What is family?

Chapter 41

Arianna

"Who is he?", I asked and she stiffened.

She broke the hug gently and took deep breaths to control her emotions. She then wiped her face with her sleeves and blew her nose with tissues.

I waited for her to compose herself. She took a deep breath one last time and faced me.

"I'm sorry you had to see and hear all this, Anna. I really didn't mean to breakdown.", she said looking guilty.

"You don't have to say sorry for that. You were there when I broke down too.", I said shrugging my shoulders.

She nodded and turned straight and I turned too. We sat in silence for some time staring at the sky.

"Well, who is he?", I asked again and she stiffened again.

"Just forget I ever told you that, Anna.", she said.

I can understand. It's not very easy to share experiences like that. I myself won't share mine. So it's only fair to not probe further.

We again sat in silence after that.

"Angel", I called her after a while.

"Yes.", she replied, both of us still staring at the sky.

"Can I ask you something?", I asked.

"Sure. Go on.", she replied.

"Why don't you have friends? And why don't you want to make any new ones?", I asked.

She didn't say anything for a while.

"I don't trust strangers.", she replied after a pause.

"All friends are strangers at the beginning.", I said.

"Sometimes friends become strangers too.", she said seriously and I frowned.

What does that mean?

"What do you mean?", I asked.

She sighed.

"Sometimes, your closest friends can betray you. And that one situation may cost you something very valuable.", she said in a voice devoid of all emotions.

"Why would our friends do that? We should just choose our friends wisely.", I said softly.

"It's not about them not being loyal to us, Anna. Sometimes it is the situations that make them act in a certain way and that one time can render a damage that can't be fixed.", she said in the same emotionless voice and stoic face.

"If it is the situations, then anyone can make wrong decisions. Mistakes are made by everyone. It doesn't have to be friends. It can be siblings too.", I said.

"Critical situations may arise in any relations, but it is the priorities of the people that are put through the situations that matter. If it's our own family, they take decisions in the best of our interests. Even if the decision goes wrong, they will always have our back.", she said and looked at me.

"But if it is someone else, their first priority would be their family. They are not wrong though. If we prioritize our family, then it is only fair to expect them to prioritize theirs. It's just about trust.", she said and looked away.

"Then everyone will remain to be strangers. No one would befriend others.", I said with a frown.

"I know, Anna. It sounds very pessimistic and sometimes lame, but I have trust issues.", she said shaking her head.

"Do you trust me?", I asked hesitantly.

I don't know why I asked that question.

What's wrong with me?