Chapter 9 - Tomorrow is a new day...

It was impossible to compare who was more devastated that night, whether it was Mikaella or Leona.

Mikaella knew her reasons for being devastated, but what about Leona? What was the reason for such sadness?

"Léo... what happened to you?" Mikaella asked, staring at her friend, who was lost in her thoughts with a melancholic look.

Leona slowly lifted her gaze to meet her friend's eyes.

"It was nothing, Mi... I'm just a bit tired."

Mikaella examined her friend closely.

"You still haven't told me why you showed up at Tina's house so suddenly."

"I... I... came to see you. I thought you might need to talk," Leona replied.

"Hmm... isn't it you who needs to talk, Léo? Tell me the truth, who were you looking for? Me or Betina?"

Leona blushed immediately. She couldn't confirm or deny anything in that situation.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me now, Léo. I imagine everything is a mess in your head... And the worst part is that it's all my fault and my big mouth."

"No, my friend, you're not to blame for what's happening... I'm just too confused. I think I'll go to sleep for a while," Leona said.

"Alright, my friend. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Leona replied as she walked towards the bedroom.

And there was Mikaella, alone again.

She didn't have the courage to return to the apartment, not at that moment. Betina would surely be there when she arrived, or worse, her father could be, and she wasn't ready to face them yet.

She felt completely alone now. She used to have Betina, she had lost her mother, her boyfriend.

But before, she had her best friend, and now... she had nothing. Not that she didn't consider Leona, on the contrary, they were great friends, always there for each other. But she had met Leona in college, and Betina hadn't. Betina was her sister from birth; they were soulmates. But now her soulmate had broken one of the most important rules between them.

She had become involved with her family, specifically, with her father. Her father was a proud, chauvinistic, dictatorial man, but he was her father, and parents were sacred.

She wouldn't return to the apartment now; she would look for another one at dawn. She would also look for a job, as she was now at a crossroads. She didn't want to talk to Betina at the moment, not after all that confusion. She needed some time, needed to clear her head, but her bills wouldn't wait. She had no intention of returning to the office. Working at the café where Betina worked was no longer an option.

She needed a new chapter in her life, something that would give her a new reason to wake up every day.

***

Mikaella woke up with a thirst to fulfill her dreams, and all she wanted was to be able to talk about it with Betina, but with the recent events, she couldn't ask for a truce.

"Good morning," Leona said, stretching as she walked to the living room.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Did you sleep well?" Mikaella asked.

Leona rolled her eyes. "I tossed and turned all night, but eventually, exhaustion got the best of me."

"And you? Did you manage to rest after last night?" Mikaella inquired.

Mikaella took a deep breath. "Oh, I don't know if I'll ever get over last night," she commented.

"What about Betina? Have you talked to her? She sent a thousand messages to my phone."

"No, since she decided to sleep with my father and my brother, she must have realized the consequences of that situation."

"I know Leona messed up, and her actions are unforgivable, but can't you at least talk? You can listen to her side, try to find out what really happened, and if it did happen, you need to know if there are any deeper feelings between your father and her. Maybe it wasn't exactly as you imagine?"

Leona added, and Mikaella looked at her suspiciously. "Do you know something about what happened?"

Leona averted her gaze. "All I know is that you and Betina are the best friends I've ever seen in this world. That woman can't live without you, and neither can you without her. You need each other to face the problems. I've always tried to be one of you, but it's impossible because this friendship, this love between you two is unique, and I can't compete."

Mikaella lowered her gaze. "I know my father was never faithful to my mother, but still, he's my father, Leo. Could she at least keep her legs closed for my father?"

"And I'm hearing this from the girl who got together with her best friend's boyfriend," Leona retorted.

Mikaella rolled her eyes. "Oh no, Leo, that's just going too far. Julio wasn't her boyfriend; they only hooked up once."

"That's what she told you, Mi."

Mikaella furrowed her brow. "What do you mean, that's what she told me? Is there something else I should know?"

Leona shrugged. "Oh, you know what? Screw it. She asked me to keep it a secret, but if I have to spill the beans for you to start talking again, fine. Betina didn't actually break up with Julio. In fact, they had a big fight, and nothing was completely resolved. They weren't just casual flings; it wasn't just a fling. She was falling for him, and he was falling for her. He even proposed to her, and Betina got cold feet and turned down the proposal."

"So they stayed apart for many months. He was the guy she kept talking about but didn't mention the name."

Mikaella listened attentively and felt like a traitor. "But how come she didn't tell me? And how did she let me hit on her ex?"

"Friend, you had just lost your mother, you were vulnerable and lost. Besides, she was confused about whether to get married or not, and since you're her best friend, she didn't want to ruin your first moment of happiness, even if it meant being unhappy herself. Plus, when she turned down the proposal, Julio left, and he stayed away all these months. That day at the café, he had gone to talk to her, but she said she wasn't ready to get married... and that's when he met you. Betina always said, and I have to agree, that after a guy gets to know you, he doesn't see anyone else."