After Everything

Chapter Twenty-Four: Homecoming Committee

"Homecoming is in one month!" Brittany exclaimed into the megaphone as she walked around the gym during homecoming committee. "Everyone get excited and find a date!"

Jake chuckled, turning to Juliana who stood beside him. "Brittany always has so much energy," he said as she nodded her head in agreement. "I'm just glad she assigned us as partners again."

"Me too," Juliana said with a smile on her face, reaching over to grab green paint. "And I'm excited that the theme is Mardi Gras. That's fun."

As Jake was about to respond to her, Brittany screamed into the megaphone. "Jake Flemming!" He jumped out of his skin, startled that she called his name. He turned around with widened eyes as he watched her set down the megaphone. "Can you come grab something for me? I'm too short."

He nodded his head as he turned to Juliana. "I'll be right back," he said before following her across the gym. He was then confused when Brittany stopped walking, turning around to look at him. "What do you need?"

"That was just an excuse to get you over here," she said as he scoffed. He should have had Brittany's antics memorized by now. "Please tell me you're still not showering Juliana with gifts until she gets back together with you?"

Jake scoffed yet again, rolling his eyes at her comment. And again, he should have known Brittany's antics. Of course she was meddling once again. "Don't step all over my relationship just because you and Toby broke up."

"Excuse me?" She hissed, stepping back in disbelief. She couldn't believe someone as sweet as Jake Flemming would say that to her. "That's not at all what I'm doing here. How dare you?"

He stuffed his hands into his pockets, letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."

"Whatever," she said, rolling his insult off her back as if it were nothing. "I wanted to propose an idea." He raised his eyebrows, curious what she was thinking. He knew she always had good ideas up her sleeve. "So, I take you are still showering her with gifts. Therefore, you should make your fifth romantic... thing... I don't even know what to call it, honestly," she said, laughing. "Make your fifth reason a romantic surprise. Do something for her."

He looked at her dumbfounded. "Like what?"

"Well, Toby's having a party on Friday so maybe you can do it then?" She questioned as he nodded his head. "Juliana can go to the party while you set up whatever you want. Then you can pick her up and bring her to the surprise."

Lola, who stood behind them selecting paint for her poster, couldn't help but make a mental note of that information in her head. Friday. Toby's party. Got it.

He chuckled, truly flabbergasted. "You know, Brittany," he started, shaking his head. "You have really good ideas."

She laughed. "I'm flattered."

She watched as he walked away. The smile fell from her face. God, she thought to herself. Now because of me, Juliana is going to enjoy a romantic gesture. How did Jake not come up with that himself?

Brittany did have to admit - she did miss being in a relationship. She wanted to spread her ideas to those who needed them. It was like charity work. Her father would be proud of her.

Jake walked back to Juliana with a smile on his face. When she saw him, she instantly smiled back.

"I have reason number four," he told her as her eyes lit up. She watched as he dug into his backpack. "It's not a reason that I love you—well, kind of. You'll see," he chuckled as he pulled out a keychain. Handing it to her, he spoke. "It's the French flag. I got it because we met in French class."

A wide smile was on her face as she studied the keychain in her hands with hearts practically forming in her eyes. "I love it," she told him before looking up at him. "Thank you. When I get a car, I'm putting this on my keys."

He chuckled. "Sounds good."

Brittany watched them share a moment from the center of the gym. She would be lying if she said she wasn't jealous of them. How could they be broken up and still act like they're dating? How could they enjoy each other's presence without fighting? Watching them interact hurt her. It reminded her of a time when she was in love.

She loved being in love. Everything felt so different. She felt happy even when things were making her sad. She felt happy even on her worst days. And most importantly, she felt happy with Toby. He was the love of her life - and she prayed one day she would meet someone who made her just as happy as he did.

Maybe Jake was right? Maybe she was meddling in his relationship? But giving him the idea of the romantic gesture made her feel like she was in a relationship again. It helped her cope.

And it gave her hope that she'd fall in love again.

✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

It baffled Jordan that he had seen Cassie naked before he had seen her cry.

But now that she was crying in his arms, he knew the only thing he could do was make her feel protected.

It was seven-thirty at night. There were pages of incomplete homework spread out across her bed as they sat on the floor. She was very behind in school work due to her inability to focus. Jordan hated seeing her struggle and offered to help her complete it. They lasted about an hour until Cassie started to have a mental breakdown thinking about doing another biology worksheet.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, drying her face with the back of her hand as she sniffled. "I didn't mean to cry."

"I don't mind," he told her, starting to make a pile of her completed work. "It's okay to cry."

She rested her back against her bed as she shook her head. She had no idea what she did to deserve him, and that's when something she thought about often slipped from her mouth. "You deserve better than me."

He was quick to look at her. "What?"

"You deserve better," she told him, trying not to cry again. She sat next to him in her pajamas and a very messy bun. She felt gross about herself. "Someone who isn't an emotional wreck."

He shook his head in disagreement. "You're not an emotional wreck, you're just frustrated and that's normal," he told her. "And in what world do I deserve better than you?"

"You just do," she argued.

"I don't," he argued back. "I won't be able to find someone better," he said as she rolled her eyes. "No one could ever be Cassie Mendez."

She nodded her head. "I know." No one could ever be as directionless or disorganized as she was.

"No, you know what I mean," he said, praying that was the truth. If only she could see from his point of view, then maybe she'd understand where he was coming from. "You're perfect."

She laughed, pointing to her bed. "Does the perfect girl have six-hundred more pages of math homework to do?"

"Maybe not," he chuckled, grabbing more worksheets from her bed. "But you do and you're perfect to me."

She shook her head with a smile on her face, feeling as her cheeks flushed red. The smile then fell off her face as she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry I scared you the other day with the 'I feel dead' thing," she said as she looked into his blue eyes. "But I don't feel dead when I'm with you. You make me feel alive because you listen to me. So, thanks for that."

He beamed at her, those words giving him the confidence that she was going to be okay.