"He is not bad guys, he is just hurting. He keeps acting this way towards Kind because he wants to be punished by you, Kind. It's very clear what he is trying to do." Swalha stated as a matter of factly. Kind had called her earlier to check on Cherry but thought it wise to invite him over claiming he had something to discuss with him.
Both Cherry and Kind could not comprehend what Swalha was talking about, especially Cherry. "What do you mean he is hurting, I'm the one with a sprained nose! I do not care if he did it in the heat of the moment. You should have been there Swalha, he was a beast...it's like I didn't know who he was." Swalha shook as she spoke. It was clear she was traumatized by Wale's actions that day. "I was dumbfounded, I still am, that's why I want to keep my distance from him for a while and reconsider our relationship, "Cherry completed her last statement looking at Kind vindictively to which he turned to Swalha and asked, "What did I do?"
"Cherry, it is not his fault so stop the glaring." Turning to Kind, Swalha added, "She thinks Wale is in love with you." Kind immediately denied, "What? What led her to think that?"
Cherry was looking at them closely. Kind looked guilty as if he was hiding something judging from his immediate responce. Swalha on the other hand was too calm talking about Wale than her usual self. She may be a licensed psychologist but she had never spoke of Wale so calmly before...she practically hated him. "You two are hiding things from me," she concluded.
"Cherry I've told you for years that your fiancé is mentally unstable and you have refused, the same goes to you too Kind. I only know a little of Wale's childhood but I'm afraid he still carries his trauma along with him. I'd never make an excuse for his actions but I believe to clear misunderstandings because that's clearly where we are headed, we need to address the root of the matter. Wale needs help, especially yours Kind."
The three friends sat for hours arguing but Swalha finally got them to listen to her. "Wale's actions follow a pattern when it comes to you Kind. You are his key...I'd have used oxygen figuratively but I can't deal with a jealous Cherry at the moment." Seeing no violent reactions from Cherry, Swalha continued. "Every time he senses your absence, it shakes him a bit since he trusts you the most. To you he may be just a friend but to him, you are his life, his only connection to reason or sanity and from my knowledge of his past, he had been betrayed by those closest to him which made him loose hope in anyone, including himself until you came along." Swalha's words got them more and more confused. She was trying to explain Wale's mental state the simplest way possible but her friends looked at her as if she was talking gibberish. "Any questions far?"
"I have one. Are you trying to say I've been with a psychopath all these years? Where does all these you've said put me as his fiancé?" Cherry asked unmoved by Swalha's speech.
"Wale's condition is not far from redemption. He just needs to talk to a professional and open up, a professional who is not me but knowing Wale, he won't agree to it. I noticed this glitch in his personality long ago then suggested this multiple times but he refused. We may have spoken of things in confidence however, I do not excuse his obnoxious actions at all." Directing her statement to Kind she added, " I hate to say this but you may be his only redemption. You're the first person he spoke to after his parents passing, have you ever asked him what happened?"
Kind fell silent for a few seconds. He had asked him a lot when they were kids but Wale's response was always the same, that he'd tell him if he allowed Wale to call him bunny. Kind never did and as they grew up and he discovered his feelings for Wale, things got complicated, even worse when his relationship with Cherry begun as soon as they got to collage. "I fear I might be partly responsible for his trauma, if whatever you are saying is true. There are a lot of things I'm unable to speak of since Wale told me in confidence at his most vulnerable moments." Turning to Cherry. "I sincerely believe you're mistaken about Wale's feelings though. I found him asleep on the couch today morning with a photo album of the pictures you've both taken over the years. He must have been truly depressed since he hates sleeping on the couch and alone."
"I came yesterday at around midnight to get the rest of my things but you were still asleep in your former room. I did find him sitting in the living room looking spaced out." Cherry stated, she felt her resolve crumbling after what Kind had said and this brought tears to her eyes. "Swalha, if what you are saying is true then he needs to get help, however, I'm still convinced about his feelings towards you Kind. I took you two for brothers...maybe I still do, but anyone in my shoes would be stupid to deny he cares for you more than anyone else in this world."
The room went silent for a few minutes, each of them gathering their thoughts. Swalha concluded it was better to lay everything on the table if they were going to get anywhere with this uncomfortable subject. "You all know my feelings towards Wale, I've always been clear on that matter and Wale and I have an understanding to not cross some lines so I'm going to ask each one of you, if you're willing to help pull back Wale from his darkness he seems unaware of, we will need to say some things each of us might not want to hear. Do you agree?" Swalha's question was followed by a loud silence. She knew each of them were hiding something that would hurt the other but she decided it was best they both expose their vulnerability by themselves.
Kind understood where Swalha was going with her question. He could refuse and utter no word then he'd be out of this place off to see Todo, or he could tell Cherry the truth and have her hate him for the rest of her life. He'd run away, but then, he was tired of running. If he planned to have a future with Todo, he had to come clean, he needed to show courage, the kind he'd often admired from Todo. Looking at Cherry, he apologized and finally admitted out loud, "I've been in love with Wale since I was sixteen."
Swalha almost smiled at Kind's sudden courage, though she had hoped her friend would gradually break down the news to Cherry, but then, she understood Kind's burden of caring many secrets and gracefully bringing together the person he cared for to someone else. He had lived a decade of internal conflict. He had told her before that Cherry discovered one of his major secrets and couldn't face her after that, so he left with Todo, needing space and time from everything. He was suffocating and had reached his limit. He had promised that when he got back, he would come clean and end it all but Wale had to butt in. Her thoughts were interrupted by Cherry's sudden remark, "I knew I had reason to hate you. I've never liked you from the day I saw you."
"Cherry calm down, this is a safe place please pay attention to what's important!" Swalha pleaded. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut using a knife. "You owe Kinda a secret of yours too."
"Swalha don't you dare say a word or we are done indefinitely." Cherry said giving her friend a look that could kill thousands. Kind looked at the two curious to find out what could be worse than his secret but didn't want to ask. Cherry continued, "You always take his side even when you're aware how much it hurts me Swalha."
Standing up, Swalha walked to Cherry's side offering her an embrace to which she accepted. "Kind, you don't mind giving her sometime before she can open up to you, do you?" Kind nodded in agreement. He completely understood the burden of caring a secret big enough to push everyone away, the fear of being hated and judged constantly lurking around, watching your back as if someone was waiting to push you to a steep fall into darkness... "I should get going then," he said as he stood up. It was better to leave these two alone.
"Kind wait. I'm done. Enough is enough." Pulling away from Swalha, she admitted, "I've been approached by Wale's family members multiple times I've lost count...to...betray Wale and multiple times have I given away information to them." She looked at Kind. "When Wale discovered a mole around him, I convinced him it was you."
Kind flinched at the revelation and so did Swalha, "I never knew that last part. Since when?" She asked.
Ignoring Swalha's question, she continued to Kind, "The reason why I'm insisting Wale is in love with you is because despite the discovery of you being a suspected fiend, he still chases after you. I admit I've acted out of jealousy on multiple occasions and made unreasonable demands but you always treated me like an elder sister you cared deeply for, putting up with my tantrums but this only made me hate you more." Cherry stood up. "I can't win Wale's affections, the kind he gives you so I settled for second best. I was willing to love him more for both of us."
Cherry reached for Kind's neck and brushed her hand on the scar she'd earlier seen behind his neck. She knew Wale's doing so well. He'd often bite her in places only other's could see whenever he'd get jealous. He was trying to warn someone and Cherry knew who it was, but she wanted Kind to suffer just as much as she was. "Are you seeing your boyfriend after this?"
Her question sent Swalha and Kind look at each other in confusion. They were still digesting her revelation. "Ah...yes." Kind answered, unsure why she kept on rubbing the back of his neck. It felt ticklish, he dare show any sight to the person who had just a few minutes ago, declared to have always hated him.
Putting a smile on, Cherry added, "Well then, I guess you should be on your way then."