Three is a crowd

Chapter 31

Of all the scenarios Jade expected to wake up to, she didn't expect to wake up to Nevaeh looming over her. Jade wanted to scream but her voice seemed to be stuck in her throat, so she remained on her bed, eyes wide with her hand clutching onto her chest feeling the erratic beating of her heart.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jade asked when she was calm enough to speak.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Nevaeh countered, eyes blazing and Jade glared at her. "You've gone MIA on me, you don't answer my calls or texts. We don't hang out anymore. I think you blocked me on your Instagram. What is happening?"

"I don't know Nevaeh being a narcissist makes you behave weirdly," Jade replied innocently even though the edge in her voice was nothing but innocent.

Nevaeh's face fell. She looked guilty and Jade closed her eyes trying to control the rage that threatened to break free.

"It wasn't enough that you told me not to break Damon's heart. You just had to go and tell him that I was a player and a narcissist. My own best friend said that about me to a stranger or God knows whatever he is to you. Do you realize the level of humiliation and betrayal I felt when he threw the fact that my own best friend thinks I'm a terrible person in my face?

"No, you don't realize and you didn't realize then that you threw me under the bus. For what? You tell me Nevaeh. Was our friendship worth losing over Damon?"

Jade hated the way Damon's name rolled off her tongue bitterly. After ranting like she had, Jade felt so much lighter. She had released what had been at the bottom of her heart. There she had said it.

"I thought I was protecting you. You were so out of control -"

Jade's humorless laugh cut off Nevaeh's explanation. Nevaeh looked scared and nervous but she didn't look remorseful.

"I was out of control?" Jade echoed calmly. It was the calm before the storm. "I love you so much but I hate it when you interfere with how I live my life. You are not an angel Nevaeh, neither are you a victim. Damon wasn't the first guy you got back Cam with. You and I both know that. You cheat on Cam too but because I am your best friend, I don't tell Cam about that.

"I stand by you Nevaeh knowing you are just as bad as he is. I am right there by your side rooting you on because that is what best friends do. I broke it off with Damon before it got too far away. That's when he mentioned what you said.

"See, with or without you I was going to do the right thing. You just couldn't give me the benefit of the doubt."

Nevaeh was crying and Jade blinked back her own tears.

"I am sorry," Nevaeh whispered and Jade shook her head.

"Words can't fix this wound."

Nevaeh nodded and head out without looking back. Jade knew she should have just apologized and it would have been water under the bridge but that would be a lie. Jade was done with lies.

That afternoon after class, Jade bumped into Lara and they stared at each other for a solid minute. Jade considered just walking away but then she noticed the soft look in Lara's eyes and she reconsidered.

"I'm sorry," they both said at once before chuckling.

"Nigel wasn't worth this," Jade said gesturing between them and Lara nodded.

"It shouldn't have gotten to the point where we didn't talk at all," Lara replied and Jade gave Lara a small smile.

"I miss you," Jade whispered and Lara pulled her into a hug.

Just like that, everything was fine. They didn't need words to make things right, words were so overrated.

"How's the internship going?" Jade asked as they walked to her apartment.

"Oh, you mean my janitoring internship? I got an actual job while we were broken up. I'm now the magazine editor's assistant. She lets me read and correct articles, I also give my opinion which she says she appreciates. Life's been pretty amazing. I mean no one knows I do all that but it's nice doing stuff, even in the background."

Jade smiled at her best friend. She was happy for Lara, she really was. However, she couldn't help her stomach twisting into knots. Celia had her boutique and Lara had her amazing job. What did she have apart from a shitload of problems and bitterness? She had no goals or dreams, she was just aimlessly making her way through college hoping for what?

"I am happy for you. Congratulations!" Jade said with a beam.

Jade's phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out to find a message from Nevaeh.

Parking lot. Now.

Jade showed Lara the message.

"I have to go but I love you," Jade said hugging Lara who hugged her back.

This time there would be no bitterness that followed, they would be fine. Lara and Jade would be fine this time round.

Nevaeh had stolen Cam's car again and they were headed to the beach. Unlike last time, they barely talked to each other. Nevaeh was focused on the road and Jade was focused on her thoughts.

They arrived late, again. The beach was empty. It was just them, the stars, the moon and the sky.

"Jade, I promise to be there for you, to be your best friend, through thick and thin, through sickness and health, richer or poorer, till death do us part," Nevaeh began and Jade closed her eyes letting herself fall onto the sand. "Do you remember when we said that in high school to each other? We wanted to do that stupid blood pact but neither of us was brave enough to draw any blood?"

Jade opened her eyes and nodded.

"I messed up. You think I don't know that? It killed me everyday and it still does. We promised to be there for each other through thick and thin Jade. You don't get to back out when things get tough. I am sorry for what I did. I regret it but I know for a fact, I will regret not fighting for our friendship. Screw Damon, Nigel, Cameron. Let's go back to the way things were Jade," Nevaeh screamed tears running down her cheeks.

Jade was crying too. She quickly got up before pulling Nevaeh into a hug.

"I love you, you weirdo," Jade said and Nevaeh laughed despite her tears. "I'm sorry too."

For a minute, they just stood there in each other's arms, crying and laughing.

"Why the beach?" Jade asked a while later.

"Why not? We are infinite under the stars."

Cam was mad that Nevaeh had stolen his car, but it was worth it. This time he hadn't followed them because they didn't fall asleep on the beach. They just watched the waves together and, in their universe, it was perfect.