Unbroken August

Friends Again

As August walked into the studio, she felt all eyes on her. The surrounding murmuring was palpable, but she held her head high, determined to ignore the whispers. She scanned the room, searching for Beau and Lili. Finally, she spotted them in a corner, talking and laughing with Karina.

Approaching them, August's heart sank. Memories flooded back of the times they had shared before Becky had come between them. She felt a lump form in her throat as she approached her former friends.

"What are you doing here?" Beau's voice was accusatory as she stood up, her expression hostile.

Lili, too, stood up, her eyes filled with anger. "Why are you here?" she demanded.

August looked around, noticing the suspicious glances from everyone in the room. She felt a pang of hurt and betrayal. Why did no one believe her?

She approached Beau and Lili, their stares piercing through her. Lili's question lingered in the air, and August's hand flew across Lili's face with a sharp slap. Lili staggered back, her hand instinctively rising to her cheek in shock.

"What's wrong with you?" Beau asked, stepping forward to confront August, but before she could say anything, August slapped her, the sound echoing in the room.

Turning to the onlookers, August's voice was firm. "What are you all looking at? Get back to work!" she commanded, and slowly, the crowd dispersed.

Taking a deep breath, August turned back to Beau and Lili, her eyes filled with hurt and anger. "I just found out something," she began, her voice trembling with emotion. "Guess what I found out? I found out that you two distanced yourselves from me because I supposedly took your work and gave it to Becky."

Beau started to protest, "Well, didn't you?" She half-screamed, but August's laugh cut through the tension.

"I don't expect anything from anyone but the both of you. I expected you both to believe me. You know what I can do. If I wanted your work, why would I give it to Becky instead of doing it myself?" August's voice was filled with frustration.

She continued, her voice softer now but filled with pain. "Besides, even if I wanted to do it, I was going through depression after my mother's death. I fully recovered about three months ago. When was your runway walk, Beau? It was two months after my mother passed away. Lili, your show was four months after my mother passed away. And you, Karina, don't give me that look because I held my mom's photo without moving an inch from her room for one full month after she died. I could never have jeopardized anything for you."

Tears welled up in August's eyes as she looked at her friends. "I needed you girls, but you were never there for me. I asked Becky multiple times to ask you both over, but you were so busy trying to keep your careers because my mom is no longer there to support you. That's what she told me you both said, but I knew instantly that you would never say that to me. You can only say that if I have hurt you so deeply. Do you know how many nights I stayed up thinking about what I did to hurt you?"

Beau and Lili looked at each other, realization dawning on their faces. They stood up, each taking one of August's hands. "We tried to see you several times, but Becky told us you didn't want to see us until we gave up the shows your mom arranged for us. We gave them up, but the one we got ourselves, she still told the director that you asked for us to be canceled and to give the show to her. We couldn't reach you directly, and she was the only one with access to your house," Beau explained, tears streaming down her face.

"We are sorry, August," Lili added, her voice filled with regret.

The three of them hugged, their tears mingling. Karina, who had been quiet throughout, stood up, ready to leave. August stopped her.

"Wait," she said, her voice soft but firm. "I need your help, all of you."

"I am not hooking you up with my brother," Karina said immediately.

"I have no intention of getting together with your brother. I want to kill him," August stated bluntly. "Even if we do become friends, I will still do that. So, I want to see you not as his sister, but as you."

"What's going on?" Lili asked, confused.

"Nothing," August and Karina said in unison.

As August stood there, surrounded by her friends, she took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. She knew she needed to be honest with them, to lay everything out in the open.

"Guys, there's something I need to tell you," August began, her voice steady. "My mom, she... she left the studio to me."

Beau and Lili exchanged surprised glances, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief. "Wait, your mom was the owner of the studio?" Beau asked, her voice filled with incredulity.

August nodded, her eyes misting over with tears. "Yes, she was. And now, it's up to me to keep it running, to revive it."

Karina, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. "But why didn't you tell us before?"

August sighed. "I wanted to, but I didn't know how you guys would react. And with everything that's been going on..."

Lili stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on August's shoulder. "We understand, August. We're here for you, no matter what."

Beau nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we've got your back. We'll help you however we can."

August felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. "Thank you, guys. It means a lot to me."

She then turned to the topic of Becky. "I also want to ask you all not to treat Becky differently because of this, and you all also have to treat me like you usually do", she said

Beau and Lili exchanged uncertain glances, but eventually nodded in agreement. "Okay, August. We'll try," Beau said, her voice hesitant.

August smiled gratefully. "Thank you, all of you. I couldn't do this without you."

As they parted ways, August felt a sense of relief. She had finally opened up to her friends, and she knew that with their support, she could face whatever challenges lay ahead.