"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye."

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Section III

Lovina dared to look over at the voice and for some reason her stomach sunk automatically. Because she knew, somehow, her interaction with Netherlands was wrong. She could estimate that from the guilt ball growing in the bottom of her torso.

"Veronica"

"Veronica." They both said in unison. Netherlands' voice for once carried a tone. Sort of… relief… that his sister was finally home. Lovina looked at her friend, her curly blond hair shined in the twilight beams and she carried a little woven basket of tomatoes. Belgium looked at the two of them, trying to register why her best friend was currently in the same room of her estranged brother. Lovina decided she better speak up first.

"Veronica-"But her blond friend decided to interrupt her. Belgium set down the basket and opened the door.

"Lovina, I'm sorry, I'll drive you home." Lovina was going to say something, but she glanced back at Netherlands and he looked… he looked like he was putting on a fight face. Like him and Veronica were about to have a verbal fight. She decided her words really weren't going to help in any way. The auburn-haired girl nodded and made her way to the door, stopping momentarily to look at Netherlands. She felt somewhat sorry for him. Even though he was a tremendous asshole.

"I'll talk to you when I get back." The iciness in Veronica's voice was more than evident, actually it was downright scary. Lovina chose to continue to Veronica's vintage car. She stepped outside, already hearing hushed whispers, mostly from Veronica. Lovina ignored it, fearing being yelled at her; or lectured and she got in the passenger seat, buckling up for safety. She winced slightly as Veronica stomped across the front porch and yanked the door open and practically jumped in, slamming the door after her. Belgium sighed angrily as she put the car into ignition and gave Lovina an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry Lovina; I didn't think he would come over so early." Veronica seemed nearly focused on the road, but she kept glancing over to Lovina, and it was concerning her a little. Lovina decided to keep focused on the road for her, bracing herself slightly. She loved Belgium, she was like an older sister to the Italian, but Belgium was just as bad a driver as her. And even without traffic.

"You knew he was going to be over?" Lovina didn't exactly mean to yell, but Belgium swerved around the corner it just made her voice rise with panic. Belgium, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice the panic in Lovina's voice. She either got used to Lovina raising her voice in the years she shared a house with the girl, or she was used to people having panic in their voices when she drove. Southern Italy came to the conclusion within seconds it was a mix of those two options. Belgium started to look a little uneasy though.

"He's my brother, Lovina. And you know we haven't really… gotten along." Belgium said a little softly. Lovina's emerald eyes glanced over. Fuck, anybody could fucking see that. She thought. Belgium sighed though, rather loudly, and she re-adjusted her hands on the steering wheel. Her driving was still crap despite this.

"I thought we could sit and discuss things. But… he came earlier than I thought." Belgium said, and they rounded yet another corner, causing Lovina to hold her breathe and brace herself the way she would on a steep roller coaster ride.

"Well, you say it like it was a problem." It sort of was, but Lovina didn't really want to say it. Belgium held her tongue, but looked over at Lovina nervously. Lovina was now wondering why it would be a problem.

"Is it?" The Italian asked. Belgium's eyes flickered, and it seemed that she was arguing with herself if she should tell Lovina anything. But she sighed, and that signaled to the other country that she figured it was best after all.

"Netherlands knows Spain's connection to you. He thinks of you as 'Spain's girl'." Belgium nodded her head, waiting for Lovina to catch her drift. It made some sense. Lovina and Antonio never really declared they were a couple, but from the outside you could easily be fooled into thinking they were a hopelessly-in-love couple. But they fucking weren't. But with Netherlands, just that thought that she and Spain were banging behind closed doors would be enough reason for him to hate her too. Lovina decided to look out the window.

"So… did anything happen? Did he say anything to you?" Belgium pressed. Lovina stiffened slightly. What was Belgium assuming? The Italian couldn't say that nothing had happened; Belgium just didn't want to accuse her of anything and had decided to just simply ask her instead. Because Belgium trusted her to tell her to truth. Lovina glanced at the road and shrugged.

"I hit him and he yanked my fucking ear." Which was the truth, it happened. Veronica seemed to be staring at her. Like she was expecting her to add something else like they found some secret cave in her closet or something out of the ordinary for her character like that. But nothing like that happened. Lovina stuck to her usual facial expression and stared at the road, because obviously Belgium sure wasn't.

"Oh." Was all Belgium said in response and re-settled her hands on the little bug's steering wheel. The audible sigh though coming from the Belgian was what caught the other females' attention.

"Something… wrong?" Lovina asked curiously. There was a slight pause as they rounded a corner and made their way up the driveway that led to the villa where Lovina was currently staying with Spain as some sort of live-in nag. Lovina seemed to be expecting an answer, but it didn't come as the car stopped and Belgium sighed once more to bring her pale hand over herself to unbuckle herself.

"Want me to walk you in?" Belgium smiled. Lovina paused herself, just a bit confused.

"No, it's okay." Belgium nodded, completely understandingly. Lovina stared at her for a second more, and then she just proceeded to open the door and get out. The Italian thought she could hear the other girl say something, but she was more than sure it was the creaking of the old door of the old car that she had repeatedly told Veronica to get rid of. But Veronica always just insisted it had sentimental value. Lovina made her way on the tiles on the stairs and then to the entranceway to pull out her small key Spain had given her to open the door.

"Grazie! Ciao!" Lovina said, quickly turning around to wave to Belgium. She didn't wait for a response however, for she just as quickly turned back around and unlocked the door. She couldn't remember a time she had opened a door so fast to get into Spain's house. And like any other paranoid freak, she rushed inside and almost slammed the door back closed, locking it for protection for all the dangers that lay outside. She pressed her hands on the cold oak of the door. It felt so stiff against her hands, so… unmoving.

Netherlands felt like stone under her hands.

"Lovi~! You're back!" Spain's annoyingly cheerful voice snapped Lovina back into reality. Actually, it scared her to be shocked from such a deep involvement with cloud nine. Especially the subject she went to cloud nine to begin with. Spain stopped at hearing Lovina gasp with shock and how she jumped and turned.

"Are you alright, Lovi~?" Spain started to approach her, his characteristic bright, happy smile started to fade and was replaced with slight worry. Lovina looked down at his feet while shaking her head, furrowing her brows.

"I'm fucking fine." She answered. But this time she knew she was lying. Spain really frowned, his brain trying to register everything except Lovina's crude language.

"Lovi~ I missed you." Spain moved forward to hug her but Lovina simply walked past him, completely ignoring his attempt at physical contact which, in reality, meant nothing.

"I'm going to my room." Spain said nothing in objection as his steps started to slow, until, they actually came to a stop. Just in time for him to hear the loud slam from Lovina's door.

Spain didn't understand it. Lovina had been so… rude. Of course he knew she was rude to begin with. Some people called her a bitch but… he saw past all that. She was just a distrustful person. She was just the type who would hurt people before they have a chance to hurt her. But… she didn't seem angry. Lovina always seemed somewhat angry, and that was normal for the Italian. He stood in the middle of the foyer, just forcing the wheels in his head to turn faster and faster, struggling with all his might to put the pieces together. Was she seriously mad at him for something?

Did she hear about how he went to visit France when she left? He knew how much Lovina didn't like it when he visited big brother France without her. Something about how he didn't notice things. He knew she was angry this morning, but he just assumed she would get over it like every other thing. But this, just completely ignoring his actions and not insulting him in any way… But he just couldn't understand what was going on.

He decided maybe he should pick some tomatoes later.

Sorry this took so long to put up. I loved the reviews for the last chapter! Keep them up, please! Also, I have yet another idea for a fic so a new fic is probably coming up as well!