There wasn’t much to show Nina around in the greenhouse if one really thought about it. Surprisingly, though, Cassandra had a lot to share because each corner of this place was full of mories.
"Call bad, but I hated Finn for a while," she confessed, chuckling as she stopped in front of the small tree in the corner. "But what I hate the most is when soone ntions our engagent. I felt shaful every ti I was reminded of our arrangent, and I ended up venting it to him."
Cassandra smiled, glancing at Nina as she stood next to her. "It took a while before I realized that I wasn’t the only one being forced into that engagent. And he didn’t deserve how I treated him, but in the end, he didn’t hate for it."
"...?" Nina pursed her lips into a thin line, studying Cassandra’s expression. "Why are you telling this?"
Cassandra shrugged. "Honestly? I don’t know, but I feel like I should tell you this."
"Cassandra, if you haven’t heard, Finn and I broke up so ti ago," Nina’s voice was shallow, trying to force a smile. "So, even if I hear all of this... I don’t need it. No offense."
"None taken... and I know you two broke up. How? Because when you did, the first thing that ca to his mind was to see ."
"Oh."
"For a therapy, of course. Haha. And yet, even though you two broke up, you still take care of him," Cassandra comnted, peeling her eyes from Nina, whose brows rose in surprise.
"How did you..."
"How did I find out?" Cassandra gave Nina a knowing look, smirking at her. "I know quite a few things. Finn and I are technically exes, so whether or not I want to, I had to."
"Did his parents ntion it to you?"
"They did, and they told you’re taking care of him. There’s no need for them to look after him because they aren’t doctors." Cassandra snapped her eyes at the small tree in front of them. "I know it sounds irresponsible of them. After all, their one and only son was in a coma. How could they not stop working?"
Nina pressed her lips together, guilty of having that sa thought, as she also considered it unfair for Finn.
"Before, I would’ve thought the sa thing. But now, not that I’m trying to justify them. I still think it’s irresponsible, but at the end of the day, we’re all different. His parents wouldn’t stay with him and take care of him. Like they said, they weren’t doctors, and they were scared that soone so inexperienced in taking care of soone would only worsen his condition," Cassandra cast Nina another look. "So instead of filling themselves with dread, they worked just to make sure they could afford the best dical care their son needed."
"Uh..." Nina shook her head, biting her tongue to keep her opinion to herself.
"You don’t think so, do you?"
Nina pressed her lips into a thin line, shaking her head. "I think it’s a little... convoluted. It sounds to like they were simply turning away from the more complicated side of parenthood."
"I know, but the human mind is hard to change. We tell ourselves what makes us feel better, even if things are wrong," Cassandra whispered, her eyes back on the tree. "People do that so much that, in a sense, it starts to make sense as well."
"I’m saying this because Finn is also like that, Nina," she continued, her eyes softening. "He and I... we were raised with that ntality."
Slowly, she set her eyes back on Nina. "That’s why I understand why he loves you. You’re pretty."
"Haha..." Nina laughed, massaging her neck a little. "If my face is the reason he fell for , then I’d rather not have that love anymore."
"Haha. I’m not talking about your face," Cassandra clarified. "I know you don’t need to hear this from , but... second chances do exist, Nina. I’m not saying this as Finn’s spokesperson or anything like that. It may co off like that, but my intention is purely because I think that by not allowing you or anyone around you to make a mistake ans you haven’t forgiven yourself."
Cassandra slowly turned to face Nina squarely. "You see this tree over here?" She glanced at the tree briefly. "It’s one of the oldest trees around. We once planted ours, but this is the only one that lasted this long."
"It’s Finn’s," she added. "How it lasted this long isn’t because he nurtured it carefully. But rather, he nurtured it with the intention it would last as long as it could. The thing is, it did last long... but it didn’t grow just like it was supposed to."
"Nina, second chances do exist." This ti, Cassandra looked back at Nina, nodding at her encouragingly. "I hope you realize the depth of it, if not now, then in the future."
Minutes later, Nina was still standing in the sa spot, staring at the small tree in the corner. Despite its small size, it was noticeable. Perhaps it was because of its abnormality.
Cassandra had left minutes ago, telling her that her boyfriend might still be waiting for her. She didn’t linger much, leaving Nina all alone in the garden. If she didn’t know better, she might have thought Cassandra purposely stayed here, knowing Nina would co by. But alas, she knew it was pure coincidence.
"If there is soone who knows about the existence of second chances, that would be ," she told herself, dismissing Cassandra’s words as wasted breath. Another heavy sigh escaped her, and she shook her head, telling herself not to let another person’s words waste her energy.
Nina knew that second chances existed. She had earned that second chance, luckily. She had forgiven herself already. Shaking her head, Nina slowly turned around to leave. But just as she did, she stopped upon catching sight of a figure standing not far away from her.
Her eyes slowly widened as her breath hitched, wondering if the person she was seeing right now was actually real.
"Finn...?"
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