There are a million things I want to say to Ali. I wanna tell her how it's definitely not her fault, how there was no way she could've known. How she was sick, how it was raining, how the kid made the wrong decision, how Elliot was the one to blame, how so many things were into play that night.

But I stop myself, because looking at her, I know she has heard all these things before. It happened years ago, years before I knew her, and millions more people must've said million more things to her.

The air in the apartment is heavy as if some external forces are waiting for me to react. And then I realise that my girlfriend is the force waiting for me, so I do what feels the most natural to me. I lean over, pull her towards me and into my lap and hug her as tightly as I can. She melts in my arms and buries her face into the crook of my neck, letting out more tears as she lets herself relax in my hold. Whispers of sweet nothings leave me and reach her ear like a sweet melody.

After a few minutes, she pulls away and stares at me with puffy eyes, a red nose, hair dishevelled. But there's admiration in her eyes, admiration and something else which I don't have the time to think about.

"Thank you," she whispers.

I narrow my eyes at her and reply, "Thank you? You're gonna thank me now?"

She chuckles and shakes her head, "Ma taught me to be polite, Wright."

"And Mom taught me that things we do for our people don't require thank yous," I reply, challenging her with my eyes.

"But saying thank you is the way to show appreciation. And I'm really good at saying it. So let me be good at something at least," she teases, making me chuckle.

"Fine. After all, it is literally the only thing you're good at."

I should've expected the shoulder slap I received not even a split second later.

"Oww," I wail and watch her smirking at me. She gets up from my lap and walks towards the kitchen.

"What do you want to eat?" she asks, and my mouth answers before my brain can filter myself.

"You."

She doesn't even glance up, just smiles wider and answers, "Okay."

If I were a cartoon, my eyes would've popped out this very minute.

I struggle to make any coherent response when my phone ringing saves-interrupts?- me.

Without even looking who's calling, I pick it up and bring it to my ear.

"Where even are you both?" Mia screams into my ear, making me instinctively pull my phone away from my ear.

I take a peek at my screen and find Eli's name on it, making me roll my eyes.

"Give the phone to his rightful owner Mia," I answer, and I can practically see her scowl through the phone.

After a few seconds of shuffling and another few seconds of screaming, Eli returns to his phone, panting.

"Had to freaking steal my own phone from this witch," Eli huffs and immediately winces as Mia presumably hits him somewhere.

"Anyway, where are you both really?" he continues.

"We're at the girls' apartment."

Eli hums, and I take this opportunity to continue, "Hey Eli, what happened after we left?"

He sighs, "Well, the entire cafe was evacuated, fire department and the cops were called, Shaye and Mrs Warren were alerted."

"And?" I prod more.

"And when asked how it happened, Mrs Warren told them that there are CCTVs in the kitchen. Upon looking, Elliot can be clearly seen messing with 3 out of 5 ovens, and then later coming back to talk to you all."

"Is she pressing charges?"

There's a beat of silence, and my heart pounds like crazy. On one hand, Elliot will finally face some repercussions for his actions, and on the other hand, Aliana might feel worse if he does.

What if she starts blaming herself again? She might be doing it now as well, what if this will increase it tenfold?

From the corner of my eye, I find Aliana walking towards me with two mugs of steaming hot coffee and takes a seat beside me.

"She is. Elliot is facing charges of arson. He's currently in custody."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and she looks at me quizzically, "That's very good to know."

"Also, Mrs Warren has given everyone an off today. The Bakery is closed, and all employees are ordered to rest. Especially Mia and Ali. Mind if we join you two at home?"

"Nope. Join us we're chilling," I say when I remember the fight Mia and Ali had had in the Bakery. I brave a glance at find Ali still looking at me.

"Is Mia okay?"

Eli coughs, "When is she ever?"

"Hey! I heard that!" I hear her shout.

"Alright then, come on home."

"See you then," Eli says and hangs up the call. I keep my phone beside me on the couch and take the coffee mug from Ali's hand.

"What happened?" she asks me when I don't say anything for a while.

I nod my head, too scared for myself, as I know I wouldn't be able to see her fall deeper into the deep dark corners of her mind once I tell her about the charges.

"Nay, what is it?"

Taking a deep breath and a sip of my coffee, I turn to look at her, "Promise me you wouldn't freak out."

"Just tell me already," she rolls her eyes, and when I narrow my eyes at her again, she sighs and nods her head yes, "I promise."

"Mrs Warren is pressing arson charges on Elliot. He's in custody right now."

Now, I had expected her Aliana to be shocked, desperate even to call Mrs Warren to tell her, to beg her not to press charges, but when all she does is smile and takes a sip of her coffee, I'm taken aback.

Huh.

"Grasshopper, you okay?"

She nods and takes another sip, making me more confused than ever.

"Tell me what's going on in your head," I try getting her to talk, and she nods.

"He deserves it."

My jaw falls open. I can't quite believe it, and when I don't say anything for a while, she takes the window to continue.

"You know what, Nay, remember what you said during our fight?"

I wince and open my mouth to apologise when she beats me to it, "Don't say sorry. It was the truth. I didn't let myself change because I was so scared of something similar happening again. Of history repeating itself. I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for Evelyn and the boy who lost his life, but today I saw the flip side of the coin."

"Mia and one more employee were in the kitchen. The cafe was filled with customers. You were there. Elliot crossed his limit. This was something I never saw coming. And this time, it wasn't because I said no, it was his hatred towards me that morphed into something entirely evil. So I think I'll accept that that night wasn't in my hands."

I stare at her for a while after she's done and finally reply, "Grasshopper, do you know how brave and courageous it is to do that? To accept that something just wasn't in your hand? You did everything you could, now it's time to let go and start anew."

She nods, "And you're gonna teach me. Teach me how to say no."

"Wait what? Ali, I failed you last time, I don't know how to do this. Someone else can do this better than-"

She interrupts my nervous rambling by placing her index finger on my lips and shushing me, "We're both starting anew. It wasn't your fault, you didn't fail me. I was pretending as if everything you were teaching was working, and to some extent, it was. But I never could fully commit myself to it. This time though, I'm gonna put my all in it, so will you. Deal?"

At the familiar word, my lips lift in a naturally wide smile and I nod, "Another one Palmer?"

"Any problem with that?" she challenges me, making me laugh and shake my head no.

"I'll do anything and everything for you."

"Alright, that's enough cheese for a day," she says and gets up from the sofa, and immediately, we hear the jingling of keys outside the door, making Aliana dive back beside me, making me reflexively place my coffee in my other hand to save it.

I stare at Aliana amusedly and watch her staring at the TV, which I now notice is playing some Adelaide Wiley movie.

As soon as the door opens, in bargers Mia and towards the couch and right in front of Ali, blocking her view of the movie. I turn my neck and find Eli in the kitchen, pouring himself some water.

Bringing my attention back to Mia, I find her glaring at her best friend and the best friend glaring at her lower stomach.

"Stop glaring at my uterus," Mia says.

"...And that's my cue to leave," I say and try to get up, but both girls fix me with such deadly stares that I take my seat again.

"So you stop glaring at my head," Ali replies to Mia's remark.

"You left without telling me."

"You left first if you don't remember."

"Could've left a message."

"You could've left a message as well."

"You were mean."

"Oh, look who's talking."

"I was only being honest."

"True."

The unexpected honesty from Aliana stuns Mia, making Aliana smirk in victory. She gets up from my hold and stands in front of Mia.

"I'm sorry," both say simultaneously.

"It's alright," simultaneously, again.

I watch with amusing entertainment at the two of them staring at each other, trying their best not to laugh at their weird telepathy until Mia cracks, setting off Aliana as well and soon they're laughing their asses off. Once both have recovered from their laughing fit, Mia looks over Ali's shoulder and at me.

"Come on, Wright, go to your best friend now."

I roll my eyes at her, "When I was trying to go, nobody let me. Make up your mind, women."

I get up from the couch and walk over to the kitchen counter where Eli is currently sitting with his own coffee mug, which he might've bought over during his innumerable visits here, watching me and smirking.

"I assume you know the Elliot backstory," Eli says, and I nod.

"Our assumptions were very off," I remark, and he hums in approval.

The girls' laughter rings through the apartment and towards us, and we both turn our heads to watch our beautiful girls having the fun they deserve after an extremely challenging and hectic day.

Eli takes a sip of his coffee and breaks the silence we both had descended into, "So, what now?"

Smiling internally and finally letting the smile show on my face, I turn towards him and reply, "I'm gonna teach my girlfriend how to say no."

"This again?" he asks, laughing.

"Yep," I start and look at Aliana again, "And this time, I have a completely different plan."

I look at Eli, and without even telling him anything, he laughs and slaps my back, "I'm in."

⋈

Wellll, look who's back! And a day early at that!! I know I know, this chapter is more of a somewhat filler, but a lot has happened in the past chapters and I don't wanna bombard continuous chapters with way too much stuff in them. Buttttttt, I'M SO HAPPY TO FINALLY PUT OUT A CHAPTERRRRR. AHHHHHHHHHHH I MISSED THIS.

Alrighty then, question?

Q. It's been a year since the pandemic already. What is one skill you discovered during all the lockdowns and stay at home stuff?

Okay, so the last chapter I had put out was an explanation. In there, I had mentioned a small paragraph saying thank you for 30k and had joked that 50k was 500 years away and had promised to do something. Now, while posting this chapter, we're at 50k. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. This is more than surreal. This is a dream. Thank you. I love you all SO SO SO MUCH.  So now, what do you want for 50k? Tell me!

Okay gonna go now. This is a very non edited raw kinda chapter but I kinda like it and I might come back and edit it in the future but I was just way too excited to post something lmao. I'll see you all next week! Ciao!

Love,

Anya <3