Friends.

Chapter 28

When I arrive home, the concierge of my building gives me a parcel that was delivered today, no doubt one of my online purchases.

I excitedly tear open the brown packaging to find the light sky blue soft material of a dress I bought from H & M online the other day. It is skin tight, has a high, straight across neck line and a very low back, I love it. I think I'll wear this tonight, it's too cute to resist. I jump in the shower quickly, trying not to over think what I am going to say to Linda. I curl my hair but it's not sitting right out so I pull it back into a low bun with curls falling around my face. I do simple make up, I don't want her to think I'm trying too hard, and after getting changed, I put a thin orange belt around my waist and throw on matching coloured heels. If I'm late, Linda will kill me so I leave 45 minutes early and arrive to Johns Bistro with fifteen minutes to spare.

Yes, beat her here! She is always early so it's nice to not keep her waiting for once.

I'm just now realising how nervous I actually am. What if she thinks I'm a horrible person after hearing everything that happened? I've made some terrible decisions lately and some of them are beyond explanation. 

Linda arrives at ten to 8, her long blonde hair plaited messily and hanging down her shoulder and a black and white spotted head band across her hair line. I laugh when I notice she's wearing the exact same dress as me, but in orange.

"Nice dress." She grins as she sits down opposite me. I knew she couldn't stay mad for long. She realises that she smiled and immediately changes her face into a scowl, I can't help but laugh at her inability to be mad at me.

"Don't laugh at me!!" She whines. "I'm trying really hard to be angry at you but I don't really care, he's not my brother. That rule is fucked." She says and then bites her lip. "What I meant to say was, make your case." Her tone is serious but I see right through her facade.

"Well, what did Gemma tell you?" I ask after we order drinks.

"She called us all, individually, and told us that Harry has been cheating on his fiancé with you..."

"That's all she said?" I ask.

"Well she said she walked in on you two and you were about to..." Linda grins.

"Uhhh. What are the rest of the girls saying?" I ask, I don't want to think about Harry but that's what this whole conversation is about so it's kind of unavoidable.

"I haven't spoken to everyone, but Gab said she doesn't really care because we were dumb uni students when we made that rule. Like we understand why Gem is angry but not how it affects us..." She shrugs.

"Oh thank god." I sigh out of relief.

"But, I am angry at you for not telling me. Char, we're meant to be friends and you directly lied to me so many times about Harry...I want to know everything." She says sternly. I can't blame her for being angry...

I tell her everything, from that night at cocktails to this present moment. She watches, her jaw practically on the floor and her eyes wider than what should be humanly possible.

"Does Gemma know any of this?" She asks, still shocked.

"No? Do you really think she would've stuck around to hear me out? She's so stubborn. It was humiliating. If she'd been like five minutes later, I would've been alot more...exposed." I say and she giggles.

"Seriously though, I can't believe all this happened and you never said a word." She bites her lip thoughtfully as she looks at me in amazement.

"I know, it really sucked not being able to talk to you about it...but with the rule and everything, can you blame me?" I sigh, it's been a very lonely month without seeing Linda as much, looking back now I think I subconsciously didn't make an effort to see her that much because I didn't want to lie to her face.