𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 - 𝐡𝐬𝐦𝐭𝐦𝐭𝐬 (𝐢𝐢𝐢) | ✔

twenty-one

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twenty-one: you're not alone
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Everyone was there by the time Juliette reached the Honeycomb. Apparently, nobody's night had been easy and all of them had something to vent about.

"Sorry, I thought nobody would be here," she said as she entered.

"We can leave," everyone replied at the same time, as if they had done that before.

"No, please, don't," she pleaded. "I need you guys with me."

"Don't mind us. Just talking about deep fears over here," Ashlyn explained as Juliette sat down in one of the sofas.

"Is this about tonight's line?"

"Among other things. I think I'm just gonna go to bed and pretend that tomorrow night isn't opening night."

"Come on, Kourt." Juliette changed seats and sat down besides her. "You've done this before. Utah didn't see a better Mrs. Potts."

"Hey guys," Gina greeted them as she entered. Her makeup was messed up, as if she had thrown water on her face. "I was just on the swings. I forgot about swings."

"Hey, are you okay?"

"I think I just broke up with E.J."

No one dared to say a word. Gina was completely head over heels about E.J., everybody knew that, and something must have happened for her to take the step and break up with him.

"I guess tonight did end with a bang, for all of us," Ashlyn muttered, unsure as to how to react.

"Well, as long as it ends soon. I mean, who knows? Maybe I can wake up as someone else."

All of them stood up and walked to their respective beds in complete silence, ready to get to bed and for that night to end. Proms were supposed to be beautiful, weren't they? So why did they all feel like this one shouldn't have happened? However, their silence was interrupted as Ashlyn asked Kourtney about a prayer.

She began singing as soon as Kourtney nodded, "you're not alone."

Soon, all of them were singing the same line over and over again, trying to convince both Kourtney and themselves that, at least, they had one another. That, no matter how badly things had gone that night, they head each other for support, whether it was to cry or to laugh. That night was about sisterhood vibes.

"Can't believe I'm here right now. I can see myself lift off the ground," Kourtney continued singing as she stood up. She didn't even need to say what was about to happen because everyone knew. She walked straight out of the cabin, all of them joining in her prayer, and directed herself towards the climbing wall. She was ready to face her fears.

All of them walked in their party outfits through the whole camp until they reached the feared wall. They put the harness and the necessary protection in Kourtney and, as they all cheered on her, she approached the wall and took the first handholds. It took her some seconds but, soon, she had the first feet on the wall. Before she even knew it, she was on top and looking at all of them from above.

All of their faces had wide smiles on them and they rushed to hug Kourtney as soon as she was on the ground again. They were sure their screams could be heard from the other side of the camp but they did not care. Today had truly marked a change for all of them and, from then on, nothing would be the same.

Now, however, it was time to go back to their cabin and go to sleep. They had a very long day ahead of them tomorrow. The problem was that Earth seemed to have other plans for Juliette because she ran into a wet-haired undone-shirted Ricky with a towel over his shoulders.

"Hi again."

"Hello."

"I wasn't the one to run after the dance this time," he said, although not reproachfully.

"I'm sorry, I... had something to take care of," the girl explained. "Why are you so wet?"

Ricky snorted at the sentence, "that's what..."

"Don't even say it," she warned her. "And I'm sorry about the dance, really. It wasn't about you, you did nothing wrong, okay?"

"Was it that boy who seems crazy for you?"

"No, no," she quickly stated. "Or, at least, not totally. I... um... I'll tell you some day, okay?"

"Oh, are you keeping secrets from me now, redhead? I thought you were different."

Ricky put a hand on his chest, as if he were hurt, but the playful smile on his face helped Juliette relax. She pushed him lightly, making him laugh, but they were wrapped in a comfortable silence as soon as that died down.

      "But, um... if you like him, you should go for him."

"Hey, have you completed your bucket list yet?"

"Nearly. Only one left. Carlos just told me I'm his hero," he cheekily smiled as he showed her his birthday bucket list.

"How can you be a hero? You can't even fly?" she joked, making him chuckle once again. "I like seeing you this happy."

"I like seeing you this happy too, Jul." He put a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I think we better get to sleep now, big night tomorrow."

"Oh yeah, sleep tight, Kristoff."

"Sleep tight, Anna."

"I'm not—"

"You'll always be a princess to me," he whispered.

"Oh, and happy birthday, Ricky," she hugged him. "You're a man now."

Ricky's hands found their way to Juliette's waist, and it all felt so natural. There was a time in which they would hug every time they saw each other and they would stay there until someone asked them to break away at once. They smelled each other's cologne, neither of them had changed their signature scent, and Juliette still had to get on her tiptoes to reach Ricky's neck. At that moment, they could have sworn nothing had changed.

Ricky's face softened, "you kept your promise."

"What?"

"You said one day you'll be the very first one to wish me a happy birthday," he reminded her. "Remember? When we were talking about what would we do when we both turned eighteen?"

"Oh my God, yes," she laughed. They had both been in Ricky's house, lying in his bed and playing with each other's hands as they liked to do so much. It was winter and they had had to put three blankets over them to stay warm. "It seems so far away already."

"Yeah, there's been a lot in between."

They didn't know what else to say, even though both of them had a lot on their minds, a lot they would have liked to yell for the whole camp to hear, but they remained quiet. Instead of making that uncomfortable moment longer, they simply wished each other a good night again and walked away from one another. Ricky looked over his shoulder at Juliette, but, if she did the same, he didn't see it.