Seb was walking through the corridors, with the flow not knowing where she's going.
There was no way out, she followed only one way. Her eyes fixed down. Her mind blank. No one else in sight. And she had nothing to think about.
What was that? What was that a while ago? what just really happen? Did they fight? Did Iven and she really say those words to each other?
Did he,....ask her to break up with him?
But why?
Why all of a sudden?
He's been so supportive and understanding this all time no matter what Seb did!
.....no matter what she did.....he always gave in.....always.....
Is that why he got tired of her?
Her throwing tantrums at everything he did?
No matter how reliable he's been, did she ever take his side or made him feel needed?
....did she even, once, understand him?
but always expected him to understand her point?
....always making him portray as the perpetrator...when all he did was be by her side?
.....Is it really her fault?
It's really my fault....
I let him go...I don't even deserve him....
Seb mumbled the only conclusion in her mind.
This ultimate argument made her realize what she never did and should have a long time back.
She lacked whatever they needed to hold them together, not Iven!
And now, she's the once who ended it.
Not him....Iven....
Seb firmly held herself back from turning behind and return to Iven once again, making everything alright.
She wanted to correct her mistake this time properly and ask for the forgiveness.
But invisible shackled bound her back.
Her courage was drained, she couldn't face Iven anymore now.
Her steps slowed down.
Two drops of tear fell on the ground, when she realized unknowingly that she's been crying the whole way.
Balancing herself on the wall, she breathed heavily. She didn't sob or sniff.
She's one of those whose heartbeat gets high and breathes rough when trying to hold back crying. She hasn't been in any situation for crying for years now. She waited to get hold of her
breath and wiped off her eyes.
But how can she wipe off her mistakes...and the past moments?
She always thought that Iven was unreasonable, but she was the only one who never made sense!!!
What even lead them to this rueful end?
Her...Iven....Erica?
All Iven did was reveal the truth which was indeed suppose to be exposed a long time back....it was again yet Seb's fault.
She lead all of this to happen.
Even Erica...the poor girl's kind intentions were just cruelly stamped upon!!!
Erica.....?
Oh.....Erica...?
Where was she?
A flick in her mind brought her to her priority at that time.
How foolish, Seb shook head roughly, I almost forgot about her!!! I even left her when she required me the most!
Her injured steps quickened in search of her.
I destroyed everything!!!
I couldn't be anyone important to Iven! I left him!
I couldn't be either the best and only friend Eric needed....
I even destroyed myself.....
I've so selfish...so self centered this whole time.....the people around me...I can never hold them back along with me....Eric....
Seb picked pace!
Please Eric, be there!!! Please...., Seb prayed!
She took a swift turn turn at the corridor, and she was there!!!
Erica was still there...
She's always been there....
Always...before too, now too!
Only Seb had to see!
It crushed her heart to find her back.
She was sitting leaning at the wall, her face stoned.
It was unexpected for a sensitive soul like Erica. It must have been a huge blow from Iven to take, explained by that expression Seb has never witnessed before.
That's why instead of escaping it, she waited.
She awaited to grasp it....or for someone to explain it to her.
Her face was pale from the shock....
Seb had no idea how to approach her.
She did this to her.
She never trusted her or told her anything, but that wasn't her intention to bring things how they are now!
Only if....she knew....
This time, Erica might not even forgive her. She indeed had it enough with Seb.
This also might, end their friendship!
Seb hesitated taking steps at Erica.
Erica sensed her, and turned her head at her.
Seb paused on spot, her head hung low.
"You can really do better than that", suddenly Erica spoke with an unusual normal voice.
Seb stood without any words.
She looked up at her.
Her face lost.
"You don't need guts to face at least me, come", Erica said earnestly.
Seb walked up to her with shaky legs.
She knelt infront of Erica, still searching for words.
"Erica...I...", she started to speak but was interrupted.
"Since when you call me that?", Erica blasted,"And whats with that tone?".
Seb sighed.
She really was lost for expressions.
She only wanted to know if Erica was still willing to believe in her.
"Eric...", she started this time with much thought put into it,"Do you still trust me, after all happened?".
Erica kept staring at her. Seb didn't know that look.
Slowly, Erica approached Seb with both her arms wide open.
She gently wrapped them around Seb's shoulders and held it with warmth. The answer was clearer than ice.
"Of all people...", Erica spoke,"...even if the world is against you, I'll always trust you. Let alone a guy for two days. He's no right to interpret between us, right?"
Seb sighed amused.
Her fingers clasped Erica's waist as she fell on her limbs.
Her emotions got the better of her.
She wasn't able to hold it in anymore
"Don't sit here, you're injured. Doesn't it hurt?", Erica tapped her back.
But Seb wasn't listening.
She was already shaking, crying quietly hiding her face resting on Erica's shoulder.
Her heartbeat was faster and Erica felt it beat against her chest.
She sighed like a mother would sigh when her child would realize their mistake.
She must have felt very so guilty of herself for what happened.
So even if Erica wasn't angry, the forgiveness really shook Seb to the core.
All she held it in, was revealing out through tears.
"You've suffered enough Seb, now there...", Erica held her closer,"...I'll be always here because I know you're not wrong".
That's right.
She'll always be here, she's always been there.
At least, she's one whom Seb really needed. She could make her stay.
If Erica would have left, she would have nothing to rely on anymore.
She's proved it totally.
She's been wronged.
But not anymore...
Never again....
"Seb...", Erica whispered,"....let's drink, no metaphor", she suggested shyly.
Seb's sob started to fade away slowly. A sad smile was took over the corner of her lips
"You, as well as I need to vent out something, right?", she continued.
Seb just nodded once over her shoulder.
.................................
Somehow Seb's instincts of 6th sense was telling her Erica would be a terrible drinker.
And she was correct to the center.
Talking about her alcohol tolerance, it was starting and ending at zero.
The were regulars at a local pub, but they never drank alcohol there.
Only stuck at juice or Parfait.
The Bartender was quite surprised at first, but judging by their faces, he obliged.
Erica first had only 2 shots.
Then she was unstoppable at peak. totally uncontrollable, she went on gulping shots after shot without any interval.
Her drunk state was so awful that Seb didn't even bother talking sense in to her.
Seb however, didn't let herself get carried away.
Though she was confident that her alcohol tolerance level was high, she stopped after a maximum of 3 to 4 shots.
To keep her mouth busy and to accompany Erica, she only took another huge glass of lime water while Erica was keeping herself busy with the irresistible liquid she tasted for the first time.
Seb detested the taste at first sip, but still had continued for Erica's sake.
After Erica completely out of her mind and started getting tremendous hiccups, Seb forcefully stepped in and pushed aside all the bottles, instructing the Bartender not to serve more.
"Don't you think you've had enough? Give it a rest already!", Seb said.
The situation was totally different from regular times.
Usually Seb is the naive one, and Erica is the matured person.
But this time quite the opposite was happening. Seb had to keep Erica in control.
Circumstances had them changed in to their deepest forms.
Seb had to put her all to keep Erica from drinking and she was being the brat in turn!
"Suck to this lime, your mum will make a corpse out of me", saying Seb passed a lime,"It stinks bad!".
"Wha'...", Erica's words were half understood and broken,"Why do ya' care? giv'em...more".
"NO!!", Seb denied firmly.
She was keeping her in check.
She must have truly heartbroken from before. Else this side of hers is new to her.
She was drinking all her frustration.
Exactly how much she is burdening herself with?
Seb was taking a lot of weight herself.
But it wasn't the time to prioritise her mind.
After she was little tipsy due to the alcohol's effect, she had felt like crying hard.
But restrained herself.
Images of Iven kept evading her mind constantly when he spoke those last words to her.
She's been such a brat!
She's never learned to put others before her, not even Iven!
And now, when he's left her, she realized it!
She realized how much she misses him for the time.
She longed for him to come back.....
That's why she stopped drinking more, else her sorrows would get hold the good of hers.
Just then, the worst part of drinking started to make it's way.
All truth, which Erica had confined in herself started to come out.
That's when Seb part come, to notify of them and take care of them for Erica later.
"Such a waste!", said Erica twirling an empty glass.
-What?
-Not good enou'h...
-Now what?
-Her!!!
-Who?
-Elly Ha'per...
-Elly Harper??? College chairman's daughter?
-Is it so fair....that she gets special treatment? Ev'n thou'h I work harder???
-No, it's a complete crime!
Seb agreed to ease her.
So these are her mental worries she suffers from, trapped within herself.
She has never said Seb about this before.
She denied to share such trivial mental troubles??? Yet never denies to help Seb whenever asked?
Erica was stammering with her words to catch hold of proper conversation.
"Ya' know...", she said,"Seb, her!!!", she became little more excited suddenly," She's a faker, not good as seen. She....she even bullied me of'en"
-Who?
-Her!!! her.....she hates ya', coz' she's not as popular as you! She always picks on'me
-Who exactly? Tell me!
-Grover?....No no....Michelle M'Grover....
Though Erica's mind was as clouded as her words, seb understood her well and quick.
Michelle McGrover!
College cheerleader head.
Seb knew that she had some conflict with her, but never paid attention to any small fries. There were many.
But she must take note of what Erica just said. It was new to her.
She didn't know what Erica was being through when she's not around, she has never told her this. She went through it all be herself!
So Michelle McGrover, has been bullying her anger out on Erica because of jealousy towards Seb.
This time, she'll thrash her hard and end it all for good!
-Sorry Eric. I promise I'll give you more time from now on so that you won't be alone anymore.
-It's fine, I can take them alone.
Erica waved her hand and smiled droopy.
And she really does, suffers both their troubles by herself.
And Seb, always keeps herself busy with her own tasks. Also burdening Erica with her college assignments.
This time, she will mend everything!!!
After many secrets were revealed by Erica, finally she dropped down to Iven.
It all started with shower of curses and swears.
She didn't mention anymore, with the person only in her mind.
Seb waited for her to calm down and tell it by herself.
'Wretched creature!!!", she said a unique curse.
-Who this time?
Seb had a hopeless laugh out.
-Iven of course!....'dare he!!!
The smile washed off Seb's face.
She took another drink and turned away her face.
She was trying hard not to bring him up in her mind, but Erica didn't know that.
Her mood dampened immediately.
-'dare he touch ya' again, I'll skin him off!!! He said he's 26, how can that be? Does he look so? Seb, Seb!! Say no, just say no....!
-No...he doesn't.
-He was rude, so rude....it's pitiful...really pitiful....
Saying she started sobbing finally.
So it was basically the last stage of being drunk.
When you let it all out by crying.
After all, this was the main reason she wanted to vent it all out.
Let it just end with it.
Else the whole drinking session will be in vain!
Seb just let her cry her heart out, only by putting her hand over shoulders and tapping as a console.
-Ugly.....that ugly smug...!!!
She came down to swear at his physical appearance when she couldn't find any other flaw.
And then as a total ending to their whole session, she began to choke on her words.
Seb's attention was dragged at her.
Erica covered her mouth and sprang out of the Pub at a tremendous speed.
Seb followed keeping her in case she tripped, only to witness a pool of vomit shooting out from Erica's throat immensely.
Seb decided to keep only her distance, because she'll always away from gross stuffs.
Just to be kind, she held tissues for Erica after she was done.
But she won't stop puking, making all sorts of strange noises.
It felt as if she's gonna puke her organs out along with the white dull gooey stuff which stank like shit!
She coughed and spat out every inch of alcohol consumed till then.
After all done, her state was really pitiful.
She started trudging and getting dizzy, unable to get hold to her surroundings.
A strong hand held her arm and she heard a voice,"Don't collapse here Eric, I'll take you home and you can drop dead on your bed!", Seb was being enough sarcastic.
Erica groaned.
'Never again....", she huffed,"...not even metaphors", saying Erica rolled her eyes.