Chapter 23: epiphany

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Y/n's pov

"Okay!" Chloe says as she slams her tray onto the table infront of me. She sits down and rubs her hands together. I look up abruptly, scared from the loud noise.

"I asked paisley if we could have our party there and she agreed!" She says happily. "Who's paisley again?" I say looking at Chloe, who's sitting next to Julia which is currently slurping down a Capri-sun.

"She's this girl in our grade who's like super fucking rich and she has a pool in her backyard. I do tennis with her. AND her parents aren't gonna be home" she says wiggling her eyes at the last part. "Oh god your gonna go all out for your party aren't you" Julia rolls her eyes. Chloe laughs "of course!" She says patting Julia's back.

"I mean it is me and Noah's seventeenth birthday" she exclaims. "Noah and I" I correct looking down at my empty lunch tray. It pains me to say his name.

"You are coming, right y/n?. I can't not invite Noah to his own birthday party" Chloe says putting a hand on my outstretched one. "Yea yea I know." I sigh.

"I promise I'll try and make him avoid you at all costs k? And Julia will too" She promises. Which I know is a promise she won't keep. I mean it's her birthday she's clearly gonna get wasted and forget about me like 10 minutes into that party.

"Okay whatever" I say.

*a few days later*

We're gathered up in Chloe's room, me, Julia, Chloe and Noah who's sitting as far as possible away from me. Chloe's currently on the phone with this Paisley girl who I've now finally met. They're discussing party plans while Julia and I are picking out various decorations for the pool.

Noah, on the other hand is just staring blankly at his phone. I've tried to avoid all eye contact with him, as usual. It seems like we're doing all the work while he just sits there scrolling endlessly through tiktok.

"Okay pais, ill make sure the pizzas arrive on time and yes, well need cups. See you later" Chloe says into the phone as she ends the call.

"Noah did you order those string lights like I asked you?" Chloe asks Noah. No response. "Noah?" she asks. "NOAH" she shouts and we all look up frantically.

"What? Oh- oh um yeah I'm almost done" He stammers. "Okay great it better be express delivery so they're here for the party tomorrow" Chloe says. "We need to go shopping later Julia and y/n you can do that with me and tomorrow noah you gotta pick up the cake at 3 and the balloons at 12:45" Chloe explains as we all nod in agreement.

The party is tomorrow and Chloe seems to have everything covered. She's gone really all out with everything. I can't help but admire her for her hard work she put into this.

"Julia I need you to help me grab stuff from the shelves in the attic since you're like 7'9" Chloe says before jumping off her bed. "I am not!" Julia says angrily before she follows a laughing Chloe out the door.

I was about to follow them out the door to avoid being alone in Chloe's room with Noah before my phone rings. I reach over to the other side of the bed and pick it up. It's Brady. I realize how long it's been since I've talked to him. I quickly glance at Noah, who's looking at me with his eyebrows raised before answering it.

"Hey Brady what's up?" I say.

"Hey y/n/n.." he quietly says.

"Are you good? What's up?" I ask him, he doesn't sound like himself. He's missing his normal bubbly personality.

He sighs into the phone. "I- I don't know how to say this..." he says, his voice cracking.

"Brades... What is it?" I say cautiously.

"Amber... s-she got into an accident. She didn't make it" He says sobbing into the phone.

"WHAT. BRADY PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS JUST SOME SICK PRANK" I scream into the phone covering my mouth in shock and to shut myself up. The tears fill into my ears as a sick feeling fills my stomach.

I get my reply by a string of messy sobs down the phone. "She battled for her life. But she went peacefully, I promise" he manages to say. "I- I gotta go" I say before ending the call.

I stare at my phone. My best friend for 10 years is really gone. Immediately my vision starts to get fuzzy as I feel faint. I wipe the tears streaming down my cheeks before I start heavily sobbing into my hands.

Suddenly I feel a pair of strong hands rubbing my back. Hopefully it's Chloe or Julia back from the attic.

"Hey.... it's okay" the voice from behind me reassures me. I can't make out the voice as all I can hear is the blood pounding in my ears. I feel the weight of the bed sink down next to me.

My breathing finally slows down as the hands continuously rub my back. I look up as I wipe my tears so my vision isn't as blurry. I look over and see Noah sitting next to me looking at me worriedly. My brain doesn't fully register that it's Noah and I'm too exhausted to get angry at him.

The tears start pouring out once more as the realizing sinks in that Amber is gone. They're also there as I'm frustrated because of Noah comforting me. Noah pulls me closer and I give I'm sinking into his chest as he hugs me tight. Right now nothing matters expect Amber, not even the whole Noah drama.

What feels like hours but is probably a few minutes Chloe and Julia run into the room. I hear the two talking to noah about something but I can't make out what they're saying since one of my ears are pressed up against Noah and the other is covered by Noah's arm as he holds me.

I can barely see the two coming up to me and I let go from Noah and fall into the girls' arms. Noah silently leaves the room as a sob into Chloe's arms while Julia strokes my hair.

After a couple of minutes i finally calm down and I tell them what happened. "Oh y/n that's terrible I'm so sorry" Chloe says.

I text Brady.

"When's the funeral?"

Ten minutes later he replies.

"Tomorrow"

"Shit." I say out loud. "What is it?" Chloe asks.
I look up at her "Chloe the funerals tomorrow".

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