While we were searching for Gina, I couldn't believe what had happened between those two. How could she just disappear like that?
"Emma, you stay here and rest. I'll find her," John said firmly, giving me a reassuring look before heading off.
I paused, trying to catch my breath. Noel stood beside me, arms crossed, clearly uninterested in helping at all.
I glared at him.
"You're the reason, aren't you?" I asked.
"For what?" Noel replied coldly.
I let out a sarcastic laugh. "You're the reason she left, aren't you?"
He sighed lightly. "I don't understand. We had a discussion, and she opposed it. Am I supposed to worry about her feelings?"
"What?" I snapped. "All this cruelty from you? You're really pathetic. When I thought there could be some good in you, in the end—you made her upset."
"I didn't do anything. I just told her the truth," Noel said calmly.
"The truth?" I frowned. "What truth? I don't understand."
"She confessed everything to me. That's all,"
I blinked, shocked. She had been so open and honest—so clear about how she felt.
"Look at this now," I said.
"What?
"If you had just spoken to her more gently, maybe none of this would have happened. She told us all to come and enjoy ourselves, and now she's like this. You've really ruined her mood—you could've at least considered her feelings," I added, my voice rising slightly.
Noel just stared at me silently, saying nothing.
Then John returned, slightly out of breath. "I found her, Emma. Go talk to her."
Without waiting another second, I went to the other side by the beach.
"Gina? Where have you been?"
She was sitting there, crying quietly.
"It's nothing, really, Emma… just go," she whispered.
"Why?!" I shouted, frustrated. "Why won't you let me hear you, understand what you're going through, and comfort you? You've been repeating all week that we're friends, and now? Have you forgotten everything? Were you joking when you said it, or are you forcing me to leave you alone? Why don't you want me to know what you're going through? When your mood improves, you want to talk—but when you're sad, I'm never there! I know… I know well what hurts you, but the important thing is not to let it control us. You can't let everyone make you sad just because they want to."
She looked at me with a hint of frustration. "What do you even understand? You think you understand everything? I believe Noel told you everything… huh, everything," she said bitterly.
"No, it's nothing like that. He just… he's announcing that we're friends, that's all."
"Emma, enough…"
She fell silent, and I stared at her for a long moment. How could someone get this sad over a person who doesn't return their feelings? I won't lie—I don't fully understand this feeling. I've never been in a relationship or felt anything like this. Can someone be hurt, yes… but can someone really be shattered like this?
When I returned, I saw Noel and John waiting for us.
I spoke softly. "Gina won't come back, so let's go, John."
John nodded. "Understood."
As I walked with him, Noel's voice stopped me.
"Really? I don't understand what I did to her to cause all this drama. She's really acting."
I glared at him angrily. "And what do you understand about this? You're just a cold person who doesn't care about anyone around you. You don't care how others feel. You're selfish."
"No, Emma… you can't call me selfish when you don't really know me," he shot back.
"Shut up," I said through gritted teeth. "Don't speak again, and I don't want you near her anymore. Understand?"
Noel stared at me with a hint of resentment—I could tell he wanted to say more but couldn't.
John grabbed my hand gently. "It's okay, Emma. Don't worry about these people. Let's go."
to be continued...