I decided to split the rest into 2 chapters, so it will make more sense in terms of the plot. This one turned out not as short as I expected.
...
Rita and Nerissa were already quite a long distance from the changing section and therefore from Veridia. They walked in silence, moving briskly. Nerissa, seeing an unreadable expression on her friend's face, decided to give her some time for ordering thoughts and emotions. At a certain moment Rita stopped at a stand with Belgian fries (Nerissa did the same), then she bought a double portion. After being asked by the young girl standing behind the counter, both women gave her autographs, signing them on the receipt paper.
They sat on the lawn, on the edge of the festival area, away from the omnipresent crowd of people. They were eating purchased fries and started talking about casual topics. Rita clearly returned to normal.
"Carbohydrates have always been the best for improving your mood," Rita stated blissfully, as she dipped a single fry in tomato sauce.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Nerissa asked with concern.
"I think that yes… It's all a thing of the past and it doesn't hurt like it used to."
"What an unfortunate coincidence… Unexpectedly meeting your ex like that."
Rita frowned. They had never really been in a relationship with Veridia. Anyway, no explicit declaration was made from both sides.
They were just best friends. Since always. They stayed together from kindergarten through the entire stage of school education. They could rely on each other in many difficult situations. They shared secrets and dreams of singing.
Rita had a secret crush on Veridia for many years, but it seemed to her that the feeling was by no means mutual. Until shortly after their high school exams, Veridia kissed her. Then, they were sitting on the beach, watching the sunset and writing a song about sirens, luring sailors to certain death on the rocks. Rita was wondering how to start the next line as Veridia leaned forward and quickly kissed her on the lips. When she pulled away, Rita stared at her in shock. Veridia, in turn, stared at Rita with uncertainty. Finally, after a few seconds, their lips met again, this time more passionately. It was hard to tell which one initiated the second kiss.
The next week was like a dream. They acted like a couple. They met every day, held hands and looked deeply into each other's eyes. They kissed, even once slept together. Everything was perfect until Rita told Veridia that she got into college in Europe and intends to go. Rita thought that what was between them was something serious, that Veridia would be her girlfriend from now on. She wanted to fight to keep this long-distance relationship, which would only be a temporary inconvenience. After all, she was going to return to Australia. But Veridia merely replied to her coldly "sure, if you want to". Then she was unpleasant to Rita the rest of the time of what was supposed to be a date and slipped out to home fast.
Rita did her best to smooth things over. She repeatedly attempted to contact Veridia, but to no avail. Her friend didn't answer the phone and didn't reply to messages. Rita went to her home three times, but twice no one was there (at least there was no answer to her doorbell ringing) and once Veridia's sister said that she left somewhere. When she finally managed to bump into her at a party, Veridia didn't even give her a glance. Rita tried to get her attention and sat on the couch centrally in her field of view. At last Veridia looked at her… Or rather through her, as Rita was a stranger. Rita froze, she had never felt such sadness and despair before. Similar situations happened several more times on various occasions, for example at the concert or during a chance meeting in a pub. In those days, Veridia spent a lot of time with her mates, who didn't like Rita and considered her a dull brainiac. It was like that up to Rita's departure to Europe.
"We weren't together," Rita replied to Nerissa cautiously, when she realized that by telling her bandmate the whole story earlier, it might have sounded a bit different. "But it really depends on how you look at the entire situation. Neither of us asked the other to be her girlfriend or anything, but in practice we were like a couple at one point."
Nerissa put her arm around Rita. "There is no need to worry about a stupid cow, who hasn't been able to appreciate a treasure like you. She should feel sorry, not you. So don't give her another thought."
Rita rested her head on Nerissa's shoulder. They were sitting like that for a while, without speaking.
"Don't you mind if I ask you something about you and Veridia?" Nerissa spoke suddenly. "Honestly I don't understand one thing…"
"Sure, go ahead."
"How is it possible that you didn't know for so long that she is also a vocalist in a popular band? Nowadays, in the era of Internet access and social media."
Rita laughed slightly. "Yes, you are right! It's quite strange, when you think about it. Well, Veridia has never liked social media. She even despised such websites, so I thought as much she wouldn't be registering an account on any of them. She was the only one in our high school class that didn't use Myspace. Therefore, it didn't come to my mind to look her up. Plus, you know that I'm not the type of person who spies on others on the Internet."
"Okay, you convinced me. And I remember you telling me once, that you two didn't have mutual acquaintances, so you don't get any news about her."
"Yup. Maybe we were interested in similar domains, but we were so different from each other that we had separate groups of friends."
Soon after, the last Belgian fry disappeared from the paper plate. It grew completely dark all around, not counting the light from the concert stage in the distance. And from Rita's mobile screen.
"It got late. We should go back now. Harry and the rest may start to worry," she said, getting up from the grass. A moment later, both were already heading towards the festival.
