prince in jeans

s i x t e e n

"This one's cute," said Lex, holding a dark red dress to my body. 

"Nah," I replied, twisting to look at myself in the mirror. "Too short."

"You need something for Axel's birthday," Beth giggled from beside me. 

I shook my head. "I don't even know why I'm going."

"Because we are," Lex retorted, smiling brightly. "And so is Harry."

"He's only going because you asked him to," I told her, pushing away her attempt to hand me a neon yellow dress. 

"Yeah, but he's still going," Lex laughed, linking her arms through both mine and Beth's as we walked through the store. 

"How old is Axel turning anyway?" Beth inquired, dark bangs falling into her face as she twisted by an old lady with a stroller. 

"Um," Lex thought for a moment. "Twenty four?" 

I snorted. "Acts like he's just four."

Lex whacked my arm, playfully. "Oh, come on, Celeste, he's cute."

"But not as cute as Harry, right?" Beth teased, nudging me and I flushed. 

My friends laughed and pulled me along. 

•

I only found out about Beth when we were sitting at the café and sipping our drinks. Lex had bolted off to the bathroom so we ordered for her and were now waiting for her.

"So are you and Harry official?" Beth asked as she took a drink. 

"I don't know," I admitted, looking at her, uncertainly. "I mean, we're together but I don't know if he's told anyone else." 

Beth hummed in response and then suddenly, looked up at me. "Do you love him?"

I blinked, taken aback by her harsh tone. 

"I...yeah, I do." 

Beth nodded. "Does he...Does he love you?"

I smiled, involuntarily, remembering Harry's words and lips and the little things he did for me. "Yes, he does."

I thought about how he held me and teased me and kissed me and made me laugh and annoyed me and constantly loved me. 

I looked up at Beth, grinning from ear to ear. "Yes, he loves me - " I froze. "Beth, what's wrong?"

She was crying, tears falling from her eyes and she turned away, hands gripping the back of her chair as she stood up.

"Beth - " I got to my feet and reached for her wrist but she wrenched away like she'd been scalded. "I...What's wrong?"

She wrapped her arms around herself, crying and when I took a step towards her, she stepped back, hastily. 

"Can't you see it?" she whispered and a few heads turned in our direction. "I'm in love with him. With Harry. And I have been for three years now. And he's...he's in love with...with you." 

My heart stalled. "Oh my god, Beth, I'm so sor - "

She shook her head and then turned and pushed her way through the small crowd that had gathered around us just as Lex burst into the café. 

"Beth? What's - " she began but by then, Beth was out of the café. 

Lex turned towards me, slowly and we locked eyes.

"Did she tell you about...?" Lex approached me, cautiously as the crowd dispersed. 

I tried to swallow the lump in my throat but I couldn't so I just nodded.