Chereads / The secret tunnel / Chapter 14 - 12 Her return

Chapter 14 - 12 Her return

Monica sat miserably at the edge of the water, Miles doing his possible best to comfort her.

"Monica, don't do this to yourself please. For my sake please" Miles consoled her as much as he consoled himself. Avril was so dear to him, to the both of them. They had lost their best friend. How would they live?

"I would do more if only she'd come back. I can't accept it. She's gone, it's too much to bear," Monica choked in between her words. Evident grief was quite visible on her face.

"And so would I Nik but…" Miles left his sentence half finished while a hot tear streamed down his cheek.

Alex could only watch as the atmosphere was quite tense and everyone looked rather despaired. He too felt sad; he hadn't hoped for death or any ill will. He may not have been close to Avril but seeing this scenery before him, he was moved.

Kyle, on the other hand, was not a pretty sight to see. His beautiful face had been struck with grief and gloom walked all over his expression. His jasmine eyes now red had complicated feelings buried in them; sorrow, regret and vengeance.

Olivia too wasn't left out of the equation. Guilt gripped her, engulfed her and her conscience made sure to give her a whopping of a lifetime. She had done something unforgivable. It could be considered as murder. She prayed earnestly in her heart that Avril would come back; not a typical Olivia behavior but hey! She did something wrong, didn't she?

"It's selfish but please bring her back," Olivia whispered in her heart.

Monica's broken voice could still be heard at the edge of the water, Miles arms seeming to be her only place of comfort.

"How am I going to live? I-I refuse to accept that she's gone. I refuse to, she can't be gone, she just can't." One would really pity Monica seeing her in this condition.

Miles also didn't want to believe, he didn't want to accept the fact that Avril was gone. Hope remained afloat in his so that she'd come back; he just hoped so.

"She'll come back to us, hopefully." Miles said trying not to doubt it himself. "In the meantime, let's move away from here, she wouldn't want to see you like this."

With great effort, Monica was pulled up, Miles hands supporting her lest she fall. Their backs turned, they slowly took heavy steps towards the rest. They had barely moved a metre when…

Avril's pov

'Life in water is quite magical,' was the thought that sparked in my head as I swam to the shore. The colourful fishes and sea creatures made the water look so…radiant and exquisite.

Above the water I could see Miles and Monica's retreating figures. With full force and mixed feelings, I swam up faster. Closer and closer till my head went out of the water.

I gasped loudly and the once retreating figures turned back in surprise and on seeing me, their eyes glittered with joy and excitement. Eager to see them, I swam to the land and they in turn helped me out of the water.

Not letting me breath for a second,Monica pulled me into a warm embrace and sobbed uncontrollably in my arms.

"I thought I'd never see you again" Monica wailed, fresh tears pouring down her face.

"Awwn Nika, we'll be together till death do is part. I haven't troubled you enough yet." I teased her.

"Yeah I guess so," Monica said her tears subsiding.

A heartwarming reunion filled the atmosphere. Kyle suddenly changed from the gloomy, hungry lion that he was once to a poor little baby who'd just been wrong. He sure was happy with her come back.

And sure enough there was one person who had mixed feelings about her return, oh you know her!

"Olivia," Avril called and slowly walked up to her.

Olivia scared, fully convinced that death was to befall her, backed away slowly.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," Avril said and Olivia halted right in her steps.

"You're not?" Olivia asked timidly.

"Not at all," the latter replied, "I just wanna know why. Why'd you do that? If not that I hadn't made my wish at that time, I won't be standing here at the moment. Why do you hate me that much?"

"Avril I'm sorry," Olivia sobbed, "I don't know what came over me. I was consumed by anger and jealousy. I'm deeply sorry."

"Jealousy?" Avril laughed out in disbelief. Of course she knew what she was talking about, "you let jealousy get into your head that the only thing you found worthy of doing is to wish someone's death huh?"

"You're delusional," Avril spat out the words.

Olivia had to swallow her pride and lock it up within her guys because she on a normal day would have resulted to a heated argument but hey, Kyle was here wasn't he? Good impression matters.

"I'm honestly sorry, Avril. I'm deeply sorry. Please forgive me. It won't happen again," Olivia pleaded and even resulted to kneeling down.

"Oh save it for santa, poison ivy," Monica snapped at Olivia.

"Stand up Olivia," Avril said, "what's done is done."

"So you forgive me?" Olivia whimpered standing up.

"Let's just say I overlooked.....this time," Avril responded.

"Oh thank you Avril. Thank you very much, it won't happen again," Olivia pleaded.

"Yeah yeah whatever," Avril said then turned to the rest, "so… who's hungry?"

"Ohhh my stomach's already bittered," Monica complained.

"Well then let's have dinner," she said and walked towards the basket she had brought alone with her.

"There's food in there? Wouldn't it have turned to soup already?," Alex groaned.

"Absolutely negative," Avril replied with confidence.

"Why? Is it waterproof then?" Kyle asked glaring at the basket.

"You could say so," Avril nodded.

"But…it's a basket," Monica dragged.

" Ugh…I'll explain. See Cordelia gave it to me. She said it'll be useful to us and it actually is. It's an infinity food basket," Avril explained. The word 'infinity' food basket got everyone's eyes lit up.

"You just dip your hand into the basket like this, think about what you want to eat then voila!" Avril demonstrated and brought out an apple.

Everybody's eyes poked open in amazement.

"Cool!"

"Awesome!"

"That's dope!"

Avril feeling proud and happy stared as each wanted to have their own turn.

"Ahhhhhh," Avril sighed. It was good to be back.