Check Yes, Juliet

Chapter 23

We ride over to Jenna's house. I can't believe I'm back home so soon. I try to take in the familiar scenes individually and enjoy them all but the car is moving too fast and my friends are asking too many questions. I tell them what happened and how I met Robert. I tell them about Lucy and all the extra work I've had to do and meeting my new friends. I tell them how proper and girly most of them are except for one girl I know, Echo. They all listen intently and interrupt constantly to ask more questions. By the time we get home, I've covered everything they needed to know and we head inside.

They all yell surprise and I am shocked to find the place decorated with streamers and loads of food sitting on the coffee table. We all sit around, talking and laughing. They tell me about what has been going on in their lives and Scott tells me that he and Caroline have started going out and he seems really happy. We don't talk about Chris which I'm happy about, and Jenna tells me all about what she has planned so far for the wedding. She tells me the cake is chocolate and vanilla and when she shows me a drawing of what it's supposed to look like, I tell her it's beautiful. This is going to be a gorgeous wedding.

Scott, Ian, and Jesse leave around midnight that night leaving Jenna and I alone. We put on Friends and I forgot how funny it was. We end up falling asleep on the couch; to be woken up by the boys barging through the front door. Jenna moans and sits up. Jesse goes into the kitchen and begins making something and Scott and Ian sit down next to us, bouncing around on the couch.

"I'm going to kill you guys." Jenna mumbles.

I lean into Ian and he hugs me, swaying a little bit to the music Scott has put on. My phone goes off and I look to see it's Robert. I get up and head into Jenna's room, only answering it when I close the door.

"Hey." I say in a raspy voice.

"Hey, you ok?"

"Yeah, sorry I just woke up." I say rubbing my eyes.

"At noon?"

"We had a late night."

"I see."

"How's your grandma?"

He sighs. "Not any better, but not worse so that's good."

"Has it been boring?"

"A little, but she's my best friend so I usually have a good time."

"Well that's good."

"How did it go last night?"

"Great, I got to catch up with everybody and hang out, it was nice."

"You glad to be back home?"

"Very much."

"Did Chris come around?" Just his name makes my heart break.

"No, and I'm happy about that. I don't think I could have handled him last night."

"Yeah." There is a pause and then he says, "Oh, my grandma just woke up I've got to go."

"Ok talk to you later."

He hangs up and I head back out. Jesse has made coffee's for everyone and he's now in the kitchen frying something. Jenna is watching him with a giant smile on her face. I sit down next to her and she leans in to whisper, "I'm gonna have a man that cooks!" She giggles in delight and I can't help but laugh along. I'm glad she is so happy.

"Ok, you didn't want to talk about it last night, but we need to talk about it now." Scott says.

"No, it's not your business." I say.

"But it is! You both are our best friends, and you are both hurt and heart broken. We get involved when that happens."

I sigh and lean back on the couch. "There's nothing to talk about. He chose to sleep with Lucy and he chose to hurt me. I won't go back to him."