Love's Unending Thorn

04

Chapter Four

The next day was the last day of our field trip, and I couldn't wait to go home. The events of yesterday had left me feeling drained and upset, and I just wanted to be in the comfort of my own home.

Unfortunately, my friend Clara had other plans. She had heard about a club near where we were staying, and she was determined to go clubbing on our last night.

"Come on, Jade, it'll be fun!" Clara said, trying to convince me to come along.

I shook my head, not wanting to relive the pain of seeing Ryan and Jessica together. "I don't think I'm up for it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Clara's face fell. "Please, Jade, don't let them ruin our last night here," she pleaded.

I sighed, feeling guilty for letting my own problems get in the way of my friends' fun. "Fine, I'll come," I said, knowing that I would regret it later.

Clara grinned, her face lighting up. "Yes! This is going to be so much fun!"

As the day went on, Clara kept talking about the club, getting more and more excited as the night approached. She tried to convince all of our classmates to come, and to my dismay, even Ryan and Jessica agreed to come along.

I tried to ignore them, but their presence made me feel uncomfortable and uneasy. I couldn't help but feel like an outsider, like I didn't belong with them.

As we got ready for the night, Clara kept trying to get me excited about the club. "We're going to have so much fun, Jade! I promise!" she said, her eyes sparkling.

But I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that was creeping up inside me. I knew that I would have to see Ryan and Jessica together, and I didn't think I could handle it.

As we walked towards the club, I felt like I was walking towards my own execution. The music was pounding, and there were people everywhere, dancing and laughing and having a good time. But I couldn't bring myself to join in.

Clara dragged me towards the bar, ordering us both a drink. "Come on, Jade, let's dance!" she said, grabbing my hand.

I tried to protest, but Clara was insistent. "Just one dance, come on!" she said, pulling me towards the dance floor.

As we danced, I tried to forget about my problems, but it was impossible. I kept seeing Ryan and Jessica together, laughing and flirting like nothing had happened. It made me sick to my stomach.

After a while, I couldn't take it anymore. I told Clara that I needed some air and walked outside.

As I sat on the curb, trying to calm myself down, I heard someone sit down next to me. It was Mark.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, looking at me with concern.

I shook my head. "No, I'm not. I can't handle seeing them together," I said, feeling tears welling up in my eyes.

Mark put his arm around me, offering me comfort. "I know it's hard, but you don't have to go through it alone," he said. "You have friends who care about you and want to help."

I sighed, feeling grateful for Mark's kindness. "Thanks, Mark. You're a good friend," I said, leaning my head on his shoulder.

After a few minutes, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Clara.

"Jade, what are you doing out here?" she asked, looking at me with concern.

"I just needed some air," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Clara looked at me for a moment before finally admitting, "I know what you're going through, Jade. I've been there before."

I looked at her, surprised. Clara had always seemed so confident and put-together.

"When I was in middle school, I had a crush on this guy, but he ended up dating my best friend," she said, her voice softening. "It was the worst feeling in the world, but I had to learn to move on."

I listened, feeling like maybe I wasn't alone after all. "How did you do it?" I asked, feeling hopeful.

Clara smiled at me. "Well, for one thing, I got a major makeover," she said, grinning. "And then I went out and had some fun. I realized that I didn't need a guy to make me happy."

I laughed, feeling a little lighter. Maybe Clara was right. Maybe I just needed to have some fun and forget about Ryan.

"Okay, I'll do it," I said, feeling more determined than ever.

Clara grinned. "That's the spirit!" she said, pulling me back towards the club.

As we walked back inside, Clara took me to the bathroom and started giving me a makeover. She putmakeup on me, curled my hair, and even gave me a new outfit to wear.

As I looked at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help but feel a little better. I looked different, and that made me feel like maybe I could be different too.

Clara grinned at me. "There, now you're ready to take on the world!" she said, her eyes sparkling.

As we walked back out onto the dance floor, I felt a surge of confidence. I wasn't going to let Ryan and Jessica ruin my night. I was going to have fun, no matter what.

And for a while, I did. I danced and laughed and drank, forgetting about my problems for a little while. But as the night wore on, I started to feel tired and a little sad again.

As I sat down at the bar, Clara came up to me. "Are you okay, Jade?" she asked, looking at me with concern.

I shook my head. "I don't know, Clara. I'm just so tired," I said, feeling tears welling up in my eyes again.

Clara put her arm around me. "Come on, let's go back to the cabin," she said, leading me towards the door.

As we walked back to the cabin, Clara kept talking, trying to cheer me up. "You know, Jade, I think you're amazing," she said. "You're smart and kind and beautiful, and you don't need a guy to make you happy."

I smiled weakly, feeling grateful for Clara's support. "Thanks, Clara. I really appreciate it," I said, feeling a little better.

When we got back to the cabin, Clara tucked me into bed, making sure I was comfortable. "Sleep well, Jade," she said, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but feel grateful for Clara's kindness. She had been there for me when I needed her, and that meant more to me than anything.

The next morning, we packed up our things and headed back home. As we said goodbye to each other, I couldn't help but feel a little sad. Even though the trip had been difficult, it had also been an adventure, and I was going to miss my friends.

As I walked towards my car, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Ryan.

"Hey, Jade," he said, looking at me with regret in his eyes. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about what happened with Jessica. I never meant to hurt you."

I looked at him for a moment before finally admitting, "I know. And I forgive you."

Ryan smiled at me, relief flooding his face. "Thank you, Jade. That means a lot to me."

As we hugged each other goodbye, I couldn't help but feel like maybe things were going to be okay after all. Maybe I could move on from what had happened and start fresh.

As I got into my car and drove away, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the experiences I had had on the trip. Even though it had been difficult, it had also taught me a lot about myself and about the importance of friendship.

And as I looked towards the future, I knew that I had a lot to learn and a lot of growing to do, but I was ready for whatever came my way. With the support of my friends and the resilience that came from within, I knew that I could handle anything.