Chapter Eleven - Reflection

Sebastian wants to laugh and tease her but he can tell that she's serious. 'Pheebs, you've not hurt a fly in your life. You even try to avoid hurting the monsters in the mines and around your farm,' he says honestly. She was getting upset and he could tears in her eyes, 'woah, hey,' Sebastian said as he began to worry. Awkwardly, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders pulling her into his chest, thankful that their booth was semi-private.

'Showwy,' she said, muffled through his shirt.

'Look at me,' he said, making her lift her head. Sebastian smiles softly and wipes her eyes with the napkin that came with her muffin. 'Deep breath,' he instructs. Rina nods and inhales deeply, trying to calm herself.

Rina sniffs and takes the napkin from him to dab her nose as she straightens from their hug. 'Sorry,' she said after clearing her throat. 'It's just that… I wronged this person and I need to make things right and so… I managed to track them down and I invited them here… so, I can apologise.'

Sebastian is a little confused but things were clearer for sure. He understood how hard it was to admit that you were wrong, let alone if you hurt someone. 'Are you sure you want me here?' He asks. 'I can just be outside if that helps? I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable by being here.'

She began to assure him that it was fine that he stay when the sound of high heels interrupted her. Rina froze and she looks up at the tall woman who was standing at the edge of their table. She raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow and her eyes flickered over the pair. 'Well,' she said in a strong city accent. 'Look what we have here.'

Rina stood up in a hurry, almost knocking over her lukewarm coffee; Sebastian had to reach over and grab the mug to steady it. 'Leigh-Leigh,' Rina said, her breathing heavy. Tears filled her eyes. 'I can't believe you actually came,' she babbled.

'I was curious. I wasn't expecting a call from you, Opi,' she said simply.

Sebastian couldn't help himself and spoke before thinking. 'She prefers Rina,' he said bluntly. Leigh-Leigh's brown eyes settle on him for a brief moment as she assessed his clothing and facial features.

'I prefer Opi,' Leigh-Leigh replies coolly.

Rina could see Sebastian tense up and she places a hand on his shoulder. 'It's okay,' she says softly. 'She isn't using it maliciously,' Rina adds. Personally, she took it as a good sign that the name was being used, it meant that there was hope.

Leigh-Leigh rolls her eyes and Sebastian instantly wants to drag her away by the strap of her cheap looking bag that no doubt cost more than what he made in a month. She checks her nails and sighs heavily and dramatically. 'Well, I'm here. As to how long I'll stay depends on what you actually want,' she said simply as she crossed her arms.

Sebastian glanced at Rina who seemed to be holding it together for the moment. 'Please,' Rina said as she motioned to the opposite side of the booth. 'I won't take much time, there's just something I need to say.' Her voice quavered and Sebastian saw Leigh-Leigh's harsh expression soften for a moment as she slid herself into the seat. Rina exhaled shakily and sat down, thanking Sebastian for saving her drink. There was silence for a minute before Rina broke it. 'You look amazing,' she said honestly.

Leigh-Leigh's laugh was more of a bark as she again, rolls her eyes and gives Rina a look. 'Of course, I do. The moment that old bastard died it was like twenty years had been taken off my shoulders,' she smirks. Rina actually smiles to her comment which threw Sebastian sideways, he had only an inkling of an idea as to whom Leigh-Leigh could be talking about and if he was right, it was Rina's grandfather. As far as he knew, they had a good relationship. Leigh-Leigh flicks her deep red hair over her shoulder and taps a manicured finger on the table. 'Alright, let's hear it.'

Rina could feel her heart pounding in her chest once more and she nods, weakly. 'Okay, well. Leigh-Leigh… I owe you an apology. I… left and I didn't even spare a thought about you. I just selfishly ran away and left you to deal with all the crap I left behind. My father. My grandfather and… then next thing I know, I heard you lost your job and I was so wracked with guilt because I know you're saving up and because of me-,' Rina sniffed and looked into her coffee, unable to keep the stare that Leigh-Leigh kept on her. '-Because of me,' she repeats, 'you had to deal with things that weren't your problem. So, please, I'm not asking for forgiveness, but just to tell you that I'm sorry. Whether you accept it is totally up to you, I would understand if you don't…'

Sebastian places his hand on Rina's knee under the table as he can see that she's moments away from sobbing. Leigh-Leigh on the other hand, sighs and leans back in her chair, her arms crossed as she observes Rina. 'Oh. For fuck's sake,' she swore before running a hand over her face, careful of her makeup. She brushes her hair away from her face and shakes her head. 'Fucking hell, Opi. You're so fucking stupid,' she said bluntly.

Rina looks up at Leigh-Leigh, her lip trembling. 'I know,' she said in a broken voice. Sebastian is trying his hardest to stay quiet, he was supposed to be here as support but it was becoming harder the longer he was in the company of this woman.

Leigh-Leigh reaches over and takes Rina's hand gently. 'I don't hate you, Opi. You're stupid to think that you even have to apologise to me. There's no reason for you to do so. You're not the reason I lost my job and if you think for one moment that I blame you for leaving that toxic piece of shit you call a father? You really are a dim bulb,' she teases. The atmosphere around them lightens as Rina manages a small laugh of disbelief. Leigh-Leigh smiles properly for the first time since walking in and shakes her head. 'I was trying so hard to be annoyed at you but honestly, I understand everything you did.'

To say that Sebastian was confused was an understatement. He moved his hand from her knee and picked up his coffee to take a sip. Rina looks over at him and clears her throat, 'oh, Yoba. I'm sorry, Bastian. This is Leigh-Leigh. She was my grandfather's private nurse and carer. She was… my first real friend,' she explains.

Leigh-Leigh snorts. 'That old bastard was the bane of my life. He went through so many nurses, you wouldn't believe,' she said as she remembered. 'Apparently though, he liked my fire. I would give it back as good as he gave,' she said, giving context to her earlier comment. Her attitude changed and she wore a wicked smile as she looked between Sebastian and Rina, 'so. Before we get into that other stuff… Bastian, was it?'

'Sebastian,' he corrected. 'Seb, if you must. Only Rina calls me, Bastian,' he said stiffly, not liking the way that this woman said his name. Sebastian took a sip of his coffee and looked at Leigh-Leigh coolly, she took it in her stride and her smile only got larger.

'You're hot,' she said simply. Sebastian raised a brow and she snorted as she saw his back stiffen at the blunt compliment. Rina giggles and shakes her head in amusement. 'Calm down, Kurt Cobain,' Leigh-Leigh teases. 'I'm gay. There's no need to get so-' she mimics his posture. 'Relax,' she adds.

Sebastian clicks his jaw and rolls his eyes. 'I'm going for a smoke,' he said simply to Rina who nods and gives him a grateful smile.

Leigh-Leigh watches him leave and then turns back to Rina with an open mouth. 'Fuck me!' She teases. Rina grins, it was like no time had passed between them and they had once again settled into their old relationship. It was warming and the aching pressure of guilt in her heart had begun to lessen. 'Now, I may not like to order off that particular menu but I can't deny that you've gotten yourself a tasty dessert right there,' she said making Rina snort into her coffee.

'It's not like that,' Rina said simply. 'He's my best friend. That's all. We get teased about it all the time,' she adds. 'It's really frustrating. I get worried that he's going to get fed up with it all and just, create distance,' she babbles. 'But I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk about what happened when I left,' Rina said honestly.

Her friend sighs and shrugs a shoulder. 'Not much to tell, honestly. Your father tried to say it was, "my influence" that caused your behaviour but I wasn't having it and neither was your grandfather. Things were a little rocky but it was what it was. As for me saving up, don't worry about that. Isaac left me reimbursement in his will, which was kind and a surprise. So, I'm settled for life and I don't have to worry about anything,' she said simply.

Rina nods and purses her lips, 'I am sorry for how it all went down though. You did so much for me in those years. I mean, you introduced me to many things I wasn't allowed,' she grins.

'Like cigarettes? Not my finest moment,' Leigh-Leigh winces. Sebastian returns and it seems that the women have sorted whatever it was between them that needed doing. He had taken his time and tried to make sure that he was looking at the situation objectively and not as Rina's best friend. Deep down it was because he knew it was because he had an intense need to protect her, something he needed to work on. He tuned into the conversation that the women were having and suddenly wished that he hadn't. Leigh-Leigh was complaining; she had ordered a coffee from a waitress and was currently stirring the froth, '-so I said to him, well, why are you friends with me? And he was like, well, one day you'll realise that I'm a good guy,' Leigh-Leigh rolls her eyes and waves her spoon in the air in a dramatic flourish. 'I almost hurled, Opi. Like, literally. Some asshole, pretending to be my friend just so that on the off chance I'll fuck him,' she scowls and looks at Sebastian.

'What?' He said bluntly as he put down his coffee cup with a hollow clunk. It was empty and he hadn't found a bin to place it into just yet.

She raises a brow and looks between him and Rina. 'Don't be one of those guys, Bastian-'

'I've already told you, don't call me that,' he said firmly, annoyed at repeating himself. Unfortunately, his annoyance seemed to just amuse Leigh-Leigh instead of putting her off.

'What I'm saying is, don't be one of those dick-bags who pretends to be a woman's friend, just in the hope of fucking her one day,' Leigh-Leigh said with a scowl. 'You say you're Opi's best friend, but are you just her friend because you want to be more or what?'

Sebastian sighs heavily and gives Rina a look. Her face was bright pink and she was staring daggers at her old friend who was blissfully ignoring her. Fed up of this situation he glares at Leigh-Leigh in the eye. 'I'm not here to be interrogated. What is between Pheebs and myself is our business and ours alone. Who are you to ask such things? You act if you're concerned about her safety and well-being but for the last two years, you've not tried to get into contact with her. Not tried to see if she's okay or if she's even living well? For all you could have known, she could have been living on the streets.'

The woman shakes her head and huffs heavily, 'oh, don't be so dramatic,' she said simply. 'Her father wouldn't have ever allowed her to get into such a situation. If you think he's not got close tabs on her than you're incredibly naïve,' Leigh-Leigh said simply. 'I wasn't talking about myself though. I was talking about you-'

'Leigh-Leigh, enough,' Rina said firmly. 'I trust Bastian. If there… were anything to happen between Bastian and I, I'm sure that it would be because it was supposed to happen; naturally, with, feelings and things,' she babbles. 'Or some shit like that,' she added trying not to feel like an idiot. 'I don't need you giving him the third degree,' Rina gently kicks Leigh-Leigh under the table, more of a nudge than anything. 'Don't go adding to my problems. We get enough of this shit at home.'

Sebastian decided to tune out for the rest of the conversation and made sure to excuse himself a couple more times for smoke breaks so that he could retain his sanity. They were there for a couple of hours but before too long, Rina and Leigh-Leigh were saying goodbye. The pressure off his shoulders was immediate with relief, watching the woman walk away was a delight. He waited until he was sure that she was truly out of ear shot and ran a hand through his hair as he looked at Rina. 'Well, she was… a delight?'

Rina looks over at him and snorts with laughter. 'Oh, Yoba. She's such a character,' she said as she exhales heavily and loops her arm through his. 'I've missed her. She's such a bitch but I wouldn't change her for the world.'

'Surprised you were worried about what went on between you both,' he said honestly as they began to walk.

'She was my first friend, my first kiss and well, a few other things,' Rina admitted. 'I pulled a shitty move by just up and leaving and I needed to make it right,' she mumbles. 'I think deep down I knew that she wasn't offended but I had to make sure.'

Sebastian rolls his eyes. 'Not that the afternoon hasn't been thrilling… in fact it's been a downright snooze,' he teases. Rina winces, she knew that it must have been a right pain in the ass for him and for that she did feel guilty. 'Can we do something fun now?' He asks with a grin.

'Like what?' Rina asks curiously.

'I'm sure I'll think of something,' he says with a smirk and enjoys the smile that Rina sends back at him.