Just Friends (Dan Howell)

Chapter Eighteen

"Lil, I can't believe you!"

Jenny turned her key in the ignition, and her little nissan puttered to life. She pulled out of the driveway and turned to me, her face covered in lots of different, jumbled-up emotions; hurt, anger, frustration, sadness, embarrassment.

"How could you have done that, Lil?" Jenny continued. "I thought you were my friend! I went out last night looking to have a good time with my boyfriend and best friend, but when I come back from spending time with the former, I find out that the latter has caused a huge bar brawl!" Her voice had slowly risen in hysteria.

I clutched my head, groaning. "Jenny, Jenny, whoa. Slow down. I can't remember almost anything from last night. Please explain."

Jenny examined me skeptically for a moment as we turned a corner. Then she sighed. "Fine. But it's not something that I want to repeat, so don't make me tell it more than once."

I nodded, Jenny took a deep breath, and began the tale.

"You were drinking a lot. I know that. And I remember you muttering to me that you needed someone to take your mind off of things. I wasn't sure how to help, so you went off with Pj. That was fine with me-- I was a little frustrated, but I understood. Then Phil took me away, saying he wanted a breath of fresh air." Jenny's brow furrowed. "Then, about thirty minutes later, Phil leads me back into the bar. I'm not sure entirely how it started. All I know is that we step inside, and it's chaos within. People are screaming, the music is blaring, lights are flashing, and there's a fighting throng of clubbers on the dance floor.

"It took me a moment, but I registered where our group was. Louise, Chris, Caspar, Marcus, and Joe were trying to stop the fight. Alfie was holding Zoe near the bar, trying to keep her out of harm's way. It was more difficult to discern our group that was in the fight. Eventually I realized," Jenny swallowed. "That Dan and Pj had started it. They were in the thick of it, shoving and shouting and kicking. I remember being terrified. Phil was trying to pull me out of the way, but I was screaming at him."

Jenny's voice broke. "I kept telling him that no, I couldn't just walk away. I have to find my best friend, I said. I have to find Lillette." Jenny's hands clenched on the wheel were trembling. "Then, finally, Phil saw you. He pointed at the bar, and I remember how I felt. My stomach dropped to my feet. My heart leapt into my throat. My gut was full of stones." Jenny's voice rose in anger. "You were standing on top of the bar, Lillette. You just stood there, and you... you were LAUGHING!" She was shouting now. "You were pointing at Dan and Pj, and cackling and laughing. It was sickening."

I felt nauseous.

"Then, someone hit Joe over the head," Jenny went on. "He fell, and instead of helping him, you laughed louder. Caspar had to drag his flatmate away from the fight. At this point the throng of random people had died down, and it was mostly Dan and Pj. We could hear what they were saying now. Dan was shouting, I thought you were my friend! Pj was replying, It's your own fault! You had your chance! Dan looked livid, so he lunged at Pj, who grabbed Dan by the collar and threw him away. Then... then, you jumped down from the bar."

I swallowed hard. No... God, no....

"The whole place went still. Dan lay on the ground, watching you, wiping blood from his lip. Pj turned to you, and you stood in between Dan and Pj. You stared at them each in turn, and giggled. You said, Boys, there's no need to fight over me. It's my decision, after all. I'm obviously gonna choose the boy who loves me." A tear rolled down Jenny's cheek. "Then, you turned away from Dan, marched over to Pj, and threw yourself on him. It was disgusting. I'm not gonna lie, Lil, I was ashamed to call you my friend at that moment."