Happy Place || A Jerrie Fanfiction

XXIV - I WANT TO BE THAT PERSON

"You . . . You're not mad?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in uncertainty.

"Jadey, you think — you think I'm mad at you?" Leigh tried to heave between breaths, still laughing hysterically like a mad woman.

"Aren't you?" I replied, feeling even more confused than ever.

Wiping the tears that managed to escape from her eyes, she giggled again, "Sweetie, you're so adorable. But, no, I'm not mad. This isn't your fault, anyway."

Incredulous, I responded, "I flirted with your boyfriend. You're not mad at me for that?"

"He's not my boyfriend anymore," she said it as if it was obvious. Shaking her head, she spoke again, "I dumped his ass right after you guys left."

Last night still stayed fresh inside my head. I remembered the guilt that consumed me, the horror look on Leigh's face when she found out, and the heated rage that I didn't know Perrie could emanate until last night.

I sighed out heavily, "I'm really sorry, Leigh."

"To be honest, I wasn't really mad," she said, shrugging, "More like hurt, actually. But sure, you could say I'm mad — not at you, though, but at Niall."

"But it was kind of my fault, too."

"How is it your fault, Jade?" A chuckle rumbled in her throat. "What — you're sorry that guys gravitate toward you? Sorry because Niall decided to take you out on a date 'cause you're too goddamn prettier than me — his own girlfriend?"

"Please don't say that," I choked out, realizing now that I'll be crying my eyeballs out any minute now.

"Then what do you want me to say?" Her tone became stern, almost as if she's talking with her jaw clenched. And in that moment, I know she isn't playing anymore.

I know she's also mad at me.

"Just —" I tried to swallow the lump that formed in my throat but for naught as it only grew bigger now that Leigh's staring me down. I breathed out desperately, "Just tell me what you want me to do to make it up to you. Anything!"

Leigh exhaled heavily through her nose and leaned back on her chair; her arms folded in front of her chest; crossing one leg over the other.

"Anything?"

I nodded as I take a few steps toward her, making sure that she sees the sincerity in my gaze up close. Leaning closer and clutching the edge of Leigh's table, I muttered softly, "Anything."

She held my stare, until she closed her eyes and sighed out frustratedly, "Jade, I'm gonna tell you this once, clear?"

My eyebrows bounced. "Tell me what?"

Leigh opened her eyes and held my gaze firmly, like as if she's scrutinizing me. Then she spoke, "Perrie is very special to me."

My grip on the edge of Leigh's table loosened and I took a step back to observe her. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because to her, you are special. But I think you and I both know that, am I correct?" She asked me with a tilted head. But before I could say anything, she barreled on, "Since it's been almost a month now, I think it's safe to say that you know about her short-term memory loss . . . ?"

"Of course," I responded immediately.

She nodded and heaved a sigh, "Perrie — she's . . . she's a strong person. She's probably the strongest person I know. When she feels down, she doesn't show it. She's the type of person that would take a true friend to know what she's genuinely feeling inside, do you understand?"