The Variations by Jones M (iphone ebook reader TXT) 📕

Kate's nerves got the better of her when she realized she was talking to Alex. Just like she had done with Chris, Kate had been avoiding him. It was much easier for her to do so because his classes were in another building on the campus grounds. She could even count the number of times she saw him in every semester so far, and they were usually at the college parties.

It made her wonder why he wanted to speak to her.

"I talked to Chris," he said, and that had Kate confused. "He mentioned you and what had happened in high school."

'Oh,' Kate thought. It dawned on her that he knew what she had told Chris.

"I can't believe he told you," she complained.

"We're friends. Of course, he did," Alex said with a smile that lasted a second. "I hope you're still not bugging yourself with it."

"It's not that easy, Alex," she decided to be honest.

"But it should be," he told her. 

Marie sighed. "It doesn't change anything. A part of me still feels responsible for everything."

Alex went to say something, but he decided to keep quiet.

"What?" she inquired.

"You are right," he replied. "I can't lie and say you did nothing wrong. Even I am responsible for it, whether we like it or not."

Kate sighed, letting Alex's words dawn on her.

"I won't go through some of the stuff that I know you talked with Chris. Yes, shit happened when we were still teenagers. Yes, we did nothing to stop it. But Kate, we were teenagers at that time. We were still kids."

"But we could have done something to stop it."

Alex sighed.

"We were all cowards. Tell me, Kate, would you have stood up to Darcy?"

Kate hesitated to answer.

"No, and I would have done the same thing," he answered for her. "You and I know the kind of hell she could have brought onto us." 

Alex shuddered.

"But on a serious note, why are you still bothering yourself with it?" he asked, puzzled. Kate's expression showed she was surprised by the question.

"It happened years ago, Kate," he continued, not giving her a chance to speak. "Do you think that anyone we know is bothering themselves with it?"

"Alex--"

"The answer is no. No one is bothering themselves with it. Don't you remember what happened after the whole incident with Emma?"

Kate was unsure of how to reply.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot you were at the hospital. I'm surprised it took you a lot of time to recover," he said, and she tensed. She hoped he wouldn't ask about that.

"But anyway, things changed. The school was in the center of the media's attention that lasted for months. You know how that ended."

Kate remembered reading that on the news.  People found out about the bullying and how ignorant the teachers were towards it. The students had already begun transferring to other schools, and that was before the learning institution got shut down.

"No one wants to remember the events of that day. No one wants to associate themselves with it. We all want a fresh start, just like you, Chris and me. That's why I'm studying here in the first place."

"So, yes. There is no one to blame but everyone who was there. We all played a part in it, and we did nothing to stop it. It's our fault as much as it is yours. So, let it go."

"I understand, Alex," she said. "But don't you hate me? I mean, I was there when Darcy started bullying everyone in high school."

"To be honest, I did. So did Chris."

Kate nodded, not feeling surprised by the answer.

"But we watched you, and you helped us figure that we couldn't hate you anymore."

"Huh?" Kate replied. "How? I don't understand."

"You showed us a side of you we didn't know exists. At first, we thought you would be a bitch like Darcy."

"What?" Kate screeched, taking offense.

"But you proved you are actually a nice person. Also, it is pointless to hold a grudge against someone who barely understood what was happening in the past. You do remember how you were in the past, right?"

"How could I forget?" Kate drawled out. Alex smiled at that.

"My main point is that we are in college now, and college means new beginnings. We are preparing ourselves for what the future has in store for us. Keeping ourselves stuck in the past will make that impossible. So I'm asking you again, Kate, to stop thinking about it. It was solved a long time ago. Do not let it define the last years of college that you have here."

Marie's heart swelled with every word that came from Alex's mouth. She had not known him to be quite a motivational speaker. 

"You are right, Alex," Marie said, and he smiled. "Chris kind of told me the same thing. But it's just that seeing the two of you here..."

She sighed before saying: "I worried that you guys would come after me. I know it may feel too late to ask this, but do you forgive me for all--"

"There is nothing to forgive," Alex cut her off, making her frown.

"But you guys were bullied, and that incident--"

She was cut off by a hug from him. She released a sigh as she relaxed in his hold, already knowing the answer to her question. 

"You didn't have a role in all of that, even though you were friends with Darcy. I have nothing to hold against you, so there is no need to apologize," Alex said, and Marie sighed in relief.

"Well then, it's been great," he said with a grin, ending the hug with a pat on her back. "I knew I had to see you. I'm glad we had this talk."

"Me too," Kate replied.

"Now if you will excuse me, I have a class to go to. Catch you later?"

"Sure," Marie replied with a smile. Neither of them made a move to exit the room.

"Aren't you going out?" she asked, confused. Alex grinned.

"This is my class," he said just as a girl entered the room. She turned, spotting the two of them, and that had her eyes widening in surprise.

"Oh. Okay," Kate blushed, rushing to leave the class. 

She walked on the hallway floors, feeling lighter after the chat with Alex. For a moment, she had no idea of where to head to next. Then she remembered her group project with Chris, and that had her turning towards the direction of the library.

It took her a couple of minutes to reach her destination, and it took her another one to settle at her usually secluded spot.

Well, it had been secluded at one point. Chris had started occupying the space ever since he had been assigned to do the project with her. Kate had been wary at the beginning, but as time passed, she found herself growing fond of him.

"Hey!" he greeted, and Marie replied with a bored look.

"What?"

"Why didn't you tell me that Alex wanted to talk to me?" she said as she occupied her seat in front of him.

Chris was surprised. "Already? Wow. I didn't expect that."

"Chris!" Kate chastised him.

"Okay, okay," he said. "He told me he wanted to see you. I thought it would be today, and so I didn't tell you anything in case you planned to avoid him again."

Marie kept giving Chris her bored look.

"Why? Did he flirt with you? Did he touch you inappropriately?"

Kate rolled her eyes at him. "I have known that friend of yours since high school. Believe me when I say I am not interested."

Chris looked more confused.

"Really? Did you notice the hair? The eyes? His muscular form?"

Marie eyed him with doubt in her eyes.

"Are you sure you are not gay for your friend?" she questioned, and the look Chris gave her in reply made her want to laugh.

"Kate, did he try anything?" Chris asked again.

"No, Chris, he didn't. We got to talk about stuff."

"Do you regret having seen him?"

Marie took her time to reply. "Actually, no. He helped me see the past in a way I hadn't before. I am glad about it."

"What did he tell you exactly?" Chris asked.

"Something about letting go of the past," she answered. "And Chris, do you forgive me for bullying you in high school?"

Chris looked at her as if she had asked a stupid question.

"I am over it. I forgive you. Didn't you get this after the talk we had on that party?"

Kate grinned. Then she turned her attention to the project they had to do.

The days passed like a chicken laying an egg. Before anyone could tell, the month of October had reached.

Marie was among those who were taken aback by how fast time had flown. At the pace things were going, she wouldn't be surprised if she found herself graduating.

Anyway, something important had happened in the weeks that had passed. Kate had cleared the air between her, Alex and Chris. It was a big deal because it meant the end of the silence that had lasted between them. It made things easier for Marie since she could approach them without having to ignore them.

Moreover, the assignment that she had to do with Chris had brought them closer. Marie had not expected a friendship to grow out of that, but it did. They got to know each other, and they liked what they found out. 

It had definitely been a weird month for Kate.

"So, class, this..." Marie zoned out of her lecture once again. It had been something that had been taught before, so she saw there was no need to listen to it. She turned her head to the left, spotting Chris focused on something below him. Kate looked down, and that was when she saw the phone he was using.

"Are you looking at my texts?" Chris asked, and Marie was amazed he could see her. His eyes were zeroed in on his phone, so it was confusing to comprehend how he had spotted her.

"No," she replied. "Wait. You're texting? I couldn't tell from the slow movements of your fingers."

Marie spotted Chris smiling, and she wondered whether it was from the notification ping that had sounded from his phone or from her words.

Minutes later, the class ended.

"Kate! Chris! May I have a word?" the professor said.

"Crap," Chris muttered under his voice, and it made Marie smile. The two of them made their way to the lecturer.

"How is your project coming along?"

"It's going great, Mr. Bernard. We have already designed the plot for the film. At the moment, we are focusing on the characters and elements of the story."

"Well, that is very good," Mr. Bernard replied in amazement. "You didn't beat about the bush with the story. Just remember to keep it interesting and not a cliché, okay?"

"Of course," Kate replied. The professor nodded, allowing the two of them to leave the room.

"What are you up to this afternoon?" Chris asked Marie as they made their way out.

"Nothing much, really," Kate replied. "I was thinking of getting something to eat before I go back to my dorm to watch a movie."

"I was just about to ask you out to lunch," Chris explained, and Kate stopped and stared at him with wide eyes.

Her friend's eyes widened in recognition, realizing how he had said that statement.

"Oh, no! Not like that."

"You don't think I'm pretty?" Kate decided to play with him.

"It's not that," Chris replied, looking really concerned.

"Relax, Chris. I was just playing with you," she said, grinning at