Twilight Rays

27. The princess is back in town

It took 2 months for her to come back.

She knocked on our door on a rainy April day. On April's fool.
"You've got to be kidding me." was Mo's reluctant reaction. I was in my room listening to some music when I heard that. Intrigued, I got up and walked to the front door, although I was supposed to rest. I froze halfway.

She was there. She was back.

Her hair had grown a little, so she had a fringe covering her forehead. She had let her hair loose on her shoulders. Mo still seemed shocked because he hadn't let her in yet. She hadn't seen me because of him.
"Is Raja here?"
I rolled my eyes, shouting:
"Yeah, what do you need, princess?"
Mo finally came back to his senses and let her in.
"I see you look in better shape now." akwardly noticed Twilla.
"Got a lot of time to rest. My ankle's still problematic though, but it's not like you care."
"I do care. I came to apologize."
"About what?"
She sat next to me on the couch while Mo left us alone, probably trying to leave before the storm hit.
"I'm sorry about not trusting you. I'm sorry I let fear take over, because it destroyed a wonderful friendship and I feel so bad for it."
"Wow, so cute, anything left on your paper draft?"
I don't know if you can tell, but I was pissed off.
"What?"
I got up.
"I already forgive you, but I don't buy those excuses. You wanna know why you backed me off? Cuz you were scared it would be just like Calvin, that I'd leave without an explanation. But guess what? That's what you just did!

"You got so scared to get hurt, you only turned out to hurt others yourself! That's not the girl I first befriended. I'll be waiting for her right here."

I turned around and opened the fridge, looking for something to cook, or eat, I wasn't sure yet. When I finally made up my mind to finish Mo's birthday cake, Twilla spoke up.
"Ray..."
I ignored her, looking for a fork in the dishwasher. She grabbed my hand.
"Wait!"
I stared back at her.
"What now?"
Her eyes widened, like the words were trapped in her gaze.
"I'm sorry I made you think you were the one I thought wasn't enough for me. Actually, it was me. I felt like I was a ruin. I was a huge mess. And when you kissed me... [We both heard Mo's gasp at that one] Yeah, I won't try to deny it, it's like you sucked the very life out of me. It was amazing. And it freaked me out. Why would he like me? My life was falling apart right in front of us, there was nothing I could do about it but to cry and to pray. And you were there the whole time. I wasn't alone. You didn't run away. I did. I wanted to help you. To get rid of me if you didn't have the guts to do so. But I get it now. You're not going anywhere. And even if you do, I can't beat myself up for that..."
"Shut up..." I whispered.
"You're not God, but God's the one who got you in my life, cuz if it was for me, we would've never talked. I don't know what you had in mind when you first poked me-"
"Shut up..." I said once again.
And I leaned over to kiss her. She almost fell on the floor if it wasn't for me holding her waist. She first tried to push me, but gave up quickly and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer. We finally broke off, out of breath.
"That was a nice way to make me shut up", she whispered, her hands still knotted behind my head.
"I would've done that a long time ago if you had stayed just a little longer."
"I'm so sorry..."
"Shush... You're here now." I whispered, brushing her lips with my thumb.
And we kissed once more.

"Tweetie?"
"Huh?"
We were laying on the couch of the living room, and we could hear Mo calling all our friends to tell them we were together. Smooth, bro, smooth.
"Where have you been?"
She sighed, probably expecting the question.
"Montreal." She paused to reposition herself to be facing me. "I had to help Clara moving in."
"Did Jo knew about it?"
"I'll let you guess that one."
"So you basically risked your life for her?"
"It didn't feel that way. I was being selfish about this to be honest. I just wanted to act like nothing had happened. I knew I had no business there but..."
"Too busy running away from me."
She shoved me with her shoulders.
"I can still go back, you know that?"
"Don't you dare." I threatened her, squeezing her against my torso.
She giggled a little then we were silent again. It didn't grow akward, maybe because we were both enjoying each other's presence. I was observing her while she had her eyelids shut.
"Stop staring at me." she mumbled, her eyes still shut.
"Just admiring God's masterpiece."
"Shut up." Twilla said, but she were grinning like a little girl. "Tell me about those ribs instead."
"Still not allowed to workout because of those. But I should be fine pretty soon."
"Glad to hear that, she said, hesitating a little bit. Do you think Jo did that to you?"
"I couldn't tell, I didn't see their faces. And they all were taller than me, so that doesn't help much."
"Clara herself doesn't know either."
"Oh well, Lord knows."
She stared at me.
"I mean it, Ray, what if it's something I have done?"
"You've done nothing to get me in trouble, I worked it out by myself back in high school. And it more looks like an unplanned action, even you didn't recognize me from afar."
"Maybe you're right."
"You know I am, let's move forward."
"Okay. Go to bed now, I'm sleeping at your place tonight."
"You'll sleep in my bed!" Mo yelled from his room.
"No, I can sleep on the couch."
Mo appeared behind the couch, bending over us.
"No, Ray needs his bed for his healing and you are my guest, so end of discussion."
"Thanks Mo."
"You'll thank me on your wedding day for still being a virgin."
"Mo!"
But she still got up and gave him a hug.

I got up too, stretching my back.
"So I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked shyly, right behind Twilla.
"Sure. Good night sunshine."
She kissed me on the cheek and walked out of the room, her face blooming with joy.