When Chandler and Chloe got back from the store, we all got to sit in the dining room and eat. My father finished working on his case and sat in silence as he ate his food. Either his case went bad, or he was just under stress. Either or, we all knew not to talk to him.
"Have you gotten anything planned for the bachelorette party?" Chloe asked me.
"No, nothing yet. I'm the worst Maid of Honor!" I replied.
"Can't be as terrible as my sister's was," Chloe jokes. "The poor girl forgot she had to throw one and they all just ordered pizza and drank water."
"Okay, now that goes down as the worst party," my mom said.
"So just know that you can't throw the worst party because that spot is already taken."
I smile and muse a small thank you to Chloe as she sat across the table from me.
"Why don't you just do a party bus?" Shawn suggests. "That way no one in the Hamptons knows you threw something crazy and you can still show your face around."
"That sounds like a good idea," Chandler says.
"Just do a theme or whatever," Shawn adds.
"A theme?" I ask.
"You don't know what a theme is?" Chandler asks me.
"I know what a theme is," I reply. "I just don't know what theme to do, that's all."
"Well what's Selma into?" My mom asks me.
"Honestly? She doesn't have a fun fiber in her body." Chandler says.
"Hey!" My mom says.
"What? It's the truth!" He replies.
"You'll think of something when we get there, don't worry." She tells me.
"Well, I know that she definitely doesn't like animal print or neon colors," Chandler says.
"Yeah, she's more of a girly-girl." I reply.
"Aren't you one?" Shawn asks me. Chandler and my mom laugh and I look at Shawn.
"Yes, but not the way that Selma is," I reply.
"She honestly dresses like how those touch me and my father will sue guys dress. But a girl version of that." Chandler says.
"So, like a Rhode Island frat boy?" Chloe asks.
I drop my fork on my plate as a light goes on in my head. "That's it!"
"What?" Shawn asks.
"Chloe, you are a genius!"
"She is?" Chandler asks.
Chloe punches him in the arm and mutters, "Dick," before turning to me. "What's the theme?"
"We dress as frat boys! Oh my god, she's gonna die!" I say.
"Oh, this cannot turn out good." My mom says.
After we eat dinner, Shawn and I head into the backyard to relax. He rests his head on my lap as we lounge on the outdoor swing. I run my fingers through his hair and kick against the floor to swing. He starred at me and I lean down and kiss him. Shawn kisses back slowly and I pull back.
"So if you win this fight," I begin, "what's gonna happen?"
Shawn let's out a sigh. "Then I made it."
"I hope you win," I say.
"You know if I win I leave to another state."
I have to bite my tongue to prevent from telling him that I'm leaving in just a month. In just a month I'm leaving him.
"We should be going to bed," I fake yawn. "It's late and we have an early flight tomorrow."
Shawn sits up and gets off the swing. I get up and he places a thumb to my chin. "Hey," he says, "no matter what happens, you're still my girl." He leans down and places a sweet and gentle kiss to my lips. He pulls back and we enter inside the house through the screen door.
"Fine! Just don't tell your father." My mom says in a hushed voice.
"Yes!" Chandler says. "Thanks, ma."
"But no funny business mister. I mean it." She replies.
"Mm hm, got it!" He says.
"What's going on?" I ask my mom as Chandler walks away.
"Nothing." She tells me.
"Ma," I begin, "did you allow Chloe to sleep in Chandler's room tonight?"
She places her hands on the kitchen counter and sighs. "Yeah." Before I can even reply, she stops me. "But you know that your father won't allow Shawn in your room."
"Ma, I'm nineteen! When is he going to stop treating me like a little girl?" I ask.
"Jasmine, you know how he is with you. It's just tonight. You and Shawn will have your own room at the Hampton's." She tells me.
"I don't mind," Shawn says. "Jasmine, it's just tonight."
"Fine." I say. "But I'm eating in my room tonight."
My mom groans and walks away. "If you don't clean up the mess tonight, I'm coming after you."
I wait until she's out of earshot before turning to Shawn. "Meet me in the attic at one in the morning."
"Why?" He whispers to me.
"You'll find out." I say, standing on my toes and kissing his lips.
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extremely short chapter, but the next is going to be absolutely worth it, I promise!!
