Chapter 181 To Go Forward (2/2)

”DO NOT LIE TO ME,” Beatrice said through clenched teeth, glaring at her, effectively shutting Betty up. Betty lay there, her mouth hanging open as she stared uncomprehendingly at Beatrice's angry and flushed face.

She had never, truly seen Beatrice angry before.

Sure, Beatrice had gotten angry before but not like this. This ... was like a raging volcano in its first stages of an eruption. Betty gulped.

”I -” she began, when Beatrice cut her off.

”Do you, or do you not, love Sam?” Beatrice asked, not breaking eye contact with her. Beatrice could see how red Betty's eyes were and that it was slightly swollen from having cried for so long.

Betty gulped again and she opened her mouth to lie when Beatrice, as if knowing that she was, said, ”If you lie to me one more time, we're through.”

Betty bit her lower lips so hard that she drew blood. Beatrice's question was the most difficult thing to answer. She couldn't lie now and she knew that Beatrice knew, and that Beatrice wanted to hear it from her own lips.

Lowering her gaze, Betty softly answered, ”Yes.”

She shut her eyes hard when she heard Beatrice get down from the bed and come over to her. She was prepared for this.

She felt Beatrice's hands grip her shoulders hard and she winced. Not from the pain, but from the fear of what Beatrice was going to do. She didn't blame Beatrice in any way, however, so she lay there quietly and accepted what it was that Beatrice was going to do.

What she didn't expect was Beatrice to grip her in a fierce hug. Beatrice brought Betty up into a sitting position and just hugged her tight.

”It must have been so hard on you, Betty. I am sorry,” Beatrice whispered, her voice shaking.

That did it. Betty wailed and said between sobs, ”No ... I'm sorry ... I ... (sob sob) ... I am bad ... you”

Beatrice put her finger on Betty's lips, shaking her head.

”Shut up and listen. Listen very, very carefully, okay?” Beatrice said while looking at her deep in the eyes.

Betty nodded, completely obedient.

”WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID?!” Beatrice roared, scaring Betty so badly that she jumped in shock.

Beatrice had her hands around her shoulders at this point and started shaking Betty gently. Still, Betty was so shocked that even though Beatrice didn't shake her hard, her head was bobbing up and down like a broken doll.

”He loves you and you love him, so why?! Why?! Did you think this would make me happy? Did you think you sacrificing your feelings for me is what I want? Did you think I wouldn't want you to be happy?!” Beatrice scolded her harshly, her own face now wet with tears.

Beatrice stopped shaking Betty and Betty looked at Beatrice who was crying silently. With a voice full of pain, Beatrice asked softly, ”Did you think that I'm such a petty person that I would resent this happiness for you?”

Betty's mind was numb.

She never considered this.

She had been so caught up in dealing with the intense guilt that was eating up at her for her growing feelings for Sam that she never considered this point. She never took into consideration Beatrice's personality.

Betty felt ashamed.

Beatrice was right. She was stupid. A stupid fool.

She should have come clean with Beatrice from the start. They could have discussed this properly. Was it inevitable that they fall for the same guy? Was their friendship so shallow that it would have been broken by it?

Betty hung her head low. ”I'm sorry,” she whispered, feeling truly remorseful.

She looked up at Beatrice, ”I'm sorry for being such a stupid friend. I'm sorry for not trusting our friendship more. I'm sorry for not telling you.”

She sniffed and Beatrice nodded, satisfied.

”I do love Sam,” Beatrice said, ”But it's clear that he loves you. I can't force him to love me and it's unlikely that he ever will.”

When she saw that Betty was still going to say something stupid about that, Beatrice shook her head and closed Betty's mouth, while saying, ”Also, do you honestly think I would want to chase after a guy who has feelings for someone who likes him back?! Does that even make any sense?”

Betty blinked. Again, something she didn't think through.

It was at this moment, that a pivotal change happened to Betty.

A good change, mind you.

Betty had always been the impulsive type - the type that acted first without truly thinking things through. She always had Beatrice to back her up but this time, Betty realised for the first time that such impulsive and unthinking behavior can be detrimental.

It didn't mean that she stopped acting first, think later - but certainly, she was more cautious.

”But what do I do now?” whimpered Betty, ”I hurt him so badly.”

”Yes, yes you did,” agreed Beatrice, which made her more dejected.

”Now, you're just going to have to win him back,” Beatrice said firmly.