Chapter 22: What's Happening to Her
Hannah walked into the huge library, its towering shelves filled with countless books. Her expression remained calm, even serene, until her eyes landed on her target: Stephen. Stephen was engrossed in a book, a soft smile playing on her lips as she read, completely absorbed.
"Where's the party happening?" Hannah's voice cut through the quiet. Her eyes, usually so expressive, were narrowed now, yearning for an answer, her whole demeanor radiating a scary impatience.
Stephen's brow furrowed. She gently placed the book by her side and looked up at Hannah, who stood there, an unyielding question in her gaze.
"NK rented a house," Stephen began, feeling a familiar tension tighten in her chest. "But I don't have the address yet. He said he'd text it closer to the date." She watched Hannah's face for a reaction, bracing herself.
Hannah just looked at her, a muscle ticking in her jaw. The silence stretched, heavy with Hannah's unspoken annoyance.
Stephen tried to lighten the mood, a hopeful smile flickering. "My birthday is tomorrow, actually. Do you want to maybe do something together?"
Hannah nodded slightly, but her eyes were still distant, consumed by her own agenda. "Yeah, sure. Just... get the address." Then, with a curt nod, she turned and walked away, an unmistakable wave of annoyance trailing behind her.
The next morning, Stephen woke up. It was her birthday. She happily reached for her phone, a tiny spark of excitement and anticipation in her chest, checking for messages. Specifically, she hoped for one from Hannah. But she saw nothing. The screen remained blank of any well-wishes from her supposed ally.
Stephen yawned gently, the disappointment a dull ache. She placed her phone by the side of the pillow, the hopeful expectation now deflating.
She stood up and padded towards her bathroom. Her bedroom was vast, with a king-sized bed dominating the center, leading into a sprawling closet room. The walls were painted a stark white, but they weren't bare; instead, they were adorned with intricate, almost fantastical pictures of lizards and powerful dragons. In front of her bed, a huge, vibrant painting depicted Stephen herself, younger, with a soft smile, cradling her pet lizard. It was a stark contrast to the person she was becoming.
Stephen picked up her toothbrush and gently brushed her teeth, still half-expecting a "Happy Birthday" notification to pop up. Nothing. She quickly washed up, then headed into her walk-in closet. One side was filled with a surprising array of baggy, comfortable clothes – a stark contrast to the designer outfits she'd worn recently. The other side held a collection of more feminine dresses, a reflection of her more recent, polished persona.
She murmured to herself, a quiet sigh escaping her lips, as she picked out a soft pink dress. She turned to the mirror by her left, studying her reflection. Her hair, which had been lighter, was now a deeper brown, a subtle but noticeable change from the "Eleanor" Ria knew.
She put on the dress, then lazily flopped back onto her bed. It was a weekend, so no school, no immediate demands. Stephen just scrolled through her phone, listlessly, until a new message popped up.
It was from Ria.
Message from Ria: Hi Stephen, do you wanna hang out together, just the both of us, in the park?
Stephen looked at the message again. "There's nothing for me to do," she thought, a sense of aimlessness settling over her. For less than a second, she considered declining, then replied.
"Yeah, sure."
Miles away, Ria happily got up from her bed, a genuine smile spreading across her face as she read Stephen's message. "Okay, I'll send you the address," Ria replied excitedly.
"I'm really glad that you were down to hang," Ria said, her smile warm as she looked at Stephen, who gently blushed, inhaling the fresh, beautiful air of the park.
The park was expansive and vibrant, filled with blooming flowers, a winding river, playful dogs, and people happily feeding pigeons. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the beautiful weather.
Ria gently smiled at Stephen. "You're quite the social butterfly these days." She glanced at Stephen, who sighed, a strange finality in the sound.
"Yeah, it's been a weird year," Stephen admitted, the words heavy with unspoken burdens. Ria smiled, her eyes kind, as she looked at her.
"Ding!" A notification dropped on Stephen's phone.
It was from Hannah.
From Hannah: Where are you? I couldn't find you today. Hellooooooo, call mE! Where are you, Stephen? Why are you not replying?
Stephen just glanced at her phone, an unmistakable wave of annoyance washing over her. She knew Hannah was probably frantic about the party address, not her birthday. Ria, noticing the sudden shift in Stephen's expression, looked at her curiously.
"Hey, are you okay? What's going on?" Ria asked, her voice soft with concern.
Stephen switched off her phone, the screen going dark, and looked at Ria. She tried to compose her features, not wanting to show the raw sadness swirling inside. "I feel like I'm being eaten alive, from the inside, actually."
She said this as they both walked towards where the pigeons were pecking at breadcrumbs on the ground.
Stephen looked at Ria, her gaze distant. "Have you ever looked around and just thought, 'How did I get here'?"
Ria gently smiled, pushing a strand of hair back from her face. "Yes, all the time."
"You run with a pretty intense crowd these days," Ria observed as they walked together, the gentle rhythm of their steps contrasting with the turmoil in Stephen's mind.
"It's as surprising to me as it is to you," Stephen confessed, still amazed by the complete overhaul of her personality and social circle, a direct consequence of that damning article and the fallout from it.
Ria glanced at Stephen, her eyes taking in the details. "You've also gone through some changes. New fits, that brown hair..."
Stephen just looked at her, speechless for a moment.
"It's rad, don't get me wrong," Ria quickly assured her, sensing Stephen's hesitation. Then, her voice lowered a little, becoming more earnest. "But I'm still here for the Eleanor I met on the first day of school."
Stephen's eyes lowered, a flicker of something vulnerable crossing her face as she looked at Ria.
Ria smiled at her, her green eyes looking at her enthusiastically. "I think she's really something," Ria whispered, her gaze unwavering.
Stephen took a breath, then looked at Ria confidently, her voice firm. "I'm sorry. The old Stephen can't come to the phone right now."
Ria looked at her with a questioning look. "Why?"
Stephen's gaze hardened, a shield coming up. "She's dead!"
Then Stephen sat on a pavement, and Ria sat gently beside her.
Ria smiled gently. "Nah, but all this shit... is just armor."
Stephen looked at her curiously, intrigued. Ria met her gaze. "You know? Like here, mine is seeming incredibly secure of myself." Ria's voice softened, an obvious truth in her words. "When in reality, my whole 'I-don't-give-a-shit' thing is just a front so no one can tell I actually care so much. Seriously."
Stephen looked at her with a more understanding expression, her own voice lowered, filled with a newfound appreciation. "I really like you." Ria looked at her silently, her eyes saying everything.
"I want to tell you everything," Stephen said, her voice low but steady, as she gently pushed a stray piece of Ria's hair behind her ear.
Ria smiled, a hint of a knowing curve to her lips. "I really like you too." Before Stephen could comment further, Ria leaned in, placing her lips on Stephen's, kissing her gently, slowly, and steadily.