It was strange when Cora was the one moving conversation along, usually it would be Belle not leaving a minute of silence when they meet, but now all the pressure feel on Cora’s shoulders and for once Cora was not going to buckle under the force. This was the least she could do for her friend, for Belle. Once they reached home and headed inside, Cora couldn’t help but let out a small sigh, even though her plants and the state of her place was abysmal, a sense of calmness washed over her, the familiarity of her apartment was all she needed to feel more like herself again.
“Sorry it is such a mess,” Cora said, when she spotted Belle looking around. Picking up things, she threw them into the storage closet, clearing some place where they can sit in peace. They were only few times were Cora was ashamed of her place, and this was one of them. Hearing Belle’s question, she immediately shook her head and walked over to her side. “No, no, I’m fine thank you. You just sit and talk, get everything that’s in your head and heart out, that’s all I need you to do.” Even though, Cora may have been less involved in their personal lives, or unable to relate to exactly what Belle was going through, she understood heartbreak, that was small piece of the big picture, but it was something.
“But, if you don’t feel like talking right away, that is also fine, I’m not going to force you into anything,” she said assuring her friend. Cora was not the one to pry anyway. Walking back into her kitchen, Cora rummaged around for some chocolate. “I’ve seen in the movies that ice cream and pizza seem to be the comfort food, but sadly, I only have tea and chocolate, we can order pizza if that’s also your comfort food.”
When Cora apologized about the mess around her apartment, Belle was quick to raise her hands and shake her head to dismiss her friend. “Gosh, no! Don’t worry about that, I’m not here to judge you -- thing have been... weird and we can only do so much.” Which wasn’t far from the truth, even if it was unusual to see Cora of all people being messy. She had cared for Oliver’s downwards weeks enough times to know when a place had to wait for it’s time to shine, that sometimes you could no nothing but throw the trash on the floor and head to bed instead. Hell, even she had been like that once when the alcohol had gotten the better of her, barely making it through work as the company around her sent her through fits of anxiety. It couldn’t be helped.
Belle held her tongue as Cora rushed around, suddenly discussing comfort food, as it gave her time to ponder on what she would dare to share with Cora and what was best left unsaid. How much did Cora actually know about her past, by the way? Her fear of men and long it had taken her to finally find someone that gave her a sense of trust and comfort, only to throw it all under the bus due to some blurry reasons he now refused to explain? Ugh, it made her head hurt. “That’s really nice of you, Cora, but not necessary. Unless you want to watch a movie later? I think we could do with a well deserved break after this, just kick back and forget about the world around us!” She smiled over, supporting her chin inside the palm of her head as she kept following Cora with her deep, brown eyes.
“I also... don’t really know where to start with the rest of it. Most of all I just want to punch something and hope everything else I feel follow with it, but it’s never that easy.” She shook her head, moving herself back into a seated position and crossed her arms. “I think the worst thing of all would be the, you know, lies. I don’t want you, him or anyone else I hold close to feel like you need to lie to me about harsh subjects. Not when we can talk it through and solve it together. I told him this would happen, asked him to tell me -- alongside a few others -- if that asshat came back and yet he didn’t.” She snorted, a hint of annoyance weaved into her words. “It stings, Cora. He hurt not just me, but also you.”