Even though Xiu didn't have much of an experience with friends in her previous life, she did yearn for it wholeheartedly. Now that she had Nora in her life, she truly learned what friendship was all about.
The argument in the morning had left Xiu in a very bad mood. After spending the whole day like a jitterbug, she finally heaved a sigh of relief as she left the company. Without wasting her time on subway or buses, she directly hailed a cab and made her way to the hotel where Nora worked. When Nora didn't even give her a call the whole day that's when Xiu really became restless.
In the past years, it had never happened before. Nora would always call Xiu once in a day no matter how busy she was. Now that she didn't do so, Xiu felt hurt. But since it was her own fault, she couldn't be angry with Nora at all.
Entering through the grand lobby of the hotel, Xiu came to the reception and inquired, "I'm looking for Nora Cartwright. Your general manager."
The receptionist smiled at Xiu politely and professionally as she answered, "Ms. Cartwright is at the poolside."
"Thanks." Xiu said before turning to leave while the receptionist replied with a humble, 'You're most welcome.'
Using her long legs to her advantage, Xiu briskly made her way towards the poolside. Her hands felt clammy with anxiety. Why was she nervous? She just had to apologize to her best friend. That's all! But Nora wasn't an easy person though she gave the wrong impressions. No one could be more familiar with Nora's temper than Xiu.
While her thoughts were running amok, she finally reached the poolside and what she saw made her frown in displeasure.
A boy was holding Nora's hand as he begged, "Nora, listen to me. Come on, we're just casually dating. And I wasn't the one flirting. She came on to me."
Nora tried to shake his hand off as she sternly replied, "Look, mister, I already said it to you last week. We are over! Don't you get it? Should I spell it out for you? O-V-E-R! Over!"
"This is not fair. You're not even giving me a chance." The boy retorted rather moodily.
"You estúpido[1]! Nora Cartwright doesn't do second chances. Even if that girl came all over you, it's a fact that you didn't push her away." Nora pointed out as she finally shook his hand away.
"And whose fault is that?" The boy sneered. "We dated for two weeks and you didn't even let me kiss you. I am a man. I have some needs."
"You little sissy! That's the bullshit excuse you got there. You just couldn't fucking keep that thing between your legs to stay in the pants. You needed a hole to fill which that whore offered to you and I'm glad it wasn't mine!" Nora's explicit words made Xiu's ears to turn red. Seriously, this girl had no filter!
"Bitch! You're no better. Don't think yourself to be so high and mighty. You're nothing but a slu-" his words were cut off when a punch landed straight at his nose with shocking force. The boy lost his balance and fell back in the pool with a loud 'splash'.
"Oi! How dare you talk like that to my best friend? First, you broke her trust and now, you dare to call her names?" Xiu was raging in anger. She often didn't interrupt Nora's fights like these since Nora could handle these pieces of shit very well on her own. But when he called her a bitch, Xiu lost her temper. "Say that again and I'll break your face."
The boy was coughing out the water as he stared at Xiu's red face. She looked livid and dangerous.
"What are you glaring at? You retarded piece of shithead! Who gave you the right to call my best friend a bitch? But then again I shouldn't expect much from a bastard bum like you." Nora was staring at Xiu's back as she was cursing right and left at that boy. She couldn't believe it.
The boy got out of the pool and still wanted to say something when Xiu pounced at him and kicked him where the sun doesn't shine. With a wail, he hunched over trying to keep his hands over his treasured jewels. Xiu wasn't done yet and she tried to move again but Nora held her back.
The boy started limping his way away from the madwoman as he addressed Xiu before leaving.
"You bastard jackass! Don't ever let me see you again. Otherwise, I, Bai Xiu, solemnly swear I'd make your death look like an accident." Xiu yelled back at him. There weren't many people at the poolside in the evening but she had still managed to catch a lot of unnecessary attention. But Xiu wasn't bothered at all.
Nora was pursing her lips as she tried to hold back her laugh. Her Baby Xiu'er was really so cool just now! She was so proud of Xiu like a mama bear.
But when Xiu turned to her, Nora coughed and looked away. She wasn't going to forget the argument that easily.
Xiu brushed back her hair which was sticking out from various places because of her outburst earlier. She wrapped her arms around Nora's waist from behind giving her a back hug. "I'm sorry for what I said in the morning." Resting her head on Nora's back, Xiu felt at ease as she poured her heart out, "It's not that I don't consider you as family or I don't consider your family as my own. But Nora darling, try to understand. I'm comfortable with everything that you and your family have to offer except for the unconditional love."
Nora turned around and gave Xiu a quizzical look. "I'm scared of that love. I'm scared of what I'd do if one day I lost all that? I'll be too broken to move. And the thought is really scary."
Nora stroked Xiu's head as she said, "Silly, do you think we'd leave you like your mother did? Please, you're stuck with me for the rest of your life. So, don't get ideas that don't fit in our friendship."
Xiu stayed silent for a moment. As she was talking about how everyone abandoned her in her previous life, she couldn't tell that to Nora. So, when Nora mentioned about Bai Xiu's mother, she decided to go along with that excuse. In any case, she also left her daughter alone in this world.
They both hugged each other as Xiu mumbled, "You're not mad at me anymore?"
"Nah! I can't do that for long. Also, you are more important than any argument." Nora replied heartily.
Xiu grinned at her reply as she said, "I agree."
"See as best friends, we had to go through these arguments, dramas, stupidity, tantrums, fights, jealousy, tears, laughter and much more. Otherwise what stories would we tell our grandchildren to embarrass each other?" Both of them laughed at that. "By the way, you were so savage earlier." Nora complimented with a full-blown grin at the reminder of Xiu's outburst.
"He deserved it," Xiu replied matter-of-factly.
"He so did," Nora agreed.
[1] "estúpido": Douchebag in Spanish