Valetta visited again the last day. I
had suspected she might and was glad she hadn’t disappointed.
“How goes the solitude?” she
questioned, sitting at the foot of my bed.
I sat up, legs crossed Indian style,
resting the book I had been reading in my lap. “It’s not long enough,” I
replied, wishing she could just tell me the right answer.
“You know Drei is concerned about
you.”
“I’m aware of that; received a whole
night of arguing about it, actually,” I said, sounding a touch more exasperated
than I had meant.
“He is worried your mentality and
emotionality are too fragile to make proper decisions concerning yourself or
others. His heart is in the right place, even if his mind is slightly outdated,”
she conceded gently.
“I know, Valetta,” I insisted,
sighing and running a hand through my hair. “I’m not trying to hurt him, but I
need someone who isn’t just going to lecture me.”
“And Nick’s heart is in the right
place, as well,” she continued, ignoring my outcry. “He wants to support you,
not just be around you. Very noble of him.”
“Valetta, stop!” I threw my hands
down on either side of me. “It’s not helping. I don’t want to hurt Nick either,
but I don’t know what to do. Tell me,” I pleaded. “Tell me what I’m supposed to
do.”
“You already know what to do, Abriel.
The air element is known for finding the best route to peace.”
“But I don’t even know how to figure
that out; it’s not like there’s someone to tell me.”
“I have told you; you already know
the answer,” she persisted, folding her hands in her lap. “Sometimes the best
route is not the easiest or most convenient…and someone still ends up hurt.”
“That’s not helping,” I said softly, feeling
more confused than ever. While she might have thought it was useful, it didn’t
simplify the problem any and I was nearly out of time. I needed a solution, not
a riddle.
Valetta sighed, shaking her head. “Stop
thinking about Drei and how he might react, or Nick and how he might feel afterwards.
Drei has always been a bit of a bully when it comes to his opinions, but he has
a good heart. He will still respect you if you believe in your decision. As for
Nick, he will care for you no matter the outcome. All that matters is what you
think needs to happen for your sake.”
Suddenly, it was as though someone
had removed a blindfold. Juggling the emotions of three people was impossible. Now
I knew what I needed to do. It was simpler than I’d made it out to be—even if
it did take her forever to just say it.
I wrapped my arms around her
shoulders, a bittersweet happiness filling me. Someone was going to be hurt,
but there was no way to avoid some pain. All I could hope to do was minimize
it. (And maybe feel rather dumb for taking a week to accept that had been the
answer all along.)
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