Yellowjackets: The Broken Victors

Chapter 16: The Royal Table, Journal, and Hot Chocolate

"No. It wasn't even part of my plan this year to be here," Jackie replied. "I'm only here because of some urgent situations."

"Right, the emergency that you girls were talking about. What even is that? Shauna's not telling me anything," said Jeff.

"Are you even surprised that your wife is not telling you everything?" Jackie asked in a sarcastic voice, which she noticed cornered Jeff a little and put him on the spot, so she immediately changed the topic.

"Don't think about it too much. It's just a girls' problem," she told Jeff.

"Shauna has a girl problem? At this age?"

"I said girls' problem. Us, the girls. Not just her."

Once again, there was a moment of silence between them after that. Jeff leaned against the back of their sofa to support the weight of his body as he focused his gaze on Jackie one more time.

"Listen, uhh, Jackie. It's crazy how, after all these years, I still haven't gotten the chance to apologize to you about everything," he said in a low voice. "I'm sorry for what I did to you-"

"Don't," she said, immediately cutting him off.

"What?" Jeff asked in confusion.

"Don't apologize for what happened 25 years ago, Jeff. I've already moved on from that high school drama between the three of us," said Jackie. "In fact, we never need to talk about that thing again because believe me-"

The woman stared at Jeff intently as she spoke. "It's not easy to casually reminisce about your best friend betraying you over a boy. I have a lot of good memories with Shauna, and that's not one of them."

Jeff was about to say something, but the sound of their bedroom's door opening was heard in the living room, indicating that Shauna was on her way out.

"You're not a bad person, Jeff. You just did bad things," said Jackie.

Before exiting the Sadeckis' house to go in the car again and just wait there for Shauna, Jackie spared Jeff one last glance.

"All of us did."

***

[1996]

It was the second night after the group left to do their expedition. Agami was sitting on the porch of their cabin, playing with her flute, to shake off the anxiety in her system involving the girls', Van's, to be specific, safety. Even though she doesn't quite understand what they meant, what she saw in her dream has been bothering her since they left.

She hadn't gotten the chance to talk with Lottie either, as the woman was obviously still avoiding her. Lottie was always with Laura Lee. The two have become inseparable, but she's not sure if it was for the best. There's something inside her telling her that she should ask Lottie about her dream, but she was also afraid of finding out about the fact that they should've stopped them instead.

Agami is staring blankly, waiting for sleepiness to pay her a visit, when she hears something rustle from her left side. The leaves move slightly, but not due to the breeze that is blowing.

Jackie suddenly appeared, her left hand holding a lamp, which was the only source of light outside their cabin and between them, while her right hand clenched onto a red notebook. She was about to tease the woman when Jackie didn't even spare her any glance and walked straight in her direction, or rather at the door.

Agami's mind soon changed upon seeing the woman's demeanor. She could sense Jackie's rage merely by looking at her. And it was evident in her angry eyes, uncontrollable tears that were streaming down her cheeks, and determined expression, as if she were ready to set the cabin on fire.