Speaking From The Heart
Yes ladies and gentlemen! In this chapter you already know what's coming. So, how about we just get right back to the action shall we?
We Start With The Cardinals…
Sofia found herself standing just a few feet away from Pedro, with her heart rate increasing as a nervous smile formed on her beak.
Especially since he was giving her a really annoyed look on his face. "What ummmm, what is going on Pedro?" She nervously asked him, shuffling her feet along the sand.
The smile on her beak was meant to distract him like a fragile mask, to divert him away from the storm brewing in his eyes.
"Oh, I don't know? A very upset Zara messaged me on social media. Completely out of the blue. Saying that you stood there and let Iris embarrass her in the way that she did?" He had that thousand yard stare that suggested that he wasn't going to let her make any excuses.
"I thought you were done with her?"
"I am done with her! But she told me that you did this to her. And that I should learn to pick my friends better."
"So you are just going to believe every word she says then?" Sofia sassily put a hand on her hip.
The vibrant hues of the setting sun cast a warm glow around them, yet the atmosphere felt charged with tension, as if the very air crackled with unspoken words from Pedro.
This suggested that maybe he wasn't sure on how to respond to that question. "Look girl, don't try and change the subject! You already know what I asked you."
"Which is?" Pedro's disappointment hung heavy in the air, a palpable weight that pressed down on her chest.
"Why did you let Iris embarrass her like that?" He demanded, his voice laced with frustration, each word striking her like a sharp arrow aimed at her heart.
"Ooooh that's right! Defend her right away! Even though you don't even know my side of the story yet. You just want to listen to your little pet hoe!"
"Then tell me your side of the story? I only know what one person had told me." Pedro demanded a second time, crossing his arms in a lack of patience. "Go on."
"She was pushing me and getting aggressive, asking to fight me. And Iris stopped her!" Sofia's voice trembled with sincerity, a desperate plea for understanding that seemed to dissipate into the ether, swallowed by the intensity of his gaze. Yet, her explanation fell flat, failing to soothe the tempest within him.
As he continued to articulate his grievances, outlining the myriad ways he believed she had erred, Sofia felt the walls she had built around her emotions begin to crack. The truth of her feelings for him, long buried beneath layers of restraint, surged forth like a tide threatening to overwhelm her.
"So that gives you the right to just stand there and allow her to cut off her bikini like that? Do you remember when Samantha ripped off Lila's bikini top during the bikini competition over half a year ago? How humiliated and embarrassed she felt in that scenario? Why would you want someone else to go through that, even if you didn't like them?"
"Well what was I supposed to do? I wasn't going to rub her back and say anything nice! She tried to fight me!"
"That may be. But you aren't like that to cause embarrassment to someone, unless they physically or emotionally hurt you!" Pedro stated, shaking his head and turning away from her. "I thought you'd be a lot smarter than that."
"Are you serious? Why haven't you been giving Zara this lecture?!"
"Because I know the kind of girl she is. And I know that she will only cause someone trouble if they had provoked her! So that's why I am here to ask you why she feels like she was provoked?" Pedro seriously asked her, as the tension in the air grew more palpable.
"You know what? There's no point having this conversation with you, or you are just going to take her side. We are just going in circles…" Sofia was about to walk away from him, but he gently grasped her hand to stop her from leaving the conversation.
"I am not taking anyone's side here Sof? I just want to know why she got so angry?"
"She got angry because she thought that I was in the way of her getting to you! She wanted to fight me because she felt like I ruined her chances with you!"
"Really? So, she was jealous?" The male cardinal rose his eyebrow in confusion. "Why would she be jealous?"
"Gee, I dunno Pedro? Why are women jealous when it comes to men?!" Sofia sassily rolled her eyes sarcastically. Probably because she was also jealous about how Pedro chose to believe the blue jay girl over her.
The conversation spiralled, each word a reminder of the chasm between them, and Sofia struggled to maintain her composure. The vibrant colours of the sunset faded into a muted palette, mirroring the turmoil within her. She could feel the heat of her emotions rising, a fierce longing battling against the fear of vulnerability.
With every moment that passed, the urge to reveal the depth of her feelings clawed at her insides, threatening to spill over like a dam on the verge of breaking. Would she find the courage to bridge the distance between them, or would the weight of unspoken love remain a haunting shadow in the twilight of their encounter?
"Are you jealous?" He suddenly asked her. To which she suddenly froze on the spot.
"J-Jealous? Why…Why would I be jealous? You're crazy!" Sofia once again attempted to flee the scene gradually. But Pedro walked with her and attempted to get more information.
"Am I? Come on girl! You have been acting so weird ever since Zara came back into my life. You have been acting so different lately and it's not like you to be like this…"
"Just drop it Pedro…" Her heart rate was increasing so much, that her whole body began to feel numb. To the point where she was aching with so much stress. Because she was trying so hard to bottle up her emotions. But she was really struggling.
"Why are you closing yourself off right now? Why can't you just tell me what's wrong?"
"It's…It's nothing! I am not…You are…We are… I don't…" Her beak began to quiver, and her chest felt like it was going to explode at any time.
And it was only a matter of time until she would do something that she never had the courage to do before.
But as things were getting too much…she couldn't contain her inner emotions anymore.
"I just want to know why you are so jealous of Zara…" As he placed a hand on her shoulder…she spun around in an instant. And her eyes narrowed in an annoyed manner, as she was about to lose complete control.
"You wanna know why? YOU WANNA KNOW WHY?!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, as she took his hand off of her shoulder and created a distance of a few feet in between them.
Pedro was surprised by this sudden outburst. But instead of answering her right away…he let her talk.
"You wanna know why I'm jealous? Fine! I am jealous that ever since she came back into your life, I am not the one you are constantly flirting with! I'm jealous that I am not the one who you think about all the time! Im jealous that I am not the first person that you think about when you get up in the morning. And the last person you think about before you go to bed at night!"
Tears were streaming down her face as she was finally releasing all of her feelings and emotions after bottling it up for so long.
Pedro was absolutely speechless…but he couldn't say much because she wasn't done yet.
"I'm jealous that you immediately thought of her when you were at Nico's party! I'm jealous that you didn't even consider how I felt when she was being all sexual and flirty in front of me! I'm jealous that you and her were once very close, and I thought that if you had slept with her. You'd be bored of me! I'm jealous because even though she wanted you…I wanted you too!"
"You…You w-what?" Pedro's eyes widened in shock.
"I want you, Pedro! I don't want to lose you! And to be honest…I don't think that I could do any better than you! Cos I am jealous that you would end up finding someone better than me…"
Once she finished outing out her emotions and her feelings for him all in one go…she instantly sighed a huge sigh of relief. As she had these feelings held in for so long. That she finally felt like she could breathe.
Pedro stood there in complete disbelief from hearing everything that she had just told him.
"Sof…I…I had no idea? Had no idea that you felt that way about me…" Pedro gazed into her eyes, as she lowered her face and stared at her feet.
"I get it if you…Sniff…Don't wanna talk to me anymore Pedro. I know that we were…Sniff Sniff…We're only meant to be friends with benefits but…The truth is…I've fallen deeply in love with you! And I'm not afraid to say it! I love you Pedro!" Sofia confessed her love for him, and wiped away her tears.
"You…You love me?"
"I do. And I understand if you don't feel the same way…because I…"
Pedro immediately used his hand to lift up her chin, and without a second thought. He instantly locked beaks with hers in a passionate and loving kiss. Which at first did take her completely by surprise. But once their tongues collided with each other's, she soon relaxed and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. As they pressed their chests up against each other.
With the crystal white moon in the background, it provided the most romantic setting for them as they explored each other and held each other close together.
Once they separated from the kiss to gain some much needed oxygen back, she immediately felt him wipe away her tears.
"I love you too…" He whispered very romantically, caressing her face with his hand as she nuzzled her face into his hand.
"You do?"
"Of course I do! It's always been you Sof. I wouldn't want anyone else but you." He dreamily gazed into her eyes. As he felt her large soft breasts pressing up against him.
"Oh Pedro. You have no idea how long I've been holding this inside! I'm so relieved that you feel the same way about me."
"it's okay now Sof. I'm just glad that I finally have someone to love. Who I am very proud to call my girlfriend." He smiled dreamily at her, kissing her on the cheek. "Please promise me you will never change?"
"I promise!" She dreamily looked into his eyes, before leaning on to kiss him again passionately…
"HAHAHA! YES! YES! I am getting laid tonight!"
"Fred?" Both cardinals chorused at the exact same time and immediately hid behind the lifeguard hut.
The hybrid man clearly had come straight from the public showers that was by the beach and cleaned himself up for the night he expected to share with Lila.
"Oooooh, Lila is gonna finally ride my dick like a good cow girl! Whooo!" He pumped his first in the air and combed his hair back. "After all this time! I finally get to feel her gigantic tits in my face, her plump round ass cheeks in my hands. And her tight moist pussy pushed onto my dick! Ooooh I am so fucking pumped!"
"What the fuck?" Pedro rose his eyebrow.
"I know? What a fucking pig!" Sofia remarked and rolled her eyes.
"Now that Lila has agreed…now nothing is standing in my way!" The excitement on his face was palpable. But at the same time, very much creepy. "I'm gonna get laid! I'm gonna make her pussy wet!" He chanted whilst waltzing down the pathway like the pervert he was.
And both Sofia and Pedro thought the exact same.
"Ahhh hellll nahhh! There is no way in hell that Lila would agree to hook up with that guy? Unless he were like blackmailing her on whatever?" Pedro suggested and grabbed her by the hand. "Come on! We are gonna find the others and figure out what the fuck is going on!"
"I'm with you!" Sofia agreed and ran off with her new boyfriend to find her friends.
To figure out what the heck was going on!
Now Let's Head To Lillian…
The female canary has decided that she needed some time alone to really think about things
Now that she had been given the confidence to dump her manipulative ex for the second time, she did feel a huge sense of relief.
She decided that she wouid stand on top of a bridge that overlooked the canal that was a very beautiful scenery.
She just stood there gazing up at the stars whilst minding her own business. To enjoy how peaceful this scenery was.
"Haaaaaa…" Suddenly, she was taken out of her thoughts when she heard someone sighing heavily on the opposite side of the bridge.
That very person…was someone who she knew all too well…
"N-Nico?"
"Lillian?!" It was in fact Nico who was on the other side of the bridge. Holding in his hand a coffee as he was gazing up at the stars. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I was…Gonna ask you the same thing." She responded with a nervous look on her face.
As the female yellow canary lingered on the bridge this time in the night. With her heart, a tempest of emotions, her gaze flickering nervously as she searched for the right words.
"Oh…We'll, I came here to calm down." He responded quietly plainly, leaning over the railings. "What's your excuse to be out here?"
"Just to think about things…" She replied quite calmly. Despite the tension between the two of them being fairly awkward.
The soft light of the crystal white moon painted her skin like she was a bright gold and shadow. Accentuating the uncertainty that danced in her eyes.
"What?" Lillian noticed that Nico was glancing at her only briefly, before returning to look up at the stars.
"Sorry…It's just difficult not to stare when you look like that…" He answered honestly, making her lightly blush a slight pink. Despite the awkwardness, she accepted the compliment.
As she returned her gaze into his light brown eyes, a mirror of her own trepidation, and in that moment, the works around them faded into a blur.
The air was thick with unspoken thoughts, a delicate tension that wrapped around them like a silken thread, binding their fates together yet leaving them both adrift in a sea of doubt.
Nico, caught in the web of his own remorse, returned her gaze with a mixture of longing and regret.
The memory of Karina, the vibrant orange canary who had once filled his days with laughter, loomed over him like a shadow, a reminder of choices made and paths taken. Yet, as he stood there, the weight of his past actions pressed heavily upon his heart, urging him to reach out, to bridge the chasm that had formed between him and Lillian.
The flicker of hope that still resided within him whispered that perhaps, despite the distance and the pain, there was a chance for redemption, a chance to reclaim what had been lost.
"Listen I just wanted to…" Both of them spoke up at the same time.
"I need you to know…" They both responded to each other again. Before sharing a brief chuckle.
"Y-You go first." Lillian suggested that Nico should speak first.
"I don't blame you for breaking up with me Lillian. You really didn't deserve what I did to you." Nico stated the obvious, as he was sighing.
"I just…I don't understand how you couldn't have known that wasn't me?" Lillian replied with a saddened face. "She and I have different voices. She is an orange skin and feathered canary. I'm yellow. And not to mention that she is only half an inch taller than me."
"Karina whispered in my ear and she sounded a whole lot like you. And when I closed my eyes and fondled her, I thought I was fondling you." He answered her honestly, scratching the back of his head.
"Really? So…it wasn't intentional?" Lillian did sound hopeful. Because she really wanted to know wether his intentions were genuine or not.
"Of course not Lillian! I immediately regret everything that happened from that point, and I sincerely hope that you would one day be able to forgive me?" He sadly spoke and took one glance into her eyes.
In the stillness of that twilight hour, both canaries found themselves ensnared in a moment that felt both fleeting and eternal. The echoes of their shared laughter and whispered dreams lingered in the air, a haunting melody that tugged at their hearts.
They stood on the precipice of a decision, the weight of their past entwined with the promise of a future that remained uncertain.
Yet, deep within their souls, a flicker of desire ignited, a yearning to rediscover the love that had once flourished between them, to navigate the labyrinth of their emotions and emerge, hand in hand, into the light of a new dawn.
"Well…I guess I can't really blame you for all of that night. I should have understood your situation better." Lillian honestly answered, brushing her hair back behind her ear. "Plus…There is something else that I think you should know…"
"Was it that same night you had sex with RDJ?" Nico rose his eyebrow a little bit.
"Oh god…" She blushed uncontrollably a brightly coloured purple in embarrassment. "I'm sorry! I know he is your good friend and all but…"
"It's okay. I kinda deserved that one."
Both canaries shared a brief chuckle together, as Nico this time was only standing a mere five metres away from her.
She couldn't help but sigh heavily before rubbing her face with her hand. "Nico?"
"Yes Lilian?" Nico answered her with a straight face.
"I have to know. Did you…like her?" She innocently asked him.
Without even waiting another moment, he gracefully took hold of her hand lovingly. Gazing deeply into her bright emerald green eyes.
"I could never…Ever…like anyone the way that I love you." The canary man spoke with so much emotion and care. That it was enough to make her heart melt.
Once again realising how much she really missed him.
"I'm sorry for everything that happened Lillian. Please, could you ever forgive me?" He pleaded with a smooth looking smoulder on his face.
"Oh no…" Upon seeing him pull this smoulder…she instantly knew that she couldn't resist how sexy that look was on his face. And she had to turn away to avoid thinking about it.
"Come on…Pleaaaase? Baby bird…" He charmingly spoke and stood right next to her.
Truth be told, Lillian was really finding it difficult to resist his charm. Although, she needed to set a couple of ground roles for him to have her back in her life.
"Listen buster! If we are gonna do this? There has to be a few ground rules." Lillian remarked with a serious yet somewhat amused tone.
"Name them my love!"
"Rule number one, you and I are going to have date night twice a week without exceptions!"
"Done! Wednesday and Sunday good for you?" He suggested with a grin.
"Monday and Thursday works better. Rule number two, when you have your eyes closed and someone whispers in your ear, you must make eye contact with that individual before deciding what to do next." She stated a pretty obvious one, which did make Nico slightly embarrassed about that.
"Ahem…ummmm, noted! And?"
"Rule number three, promise that we will literally leave the past in the past. And we start rebuilding that trust again?" Lillian responded with a smile on her beak.
"Deal!" Nico stuck out his hand to shake with hers.
But she just smirked and rolled her eyes. "Come over here already!"
Nico chuckled and he instantly locked beaks with her in a loving embrace. As their tongues danced around each other's. Holding each other close whilst they stood on top of the bridge that was underneath the black canvas of the night sky that was filled with the gorgeous moon and shining stars.
Proving to be a very romantic setting.
"GUYS! GUYS!"
"Oooooh, now what?!" Nico very annoyed by the sudden yelling from a certain someone of who the two of them knew very well.
Taken completely by surprise as both of their best friends Sofia and Pedro were holding hands and running straight towards them.
"Guys? What are you doing here? We were kinda in the middle of…" Lillian was about to point out that she was just in the middle of getting back together with her boyfriend. Only to be interrupted by the cardinal duo.
"Yeah yeah yeah, we saw you guys kissing! Great job getting back together again!" Pedro clapped his hands a few times to show that he wasn't giving himself a moment to breathe. "Sof and I are now an item by the way!"
"W-What? W-W-When?!" Both canaries chorused at the same time.
"NO TIME! Where is RDJ?!" Pedro cut both of them off and proceeded to clap his hands together again. "We need to know where the dude is like, right the fuck now!"
"He's at his house tidying up, isn't he?" Nico responded whilst shrugging his shoulders. "We were all under the assumption that he was going to clean up? And he sent us our money back for the game."
"We checked there before coming here. All the lights are on and the doors are locked? There's nobody inside though, because I used the spare key to get in, but there's no sign of him." Pedro pointed out. "Even Iris couldn't find him."
"Iris?! She's here?! In Rio?!" Nico widened his eyes in surprise.
"Yeah? Didn't you know?"
"Who's Iris?" Lillian asked them in curiosity.
"RDJ's sister." Nico answered her question. "Why are you looking for RDJ all of a sudden?"
"Fred is on his way right now to meet Lila!" The cardinal man fearfully blurted out.
"WHAT?! WHY?!" Both canaries were horrified to learn such tragic events.
"We believe that Fred has blackmailed Lila into having sexual relations with him! But we need to find RDJ immediately! But we can't find him!"
"Well don't worry. I'm sure he couldn't have gone far. Now…you two are a thing?" Nico wanted to stop this conversation and talk about the cardinals or a minute.
"Yeah. I told Pedro how I felt. He reciprocated the same feelings. Now we are a couple!" Sofia held up his hand with hers and he kissed her on the cheek lovingly. Making her giggle as he rubbed her fingers.
"That's great to hear you guys! I am so happy for the both of you." Lillian beamed and gave her best friend a fist bump. "In fact, we have also decided to get back together."
"Great news! I knew that the two of you wouldn't end up back together! Even after when Lillian fucked the hell out of RDJ." Pedro brought up a really sensitive point. Earning him a slap from both women and Nico. "My bad…I deserve that!"
"So you do! Anyway, how about the two of you check anywhere along the beach. And Lillian and I will talk to Douglas to see if we can get a search going!" Nico made a suggestion, to which all three of them nodded in agreement. "Perfect! Now let's go! We have to find him. Before Fred decides to traumatise another woman in his life…"
Now Let's Head To Jacqueline And Jose…
"So that's why I came here! To find my brother." Iris was sat on Jose's couch drinking a cup of tea whilst talking to the couple. Who sat there very attentively, listening to the blue and gold macaw girl tell her story.
"So, you flew all the way here after a drunk phone call?" Jose asked with a surprised look on his face.
"More or less. I could tell that there was something wrong in his voice. Especially since he was meant to call our dad instead of me." Iris smiled and put her empty mug down on the table. "Anyway, I heard a lot has happened since I last saw you at the funeral. You're pregnant."
"Yep! We are expecting!" Jose proudly remarked and rubbed the mother of his baby to be's belly. "We are so thrilled!"
"Congratulations to the both of you! What about the sex?" She asked them with an innocent face.
"Oh the sex is great. She can ride me like the naughty cowgirl she…"
"I-I think she means the sex of the baby, honey!" Jacqueline blushed uncontrollably when hearing him go on like that. And after realising his mistake, his face turned just as purple as hers.
"Oh…Well, we don't know yet. But, we would like to have a girl!" Jose confirmed and wrapped an arm around the love of his life.
"That's great! So, do either of you know where RDJ is? I tried calling him again, but his phone has been either switched off or he's blocked me?" Iris responded with concern.
"What? RDJ hasn't even blocked Fred's number! And he tortures him a lot. And he always keeps his phone on. Something terrible must have happened!" Jacqueline was right on the money by suggesting that something clearly doesn't feel right.
"Fred still tortures him? God…I've always hated that guy! I know he's my half brother and everything, but I honestly hate his guts." The blue and gold macaw girl rolled her eyes. "What does he do now?"
"Honestly? We couldn't care less what Fred does. He's still surfing nowadays. But, he's lost all of his fans after all the trouble he caused last year." Jacqueline pointed out and crossed her arms. "If you ask me, he got off easy! Should have spent at least half a decade in prison."
"Haaaaa, unfortunately my older brother has always been like that. My husband doesn't like him either. Thinks he's a self absorbed narcissist who doesn't care about anyone but himself."
"Sounds about right! Was he like that growing up?"
"Unfortunately, yes. I left about two years before my mother passed away to go and help build houses in Cambodia! That's where I met Fernando, my husband." Iris smiled and adjusted her wedding ring. "He literally changed my life. Although, I do feel really bad for leaving my brother alone."
"He wasn't alone all the time. He had older girls Melissa and Keira looking after him until he turned 18. Then he started to take care of both of us." Jacqueline stated and smiled. "But I don't understand why you think he would be here?"
"I thought that you guys would know where my brother is?"
"I'm sorry, we haven't seen or heard of him since Jose left his house a few hours ago from their poker night." The blue spix's girl with violet eyes replied. "I can try and call him?"
Jacqueline luckily had her best friend on speed dial, and once she called him…it went straight to voicemail.
"It went straight to voicemail? He never ignores my calls!" Jacqueline was very confused by this.
"Let me try." The green armed man tried calling him also. But once again, no matter how many times he redialled…voicemail voicemail voicemail. "All three attempts went straight to voicemail?"
"This is bad! This so so bad! Is he okay?! Is he hurt?! YOU THINK HE MIGHT BE DEAD?!" Jacqueline was seriously freaking out due to her pregnancy hormones, and Jose managed to reassure her.
"Woah woah woah honey! Breathe…Breathe…Try not to stress out or stress the baby out. Take some deep breaths." Jose hummed in her face and did some slow deep breaths with her like they learned in Lamaze class.
"Haaaaaa…Haaaaaaaa…Hooooooo…Okay. I'm okay…" After calming down, she realised that she needed to pee again. "Oops! The baby is using my bladder as a squeeze toy." She got up and waddled over to the downstairs bathroom.
"So you guys really don't know where he is?" Iris asked again, worried about her brother still.
"I'm sorry Iris. I genuinely thought that he would still be at the house. You know what? Samantha offered to come over and keep an eye on Jacqueline for a couple of hours. I can help you find him?"
"Thanks Jose. I really appreciate it!"
"You're welcome! And besides…he couldn't have gone far in his state. Let's just hope he's okay…"
Ooooh boy…Things are about to heat up even more! Firstly, Sofia has finally confessed her love for Pedro and vice versa! Now they are finally a couple, and are completely in love! Nico and Lillian have finally set aside their differences and have rekindled their own relationship! Happy days! But on a more serious note…Iris is searching for her brother, and the majority of the others have found out Fred is about to potentially sleep with the girl he wanted to sleep with since the day he met her…just to do it to spite his little brother! So how will they go about the situation? What will RDJ and Carlos do to get out of their dangerous situation? And what will RDJ decide to do if he does get out of the situation? So much more to look forward to! As the chapters begin to heat up…and the drama/action will only increase! See you all soon for the next chapter!