Girls Return [Girls Talk #2] [LGBTQ+] ✓

Chapter Thirteen- A Not So Great Surprise

My birthday party had gotten off to a pretty great start. That is to say that I spent the vast majority of my time chattering away to my best friends, the twins, and was sipping on alcohol in the early hours of the afternoon, perfectly content. There was this subtle sensation in my stomach that things could change once more of my guests arrived, but I was trying to ignore the worry that came with the anticipation of Lake's arrival.

 It didn't matter anymore. Our relationship was in the dust, gone. That wasn't to say that our friendship was irreversibly damaged. It would take time, but I was trying to hold out hope that things would be good again. Fine and dandy. 

As the sky darkened and evening drew closer, the doorbell rang again. Some guests had already arrived, and Jay was currently entertaining them by making alcohol-induced jokes. It was a good thing my mothers let the Candors stay around whenever they needed to because I was completely certain that it would not be safe for them to drive back tonight. Especially not in  the dark. 

I went to answer the doorbell's call, to find Swan West stood before me. 

"Annie darling!" she grinned, as she pulled me into a tight hug, and presented me with my birthday present. She immediately encouraged me to open it, and so I did to find and assortment of perfumes, makeup, and a designer handbag. It was pretty appropriate that said handbag had come from West's own business. 

Of course, I extended my thanks, although I couldn't deny that I may have felt slightly overwhelmed. I appreciated everything I had been gifted, though, and aside from that, you're only eighteen once, right? Exactly. I grinned as I looked over my gifts, soon taking them up to my room where they would be secure away from drunken party guests. These could not afford to be damaged. 

Jay soon joined me in my room and smiled with warmth. 

"Hey honey, how's you doing?" he asked me. 

I turned to him and returned his friendly look. 

"Swan just arrived, so I think we can be expecting the rest of the guests to arrive shortly. Can you do my hair?" I asked him. 

Jay smiled. 

"'Course," he replied. 

There were benefits to having a best friend whose mother was a hairdresser, and had also taught him how to style hair so that he could start earning some money at her own salon, during the summer breaks. 

He gently curled my blonde locks into soft waves. 

"You think he's going to show up?" he asked, then. 

"Lake?" I asked. 

"Uh, well no, but yes, but no. Do you think Jacques will show?" he asked me. 

I released a light laugh. 

"Hey, Jay, if you're here, he will be here, trust me," I told him. 

Jay gave a responsive grin at that. 

It was endearing. I was glad that he had found someone who had made him so happy. If anyone deserved as much, then they were Jay. 

"As far as Lake's concerned, you can't let him get you down, hon," he told me, "You're a beautiful independent young woman who don't need no man," he stated. 

"Your use of a double negative confuses me," I told him then. 

Jay narrowed his eyes at me playfully as he spritzed some shine into my hair. 

"I forget you're a literature student sometimes," he said to me. 

"Do you now?" I asked. 

"No. You remind me as much as I could be expected to be reminded by Patty Ashers that she's a vegan," Jay joked, with a chuckle.