90 A DIFFERENT RESPONSE

Zoe's lovely eyes widened in great surprise at what she had just heard. 

'Is he just allowing me some time to move on from his shocking news but he has no plans of cutting our relationship?'

The thought of it made her smile but she immediately clamped her lips to hide it.

She glanced at him again. 'Who is this man? Is he the same man in my dreams? Is he connected with my lost memories?'

Raigon was feasting with the other members of the Norfolks Tribe. He was not as open as them, but anyone can see that he was in a merry mood. 

To clear things up, Zoe dragged Kristie in a corner. 

"Are you serious? Did he really say that?" 

"Of course…. Not!" Kristie chuckled. "I just want to know how you would react." She teased her.

Zoe rolled her eyes at her. "I'm not expecting that anyway." She muttered as she walked back to the group.

'What was I thinking? Why would he even say that to Kristie? I'm so assuming!'

"Wait! He indeed said something," Kristie sheepishly added. 

"Well, what is it? I'm starving," Zoe replied in a hurrying manner, but she was waiting for what she would say. 

"That's it!" Kristie exclaimed. Zoe scrunched her forehead.

"I know she's starving. Tell her I shredded some meat for her so she doesn't have to use her wounded hand. Those were his exact words." Kristie grinned with a mischievous eye on her as she waited for her response.

Zoe was astounded for a few seconds after she heard that. She wanted to give it back and pretend that she doesn't mind. But she was indeed famished, she could eat a whale. Her fingers slightly tightened its hold on the piece of banana leaf that she was holding. 

"I see, thanks," she responded in a nonchalant manner. But deep inside, his act is slowly cooling her furious heart. 

If she really was nothing to him and he was just playing, he wouldn't be concerned whether she was dying of hunger or not. 

'Am I a baby?' She chuckled as she came back to the group. As she did so, she noticed that Savannah's friends were still in a corner.

They were looking at the other Norfolks Tribe looking like they would faint from lack of food. She glanced back at the group who seemed oblivious to them as they were cheerfully enjoying their sumptuous dinner. 

Instead of going back to the dining members, she walked over to them. "Why are you not joining us?" She asked in a pleasant tone. Even though they were mean to her, she doesn't want them to hunger strike. 

"It's okay. We're not hungry." One of them commented to her as they continue to sulk among themselves.

"Really now. I was supposed to give you this," Zoe replied as she opened the banana leaf in her hand and showed the pieces of shredded fish that Raigon gave to her. They began to jerk up and gulped as they saw them. A corner of Zoe's lip curved up as she saw their response.

"But I guess you're full so I'll just eat them away," She smiled as she picked up a piece and ate it in front of them which made their stomach growl within her earshot. Zoe continued to tease them even more.

"Wow, it really tastes good. I better go back. I also made a dip made out of mango, tomatoes, and onions. That would be a good combination of this. I better go," She stood up and wiped her clothes from the sand. 

She was about to leave when someone stopped her. "Wait!" 

Zoe stopped and turned back. 

"Can we really join you? We heard that they were planning to ostracize us throughout our stay for disrupting their victory a while ago." Someone mentioned in a sad tone. 

Zoe folded her arms and stood in front of them with a wide stance. "Why did you do that anyway?" 

They all looked at each other before someone answered. "Savannah said she'll take care of us whatever happens."

"And where is she now?" Zoe raised an eyebrow. No one dared say a word. 

"You don't need someone's approval to prove your worth. And there are a lot of people who will help you without you doing anything for them simply because they are genuinely concerned for you and appreciate your existence." She scolded them.

Zoe was surprised at her boldness to stand up and say this in front of these people who bullied her during high school. But how would they stop if no one will? She looked at them and pity them for looking up to someone who was obviously not at all interested in their welfare.

Surprisingly, one of them replied. "Like you?"

"Like me?" Zoe sniggered abruptly. "Well, I am concerned about your health. But I don't appreciate your existence. I'm not a saint, you know. If you do it again, I'll send you out to the sharks," She said in a truthful manner but in a humorous way. 

They were all grinning too as the awkward atmosphere was broken. One of them managed to say, "We're sorry. We'll never do it again."

Zoe was surprised to hear those words from them. She was not expecting that. 

'If I had talked to them like this before, would they have stopped being slaves to Savannah then and be more open to others like they were now?' She ruminated as she gazed at their attempt to reconcile with her.

It was too early to tell. They may be faking it so they could eat.

Zoe heaved out a deep sigh. "Come on, I know you're all hungry. So do I. Just apologize to them just like you did to me now. As long as you're breathing, there's always a chance for you to ask for forgiveness and be forgiven." She gave them a reassuring smile before swiveling to go back. 

From her back, she can hear them scurrying to follow her. Zoe smiled.

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You can never go back to the past 

But you can always change the future

By doing something different today.

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