Bet my Life (EDITING!!) #BOOK1

2. Stand by me

A/n: Sorry this chapter is a little small. What do you guys think of Jay? Read, vote and comment,
Lost of hugs,
Illusionist

"Izz...can't..breathe", I choked out while trying to wiggle my way out of the death grip she had on me. Boy, she sure could beat the crap out of someone.

"Ooh, sorry. Got carried away". She smiled sheepishly and finally released me from that chokehold.

I winced when her warm hand was not my neck anymore and at the sudden pressure and began to rub my sore neck. "I missed you too, Izz. Like crazy. Especially these last few years."

"I'm here now, Zo, and I'm not letting you out of my sight," she declared with a finality in her tone and crossed her arms.

"See, that would be an issue because I can't pee when someone is watching", I looked at her with a serious expression on my face.

But that only lasted for a few moments as that was enough to get both of us laughing like maniacs. I really was hitting the crazy streak today.

I took the time to notice her. Her gorgeous blonde, almost orange, hair, was tied up in a sophisticated bob, cascading just above her shoulders in loose waves. Standing tall at 5′8, she wore a blue tank top and shorts that showed off her strong and toned legs. She had an amazing tan that complimented her green eyes perfectly. My best friend truly was drop-dead gorgeous.

"If you're both done creeping people out, please get inside", Jay's voice called out, cutting our conversation short.

"So, girls, let's go over the rules again. No boys, no drugs, no staying out late, no -"

"Ya, dad, we get it," Izz rolled her eyes. "We're adults now, and I speak for the both of us when I say this, Zo is responsible enough for the both of us."

I was trying my best to control my laughter. That was the thing about Isabella. She could always turn my frown upside down.

"I'm aware of that, which is what makes me feel a little better, that at least one of you is a "matured adult", "Jay chimed in with an amused grin on his face.

"I hate you" grumbled Izz, with a light blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Okay, if you're both done harassing each other, Izz and I should get back to unpacking our stuff", my voice dropped slightly.

I gulped, trying to hide these traitorous tears that were threatening to make a comeback. God, do I have a leaky faucet up there?

"I should get going. Call me whenever you want. No matter what time it is. I'll be there. I promise Zoe-Zoe." I hugged him and nodded, desperately trying to hold on to this moment.

"Alright, come on, group hug." Chuckled Jay.

"About time you all remembered me", Izz replied and launched herself at us.

It was like nothing had changed and we were all kids again. I wiped my tears and my snot with my hoodie's sleeve. Attractive, I know.

Jay stayed with us for a while, and we spent some time reminiscing about the good old days. We ate the take out that we had got on our way back from the airport.

We met Izzie when I was just 4, and Jay was only 8. Her elder brother, Ryan, never preferred to play with us, not that any of us cared. He was way too prissy for us anyway. Our gang already had 4 awesome members- Jay, his best friend Cole, Izzie, and me. It was just the 4 of us, and nothing else mattered.

We even had our hiding spots and a huge treehouse that dad helped us build. It was just us and it stayed that way till Jay and Cole reached middle school. That's when they had their whole "girls have cooties", "we can't play with babies," and "we will only play with boys," phase.

By the time they were over it, Izzie and I made many new friends, and slowly, our awesome group drifted apart. Somehow, this never affected mine and Jay's relationship.

Whenever we needed each other, we were always there. We had our spot on the roof that our parents didn't know about. We used to sit there and spend hours talking, and eating whatever junk we could find in the house. That was our safe space. It was our own personal bubble, where no one else was allowed.

Even when I reached high school and started dating, whenever we were on the roof, he wasn't my overprotective big brother. He was my best friend Jay, my non-judgemental, loving best friend Jay. We kept this tradition alive even when he went to college. I used to sit on the roof, and he used to sit near his window. We used to just talk.

After we were done eating, Jay helped me unpack, and decorate my room a little, with the help of Layla, who was now bossing over him, via facetime.

"Not there, Jay. Move it towards the left. My left. Not yours. Urg!" Layla instructed through the other side of the screen.

Layla Mitchell, my brother's fiance, was the closest thing I had to an elder sister. She was a raven-haired beauty, that Izzie and I were particularly envious of, and ran the interior designer label. They started dating in college, and he introduced us to her after 6 months of dating. According to him, he had found his soulmate, the one he knew he was going to marry.

So naturally, he didn't see any point in waiting, and Layla became a part of our family soon after. We all loved her a lot. She was cheerful, bossy, and always used to help me out with any girl problems I had, and kept Jay in check.

"Girls, I want you both to visit soon. Alright? Love you both." She demanded in a no-nonsense tone that we had no choice but to listen to.

Once we were done, I walked Jay to his car and stayed there till I could see him no more. Sighing to myself, I turned to go back to my room, before I collided with something hard and fell straight on my butt.