeah, fine," I sigh realising that there is no use arguing with her.

"I think you should - "

"Talk to him? I know," I say and I really do know that I have to talk to him.

Talking to Aunt Heath last night has given me a lot of perspective and I am being able to look at the whole scenario in a somewhat impartial way.

Yes, he did hurt me a long time back, but he wasn't the one saying all those things to me or about me. And come to think of it, I can even remember a few instances when he even made an attempt to stop Christian, the keyword here being attempt.

I was being less than friendly to him for something that happened years ago, even though it still does make my blood boil, he isn't the one who deserves my wrath, especially when he has gone out of the way to help me, despite my behaviour.

Tell me when did you get so mature Rachel?

"He was not there in class today,"

"Yeah, I noticed, you have any idea where he might be?"

"You are his study buddy, why would I know about his whereabouts?" I throw a napkin at Sara at her reply. Yes, that's how violent I am.

I throw napkins at people who try to piss me off.

"I think I will look for him after classes then,"

"You know where to find him?"

"I have a few places in my mind."

Heyyyy!!

Hope you guys don't hate me :( (that's assuming there are still people trying to read my work here ^.^)

First an foremost, so sorry for the annoyingly long wait of four months. I recently started working full time and have a lot on my plate, so I was not able to work on this book. But I do plan on finishing it. 

The next update might not be super early, but I promise you I am working on it, I have a lot in store for this story, and would love it even if a single person on here would like to read it.

I love you guys!!!

Thank for being patient.<3

-aaliyah