OH, WOW, SHE THINKS QUITE DEEPLY ABOUT THINGS. I'm honestly surprised. "I wasn't totally alone, so you don't need to pity me, Marie-Estella. I always had my grandparents, although at the time I could only see them on holidays, since they always lived in Birmingham since I can remember."
"You didn't have your parents love and attention, Elizabeth-Freya. That's what made me feel terrible. I had an amazing life in school, besides your presence there, opposite to in my house. But you? Girl, you had a tough life in schools thanks to me and the others, and a horrible life at home. I felt guilty for hurting someone who seemed to be in problems similar to the ones I had. And as my parents bullied me, I know that the bully may forget what they did, but the victims never do. So, I'm sorry."
What? Is she for real? "I wasn't kind to you either. You don't have to say that, you know? I purposely got on your nerves because I hated you, so we both are guilty. Although I don't really feel like that. After all, my actions were a consequence of yours."
She let out a tired sigh, "That's precisely what I'm sorry for. And hm… there's something I always wanted to ask you." I know what she's going to say.
I'm surprised she hasn't brought that up yet, "Say it then."
"Back in school, I was head over heels for the most popular boy in school. Since I met him I felt like that. His name was Christopher De Villiers and you had math, chemistry and history with us. He was in the basketball team of the school and was one of the tallest boys in class, same age as me. Everyone knew I liked him, but then, there was a Halloween party on school and you kissed him. It was just touching lips, but you really kissed him. I saw you sitting of his lap while French kissing him."
I gasped, "Oh, yes. My first kiss was quite epic."
She glared at me. "I was in love with him. You knew that, didn't you? So, I always wanted to know if you kissed him because you were also in love with him, since he had made clear that you were the girl he wanted in school, or if you did that to hurt me."
"I never liked him. Never. I didn't even feel attracted to him, to be honest. I was in love with someone else, but the boy hated me, so there was no way of me taking him to the party. That day," sigh, "we had fought again and I was pissed at you. I had also had an argument with the boy I liked in one of our classes, and it wasn't a good one. And I also wanted to kiss someone, because you kept messing with me for never having kissed anyone. So, it all came together. When De Villiers asked to go with me to Halloween, I said yes, knowing what he wanted from me, since he had said it before. And then, I kissed him. He was an amazing kisser, so it wasn't bad. But no, I wasn't in love with him and I did it to piss you off!"
Her eyes widened, "That was a bitch move!"
"I know," I grinned. "And it was satisfying. But I really felt nothing for him, not even an urge to kiss him. I only did it to show you I could kiss someone and that someone would be the boy you wanted," I rolled my shoulders. "It was just a fling."
"Everybody saw it."
"So?" I chuckled. "It's not like we were the only couple kissing there. But it got annoying since later he thought we were dating because of that, and I had to cut him off. He stayed on my toes annoying me until I left to MIT. It was really infuriating, but getting you pissed off was worth the headache that came afterwards."
She seemed incredulous, "You really are something else. I would never have done that to you. Really. That was a bitch move for real."
"I was impulsive, but you made me angry first."
"I also thought you were together for a while, because he would always get in the middle of your discussions with the Korean exchange student, in math and chemistry classes. However you two would scream at him to back off, since he was only getting in the way of your smartasses. And he also used to say you were his girl."
I cringed, "That's disgusting. And no, hell no."
Her fingers caressed her own hair and she turned to me again, "Now I feel stupid. Who was the boy you liked then? I can't even tell. You seemed to hate everyone."
Gasping, I blushed again, "It doesn't matter anymore."
She arched her eyebrows, "You don't have any feelings for the boy, do you?" Kind of. "Have you really never actually dated anyone? Even in secret?"
"Nope. Never."
Smiling, she caressed her belly, "This was the first time we talked since we met each other all of those years ago. I'm sorry for misjudging you and treating you like crap. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I can we at least start again?"
I gave her a suspicious look, "Are you serious?"
A nod, "Oh, and I'm sorry for asking everyone to keep my pregnancy from you. Seeing how you bought so many presents for Cindy is making me feel even more terrible for that. I was just scared that would freak out or something. It seems like I misjudged you again."
Sigh, "That's alright. It kind of hurt, but it's okay. I'll still become the favorite aunt." I rolled my shoulders confidently, and offered her my hand, "I won't promise to be kind to you, because I'll probably keep messing around, but I'll avoid being mean to you purposely. And I'm sorry if you had a terrible relationship with your parents too, no kid deserve that."
When she squeezed my hand, her eyes became teary, "I can't believe you are accepting this." Is it the pregnancy making her this emotional? "I promise to be a good sister-in-law to you. Do you want to be Cindy's godmother?"
I gasped, "Godmother? Are you serious?"
She nodded excitedly, "Yes. Yes, I am. Dean will be overjoyed. He wanted you to be the twins godmother, but we didn't have the guts to ask you to it, since we weren't in good waters. But now that we finally sat down and talked our problems through, it's different."
Blinking, I stared at her, "Are you for real?"
Giggling, she nodded and took my hand and put it on her pregnant belly, "Cindy will be honored to have you as her Godmother. I'm sure she will. And well, it'll be good."
I pressed my lips together, trying to hold the silly smile on my face, "Then I'll love that. To think that I'm gonna be Cinderella's godmother. How amazing is that?" She blushed hard when I said that.
"She's my favorite Princess, okay?"
"Alright," I chuckled.
"Do you still ice-skate?" What?
Tilting my head to the side, I arched my eyebrows, "I do. But not in competitions or with a pair anymore. Just for myself, because I love doing it," and because I can't do it with anyone else since it's something I did with Rhys, it's a frozen memory I want to keep forever.
"You were amazing at it. I was never talented in it, because I'm clumsy on ice. But you looked like a fairy doing it. Despite my envy for you back then I went to all of your performances in London, and I watched your trainings too," she played with her hands. "And it seems like only you are talented for that in your family. So, hm, after I have Cindy, could you teach me? I want to try it out, and I think you can help me out. Oh, and I would love if you could teach my boys and Cindy too, when they grow older."
Wow, she really is different than what I expected. I guess Kate was right. I'll have to apologize with her. "I'm not a patient person, so I might curse at you while teaching you, but I can do it. And don't worry, I was already intending on teaching all the kids how to ice-skate like me. It's not like any of you can teach them after all."
She chuckled, "That's true. Then, hm, when you go ice-skating here, call me. I'll love watching you do it. That's why you insisted in staying in the lake house now in the winter, right? Because of the frozen lake in front which is perfect for you."