The frigid December air nipped at the cheeks of the students crowding the high school courtyard, but the winter sun, though weak, offered a golden light that tinged the atmosphere with a promise of warmth. Christmas was exactly a week away, and the atmosphere vibrated with the palpable excitement of the last day of classes before the long-awaited winter break. Amidst the bustle and laughter, Josephine, Brianna, and Josep formed a small oasis of tranquility and affection.
Josep lay placidly on the wooden bench, his head resting comfortably on Josephine's outstretched legs. She, with a palpable tenderness that emanated from her every movement, gently slid her fingers through the black waves of his hair. It was a gesture as natural and familiar to both of them as the simple act of breathing, a custom rooted in years of shared childhood, a silent comfort that had survived the distance imposed by Josep's departure and the time spent in his absence. Their friendship had blossomed anew, after the murky period of secrets and silences, with a renewed strength and depth, and Brianna had become an essential link in this renewed bond, bringing her energy and unconditional loyalty. The shared laughter under the winter sun, the secrets whispered in ears, and the unwavering support in difficult times had woven a new and promising stage in their young lives.
"I can't believe it's almost your birthday, Jo!" Brianna exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with contagious anticipation. She leaned slightly towards Josephine, her enthusiasm filling the air. "This year we're really going to celebrate big, girlfriend. Get ready for the best party!"
Josephine smiled, feeling a genuine warmth expand in her chest at the thought of celebrating with her two best friends. "I really want to," she replied with a sweetness that illuminated her hazel eyes. Her gaze rested softly on Josep, who kept his eyes closed, visibly enjoying the delicate caress of her fingers in his hair. A small sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips.
"I'm already seriously thinking about the cake," Josep murmured, a lazy smile slowly spreading across his relaxed face. "And it has to be epic. Double chocolate, are we agreed?"
The three of them laughed in unison, catching the simple and pure joy of the moment. The tension and the sharp pain of the past months, the doubts and secrets that had overshadowed their reunion, seemed to have dissipated under the bright sun, leaving space for the hope of a shared future and the tangible happiness of the present.
However, in the distance, a solitary figure remained on the fringes of this scene of affection and camaraderie, observing the trio with an inscrutable gaze – Anna. Louie remained motionless, leaning against the cold brick wall of the school, his hands clenched into tight fists inside the pockets of his jacket. Beside him, Anna, with a bitter and triumphant smile that tightened her painted lips, whispered venomous words in his ear, fueling his resentment.
"I told you, Louie," Anna hissed, her voice laden with cruel satisfaction.
Meanwhile, completely oblivious to the silent storm brewing in the distance, Josephine, Brianna, and Josep continued to enjoy the comforting warmth of their renewed friendship, the unspoken promise of a holiday filled with joy, and the closeness of a birthday they would celebrate together, as they had always done in their childhood years, before distance temporarily separated them.
Josep looked up at Josephine from his reclining position, his dark eyes shining with a warm and sincere light as he saw the soft curve of her smile. A wave of pure tenderness washed over him, a deep and protective feeling that had grown silently in his heart over the past few months. *Definitely, she's something else,* he thought, a sweet and genuine smile curving his lips. The way her hazel eyes lit up with every small joy, the way a soft melody seemed to emanate from her contagious laughter… it was hypnotic, a beacon of light in his sometimes turbulent existence.
Brianna, completely oblivious to Josep's deep thoughts and the dark shadow watching them from afar, asked curiously, interrupting the peaceful atmosphere with her lively voice, "Hey, girl, aren't your parents going to celebrate your birthday too? Or is the big party just our thing this year?"
Josephine let out a barely audible sigh, a fleeting shadow crossing her usually cheerful features. "Of course," she replied with a smile that didn't quite reach her hazel eyes. "You know how they are. The big high-society party can never be missed." The irony in her tone was subtle but palpable to those who knew her well.
Josep looked at Brianna, instantly catching the sadness that Josephine was trying to hide behind her mask of resignation. "If you think about it, Josephine was born on December 31st," he commented softly, trying to divert attention from his friend's discomfort. "They always celebrate her birthday party together with the New Year's Eve party. It's like a two-for-one, but sometimes I feel like the 'one' of her birthday gets diluted among the champagne glasses and the New Year's toasts."
Brianna sighed, bringing a hand to her forehead in a gesture of forgetfulness but also belated understanding. "You're right, Josep. I always forget that you guys... well, that you have a different world than mine, with those formalities and endless gatherings." There was a mixture of naivety and a slight sense of exclusion in her voice.
"Don't say that, Brianna," Josephine interjected with a slight smile, caressing her friend's hand resting on the bench. Her touch was warm and comforting. "We're all the same, friend. Besides," she added with a mischievous glint that finally lit up her eyes, "we can go a day before and the three of us celebrate alone, without so much fuss, like we always have. Our own little pre-birthday tradition."
Josep nodded, resting his cheek on the soft fabric of Josephine's pants, enjoying her closeness. "We all know that Josephine's parents' party is purely for formality and appearances," he added with a tone of complicity that he only shared with her. "Not because they really want to celebrate her. It's more of an important social event in their circle." His words, though spoken softly, carried the weight of the deep understanding and unconditional closeness they shared, a tacit understanding of Josephine's family dynamics.
Brianna gave them a genuine and understanding smile, although a fleeting pang of sadness for her friend flickered in her eyes as she realized the coldness that sometimes surrounded Josephine's family celebrations. "I know, Jo. That's why I love our early celebration so much. It's much more... authentic. More... us."
A comfortable silence settled between the three, a safe space of mutual understanding, broken only by the distant murmur of the rest of the students dispersing across the courtyard in the last few minutes before the final bell. Josephine continued to stroke Josep's dark hair, an automatic gesture that conveyed affection, acceptance, and a connection that transcended words. Josep closed his eyes, enjoying the soft sensation on his scalp and the faint warmth of the winter sun on his face, feeling at peace in that small circle of friendship.
Suddenly, Brianna straightened up on the bench, her relaxed expression giving way to one of surprise, tinged with a subtle discomfort. "Oh, look who's coming this way!" she exclaimed, with a tone that hinted at a certain tension in the air, as her eyes turned towards a specific point and then briefly met Josephine's, sharing a look laden with a meaning that only the two of them fully understood. The tranquility of the moment seemed to shatter with the unexpected arrival.
Josephine sighed, wanting to clarify the situation. "We're not a couple, just friends..." she began, maintaining her calm and composure. At that moment, Josep sat up beside her.
And before she could finish the sentence, he interrupted her firmly, his voice resonating with confidence. "And if we were, Anna," he said, his gaze fixed on the girl, "it shouldn't matter to you." His arm gently circled Josephine's shoulders, pulling her slightly closer to him, a protective and possessive gesture that did not go unnoticed by anyone.
Louie's eyes darkened, rage tinging them with a dangerous color. His gaze locked onto Josep, tense and threatening. "Take your hands off my girlfriend right now, you bastard," he spat, his voice harsh and laden with barely contained fury. His fists clenched at his sides, and his muscles tensed under his jacket. The calm of the courtyard seemed to evaporate, giving way to an atmosphere charged with hostility.
Anna let out a sharp, theatrical shriek that drew the attention of some nearby students. "His girlfriend?! Your girlfriend, Louie?! I'm your girlfriend, you idiot! We've been together for almost three months, my love!" Her voice resonated with a mixture of feigned indignation and real desperation, clinging to a narrative that seemed to be crumbling around her.
Louie turned his face towards Anna, his expression serious and cold as ice. He stared at her, without a trace of the warmth that might once have existed. "No, Anna," he said in a deep, firm voice, each word laden with unwavering conviction. "My girlfriend was, is, and I hope will always be Josephine." His eyes returned to Josephine, softening slightly at eye contact, conveying a sincerity that completely contradicted Anna's words.
Brianna, observing the pathetic scene with a mixture of disbelief and mockery, gave Anna a sarcastic look. A smug smile spread across her lips as she slowly shook her head. "What's wrong, Anna? Don't you understand that your web of lies has already collapsed? Looks like someone didn't get the memo." Her tone was light but laden with barely disguised contempt, enjoying the spectacle of Anna's plan crumbling before her eyes.
"Louie, my love, what are you saying?" Anna exclaimed with a mixture of feigned disbelief and growing hysteria. "Remember! She went to France without even telling you, when you had barely become boyfriend and girlfriend! She abandoned you, Louie! Understand! She only used the three of you to distract herself!" Her voice rose with each word, charged with desperation and a desperate attempt to cling to her version of the story, unaware that her shrill cries only served to attract the curious attention of more and more students who were gathering around them.
Josep was momentarily petrified, his arm still extended in the air where it had previously encircled Josephine, unsure how to react to the unexpected turn of events and the intensity of the confrontation. It was then that he noticed Josephine had gently slipped out of his grasp and stood up in front of Anna. Her impassive face revealed none of the emotions that must have been churning inside her, an impenetrable mask of calm.
In a soft but firm voice, each word spoken with surprising clarity and all the composure she possessed, Josephine looked directly into Anna's eyes. "What are you talking about, Anna? My parents forced me to go to France. And you know that perfectly well. Or have you forgotten what my housekeeper told you, Louie, and Brianna when you came looking for me at the mansion on the first day of summer vacation?" Her tone was calm, but the implicit accusation in her words resonated in the air, sowing palpable doubt among the observers.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Anna screamed with growing desperation, her face flushed with fury and shame at the growing audience. "You left! You didn't call, you didn't tell us! You just walked away, Josephine! You abandoned us for your luxuries, for your life in France! You didn't care about Louie! Besides, I know very well what you did! You became his girlfriend to hurt me! Because you knew I liked him first! The envy you've always had for me didn't leave you in peace until you took him away from me! You only played with him to hurt me!" Her accusations resonated in the cold air, charged with a toxic mixture of jealousy, resentment, and a deep sense of victimization.
Josephine, Brianna, and Louie exchanged quick, meaningful glances, a tacit plan developing in their eyes. They knew that the only way to stop Anna's string of accusations was to confront her directly with the truth of her own manipulations. Josep, understanding the silent signal, stared intently at Anna, his stern expression acting as a silent challenge.
Brianna stepped forward, facing Anna with a firm and deliberate gaze. "You know that's not true, Anna," she began in a clear and forceful voice, each word carefully chosen to dismantle her nemesis's lies. "When Louie told us he liked you, both Josephine and I sincerely tried to make something happen between the two of you. We wanted you to be happy, Anna. Remember our conversations? Our attempts to bring you together?" She paused, letting her words resonate. "And guess what, Anna? You didn't want to. You rejected his attempts again and again. So stop making up those nonsense." Her tone was accusatory, revealing the accumulated frustration from Anna's constant manipulations.
Louie nodded in agreement, supporting Brianna's words with his own testimony. "It's true, Anna. Brianna and Josephine always tried to be good friends with you. I myself looked for you, tried to make it work. But you..." His voice trailed off slightly, remembering the rejection. "Over time, I realized that what I felt for you was different from what I feel for Josephine. She is... genuine. Her humility, her kindness... it's everything I've always looked for in someone."
Anna burst into an even greater fury, her screams echoing with a blind rage. "I don't understand why you don't understand! She's a viper! She manipulated all of you! She left and abandoned you! And to complete the farce, she became that idiot Josep's girlfriend when they met again in France! I don't understand why everyone always prefers her to me!" Her voice cracked at the end, revealing a deep insecurity and a sharp pain.
Everyone present fixed their gazes on Anna, the intensity of her fury and her evident pain leaving an uncomfortable silence in the air. Josephine stepped forward, her face still serene but with a firmness in her gaze that defied Anna's accusations. "Why are you so sure that I met up with Josep again in France?" she asked in a clear and direct voice. "Because I hadn't seen him for two years, exactly the same amount of time that all of you supposedly haven't. Where do you get that absolute certainty?"
Louie, with the weight of the recent revelation still palpable in his tone, added seriously, his gaze fixed on Anna, "You tried to manipulate us, Anna. You tried to make Brianna and me angry with Josephine, sowing doubts and resentment where they didn't exist. The worst part is that I believed you for a while. I believed your lies, and that hurt me and my friends." His voice carried a hint of regret for his past naivety and a deep disappointment in Anna's deception.
Josep grew serious, trying to keep the pang of surprise and a sharp stab of something more that pierced his chest from showing on his face. He had to speak quickly and firmly. "Anna, I don't understand why you're so sure of that. I hadn't heard anything from any of you for two years. When I met Josephine again, it was as big a surprise for me as it was for the two of you, Brianna and Louie."
Brianna nodded vehemently, her gaze towards Anna filled with a mixture of disappointment and resolution. "Realize it, Anna. We all realized what kind of person you are. Your charade is over, and your lies fell like houses of cards. You tried to manipulate all of us, and now you're alone."
Anna screamed with a desperation bordering on hysteria. "You don't understand! I wanted to protect you! I wanted to protect you from her! She's from another social status, she has money, she was going to get bored with you! I wanted to spare you that pain! Understand! She thinks she's better than all of us!"
Josephine looked at her with a calm expression, her eyes filled with genuine concern. In a soft and kind tone of voice, she offered sincere advice. "Dear Anna, I recommend you go to therapy. Seriously. I think you have an inferiority complex that's hurting you a lot. You need to seek help before you hurt yourself even more and continue to hurt the people who care about you."
Although Josephine said those words with the best intentions, Anna received them as a stinging insult. Louie looked at Anna sadly before stepping closer and hugging Josephine tightly, offering her silent support. "She's my girlfriend, Anna. And I ask you please not to bother us anymore. Everything would be very different now if you hadn't behaved the way you did."
Brianna added in a tone of deep disappointment, "We all cared about you a lot, Anna. But you betrayed our trust. You wanted to ruin our friendship with Josephine, and the only thing you achieved was to end up without friends yourself."
Anna burst into a cold and threatening fury. "You're going to pay for this! I swear you're going to pay for this! You're going to pay for preferring her over me!" Then, her gaze locked onto Josephine, charged with a visceral hatred. "But especially you, Josephine. You're going to pay dearly for everything you've done to me. Sooner or later I'll see you crying tears of blood. But this isn't over!"
Brianna clapped her hands energetically, her voice resonating with a forced cheerfulness that tried to dispel the palpable tension that still hung in the air. "Come on, gossips! The drama's over, curtain call! Move along, move along!" she exclaimed, making exaggerated gestures with her hands to disperse the curious classmates who had surrounded them, eager to witness the conflict. Little by little, the crowd dispersed, murmuring and commenting on what had happened, until the four friends were alone again in the courtyard.
Josep stared intently at Louie and Josephine, his dark eyes scrutinizing the physical closeness between them as the latter two remained embraced, seeking mutual comfort. Brianna watched them with a knowing smile. "Well, lovebirds, now you can live your love in public without having to hide from anyone."
Josep, in a slightly deeper voice than usual, finally broke the silence, his gaze still fixed on the couple. "So... you really are boyfriend and girlfriend?" The question hung in the air, laden with a mixture of surprise and an indefinable emotion.
Louie looked Josep in the eyes before gently separating from Josephine, though keeping his arm protectively around her shoulders. "Yes, that's right, Josep. We're boyfriend and girlfriend," he replied with a quiet firmness, interlacing his fingers with Josephine's.
"And since when?" Josep asked, his tone revealing genuine surprise.
Louie exchanged a meaningful glance with Josephine before answering. "Since you came back, Josep... almost three months ago."
Surprise hit Josep hard, a mix of complex emotions churning inside him: confusion, a slight stinging pain. However, he disguised his inner turmoil as best he could, forcing a smile. "That's great then. I sincerely hope my two friends are very happy and that soon we'll be the usual group of four again."
"Thanks, Josep," Louie replied sincerely, gently squeezing Josephine's shoulder. "And you know, you were right when you used to tell me years ago... Josephine really is something else." He smiled tenderly, leaning down to give her a soft kiss on the top of her head, a gesture of affection that spoke volumes about the depth of his feelings.