𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐁𝐎𝐑

39

she smiles sadly, giving a look to mads.

"she's not missing out on anything. nessa's driving anyways so it's not like she could drink and anyways, she doesn't have to do anything if she doesn't want to" mads sasses to her boyfriend. the two girls laugh as jaden holds his hands in mock surrender.

from across the room, nessa can sense a pair of eyes staring at her. she looks over to see sarah, clutching onto her boyfriends arm as he talks to his parents. the bitchy blonde makes sure nessa sees as she leans up and starts to make out with the birthday boy. nessa can't help but scoff, how classy must she be to stick her tongue down his throat in front of his parents.

"sarah! why don't you come with me" griffin says, pulling her arm gently and disconnecting the two. he takes her over to the bar, away from the family.

nessa takes this time to grab the kids and go home; that way she doesn't have to explain herself to anyone else. she walks over, william seeing her first. he runs over to her, holding his arms out. nessa lifts him up, the child sitting on her hip.

"can we go watch a movie now?" he whispers in her ear. she giggles, nodding 'yes'.

olivia puts on her coat, saying goodbye to her big brother.

"ready to go?" nessa asks her.

olivia nods, taking william from nessa who is reluctant at first. "i'm going to put you in the car" olivia tells him and he willingly goes, waving bye to his parents and brother.

"wait you're not coming to the party?" josh asks, the disappointment clear in his tone. josh's parents share a look.

nessa looks at him for the first time since he declared his love for sarah. she shakes her head, smiling sadly. "no. your brother and sister are staying at my appartment this weekend and i promised william we'd watch a movie, he's really tired" she explains.

josh doesn't want nessa to miss his party but she clearly isn't bothered about it. it hurts him to know that she doesn't want to be around him but he can't be mad, she flew his family out for his birthday.

"nessa we don't mind taking the kids back to the hotel if you'd rather go to the party" mrs.richards insists.

   there's a glint of hope in josh's eye but it's quickly blinked away when he sees nessa shake her head.

   "it's honestly fine, i'm looking forward to going to bed early" she jokes. "josh and i can do something another time for his birthday".

   the second she said that, a light inside mr.richards' head lights up and he smiles.

   "why don't you come bowling with us tomorrow! we're going for ice cream after it too" he invites, his wife loving the idea also.

   nessa doesn't want to seem rude and she'd be a horrible friend if she declined. she just didn't want to intrude, especially if sarah was going to be there.

      "are you sure? i wouldn't want to be imposing on family time" she says, josh's parents dismissing her concern.

   "don't be silly! you are family! my kids love you"
mrs, richards comments, realising what she said only seconds later.

    there's an awakened silence for a mere few seconds. josh and nessa exchanging a look and mr. richards  mentally facepalming.

    "well okay then, i'd love to" nessa smiles, giving josh's parents a hug goodnight.

    they leave after saying goodbye to their son and nessa. the two friends stand in the same place, a silence hovering over them.

   josh is the first to speak.

    "sarah won't be there tomorrow. just us" he tells her.

      "i wasn't-"

  "oh come on ness. i know you've been distant because of her. she's not as bad as you think" he shrugs.

    nessa simply can't stand and hear about how amazing sarah is right now. she raises her eyebrows and nods.

    "i have to go now, have fun at your party".

nessa doesn't wait for him to respond. instead, she turns around and walks out of the restaurant, waving goodbye to her friends as she does. the amount of emotion she's feeling right now is something she would never be able to explain. the only thing she does know about them however is that hearing josh say he's in love with someone else broke her heart into a million pieces and gave her the wake up call she should have had all those months ago. she should have told him she loved him. that she was really in love with him. that she wanted to be with him and for him to be with her. she shouldn't have been scared to be with the one person she's ever loved. hearing him say he didn't love her anymore broke her in more ways than one. she hated herself for ruining things. she hated him for being the love of her life.

_____________

told u guys i was gonna step up my updating game :))))

comment & vote 🤍