The last two months have been really hard on you. You have tried to go through the motions for Nessa because she is struggling hard with being pregnant. Josh has been working a lot towards his career goals and accepted a position with the talent agency that represents most of the group. Nessa held out hope that if he could find a way to be excited for his future then he would be able to be excited about their future family too not just accepting it.
She has to do a lot of the day to day things on her own, but Josh is happy and he is home with her at night. You found them laying on the couch laughing talking about baby names while he rested his head on her growing belly the other night. Things were getting to a really good place with those two
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Jaden still hasn't come home. Every once in a while, Josh get’s a phone call that you can assume is Jaden but you haven’t heard a word since he declared he was back with Mads and took off on tour with her.
Funny how two months hasn’t been long enough for flashes of that conversation to stop paralyzing you in bed for hours. Everyone had warned you that he would go back to her, he always went back to her. Why did you let yourself get so caught up in a doomed romance that never saw more than 24 hours straight without making you question yourself. For every recalled moment of the last night you spoke to Jaden, there was just as many times you were paralyzed in bed reliving every kiss, every touch, every laugh. Today was one of those days…
Your friends had planned a pool day to cheer up Nessa and you were trying to force yourself to get out of bed. You throw on a hoodie and track shorts and head down outside. Everyone was laughing and splashing when you made your way to a pool lounge chair and resumed the same fetal position you’d spent the last 14 hours in upstairs.
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Nessa: “Is anyone going inside?”
Quinton *jumping up and handing Nessa a bottle of water from the cooler* “Is that what you’re looking for girlie?”
Nessa: “Ugh yes exactly what I needed!!”
Nessa was far enough along that she was visibly pregnant and could just reach in the general direction of something and someone would rush over to grab it for her.
Everyone came today. Well almost everyone… Feeling another wave of tears well up prompted you to pull your hoodie up in hopes it would make you a little less visible
Addison: *to Bryce* “Go check on her”
Bryce: “Are you sure?”
Addi: “Yeah of course sweetheart”
It was still a little weird watching those two grow closer the past few weeks but you were really happy for them. Well… you were working towards being happy for them
Bryce: *sits next to you and playfully pulls at your hood* “A little warm for a hoodie don’t you think?”
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You can barely make eye contact with him but he already knows exactly what you can’t bring yourself to say
Bryce: *bumps your shoulder with his* “How are you ever supposed to be insta famous if you miss an opportunity to pose in a smoking hot bathing suit with your equally hot friends?”
You both laugh and you hug him a little tighter than usual. You are so beyond grateful that your friendship with Bryce stayed close these last two months because you would have been sleepwalking through each day otherwise.
As you pull away from the hug you spot Mads full of life waving hello to everyone dragging her luggage behind her
Mads: “The door was unlocked but I’m home!!!”
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Almost everyone jumps up and rushes over to Mads and begins to tell her how amazing she looks
Mads: *pointing over at you and Bryce she says to Olivia quietly* “I see not much has changed”
Griffin: “Oh you’d be surprised”
Mads *rushing over to Nessa* “Oh My God!! Nessa look at you!!”
Nessa: “Ugh I know I’m fat now”
Mads: “Shut up! I am living for that baby bump!! It’s so cute!”
Nessa: “It’s actually a he…”
Mads: “Ahhhh that’s amazing!!” *directing her voice to the belly* “Auntie Mads is about to dress you like the little rockstar you are just you wait!!”
Addison: “Mads you look absolutely glowing! Where all did you go… dish!”
Mads starts going into every detail about her whirlwind adventure but since the moment you saw her breeze through the door, you’d been holding your breath waiting for one word...Jaden. You couldn’t bring yourself to ask, but you prayed someone else did
Nessa: “Where is Jaden?”
Thank God! You knew you could count on your best friend. She had told you multiple times that Josh talks to Jaden but he refuses to ask Jaden anything personal because he was afraid he would shut down and stop reaching out like he had everyone else.
Mads: “How would I know?”
Josh: “Weren’t you on the same tour?”
Mads: “No? I haven’t seen Jaden since I left?”
Nessa: “I thought you two were back together?”
Mads: *laughing* “Why in the world would you think that? I actually met someone while I was away… I was waiting for the right time to share but I think you guys are going to love him!”
