The rubber tires of the car skidded across the heated black asphalt, making a screeching sound. Four girls emerged from the vehicle, large smiles on their young faces. Two of the girls were inseparable, the other two laughing about something one of them said. They made their way inside the looming building, the last bit of their voices slipping inside.
----
As we stepped out of the car, I grabbed Perrie's hand happily. Her smile only grew wider as we walked towards the building to get Jake. Jesy, being Jake's fiancée, was the first to enter. We followed suit, the sound of our shoes reverberating on the tiled floors. The echoes resounded softly off the walls of the mostly quiet building, disturbing the peaceful setting. My eyes darted around the room, searching for a sign of life besides the registration lady. Perrie looked over at me, her crystalline blue eyes shimmering.
"You alright love? You seem nervous." Perrie observed, rubbing her thumb in circles along the back of my hand.
"I'm fine, Perrie. The quietness of this building makes me uncomfortable." I explained, my eyes still scanning the empty room.
"Okay, love." Perrie replied quietly, still smiling.
We continued to follow Jesy until we finally came up to a carpeted hallway with wooded walls. The wood in the walls was knotty and soft, so lively that it seemed as if it was still a part of the tree. I ran my free hand along the walls as we walked, my skin scratching against the surface. The soft echoing sound from the previous room was now replaced by the soft sound of feet padding against a plush surface. When we got to the room Jesy said Jake was in, I was relieved beyond a shadow of a doubt. I was so tired of walking endlessly that I could've collapsed on the spot. Jesy walked in, and only moments later, returned with her man on her arm.
We made our way back to the car, this time with Jake sitting shotgun and Leigh-Anne sitting next to me and Perrie. Jesy drove to the next location, only guided by Leigh's directions. Jesy pulled the car into a driveway in a nice neighborhood, and Leigh got out of the car. She walked up to the porch of the house and rang the bell. Only seconds later did Jordan emerge from the depths of the house, locking it as they left. They returned to the car and sat in the very back seat, buckling their seat belts before returning to their usual couple things. I returned my head to Perrie's shoulder, smiling into her side. She draped her arm around me, quietly talking to me. Jesy continued to drive, the car bumping slightly every few seconds.
~~~~
I quietly looked around the desolate area we were in. The grass was a dark, healthy green, and the trees were plentiful on the horizon. There were a few healthy trees sprinkled around the field, giving the illusion of a thin forest. Flowers were scattered among the soft blades of grass, peppering the field with bursts of vivid color. The sound of the leaves rustling gently in the wind filled my ears, creating a soft melodious tune from the sounds of pure nature. I slowly became aware of the place we were in, my eyes widening with realization. I scanned over the area again, my eyes sliding over each individual curve in the terrain.
"This-this park... It's from my childhood... I remember it so well..." I drifted off, the memories flooding back.
~1998~
My chubby fingers wrapped firmly around his hand, my giggles echoing across the park. I looked at the boy happily.
"Lukey, look!" I yelled out, giggling as I ran off to the big hill.
Luke followed closely behind, giggling with each step. I got to the top of the hill, and laid down at the tip of the hill. I turned slightly and began to roll down the hill, giggling and shrieking in delight. When I stopped rolling, I pushed myself up off the ground and regained my balance, almost falling back down. I looked at the top of the hill as Luke rolled down the side, shrieking happily. As soon as he stood up, he grabbed my hand and ran, taking me to a big tree. I looked up at it, smiling brightly.
"Jadey watch this!" He yelled as began to climb the tree. He got about 8 feet up the tree before sitting on a branch and looking down at me. He waved happily, giggling at the sight of how small I was.
I didn't like the overwhelming feeling in my stomach.
"Luke, please be careful, I-" I was cut off mid-sentence as I heard an earsplitting crack, followed by a high pitched scream. "LUKE!" I shrieked, running over to his unconscious body only a few feet away.
"Luke, are-are you okay? Please wake up Luke, please..." I wailed. Sirens could be heard in the distance, the sound getting closer. Soon, some big men came over to where I was and put Luke in in a big truck and drove off.
I haven't seen him since.
~2015~
I cried out, in pain, the tears freely rolling down my cheeks. I tried to choke back my sobs, which in turn only made it worse. I felt a hand rubbing circles on my back as I scanned the park one more time, my eyes landing on the very tree that he fell from. I started shaking uncontrollably, a feeling of warmth taking over my body. I realized it to be Perrie's arms wrapping around my body.
"Jade, babe, are you okay? What's wrong?" She cooed softly in my ears.
"I-it's nothing. I'm sorry." I stammered, regaining my composure. I stood up slowly, wiping the tears from my face. Perrie knew better than to push the topic any further while we were in public, grabbing my hand and helping me the rest of the way up.
I looked around at everyone, their shocked and confused expressions confirming my thoughts.
"I-I'm sorry guys. I don't know what came over me, let's just continue about our day please." I insisted, glancing around at the girls. They all nodded and Leigh-Anne led the way, walking over to a tree. The tree. The cursed tree that almost killed one of my best friends. I shuddered slightly at the thought of it, a new surge of thoughts invading its space. Was he okay? Where was he? What happened? All I really knew past what happened was that he survived. The guilt felt like a massive weight, crushing each individual part of my body slowly until there was nothing left. It's been 16 years and I still haven't gotten over it. I couldn't bring myself to enjoy my time because of the overbearing guilt crushing me. I tried to shake the feeling off, but it wouldn't leave. I sat around the tree for the few hours we were there, trying not to sulk around and ruin the fun everyone else was having.
Perrie looked over at me sadly, beckoning me over. I groaned quietly and made my way over to Perrie, snuggling up to her side. Perrie rested her head atop mine gently, lacing her hand with mine. I glanced over at Jordan and Jake, who were both giving us odd looks. They turned away as soon as they noticed my stare, awkwardly turning to their girlfriends. They obviously were asking about us, as I saw them glance over a few times before quickly returning to Jesy and Leigh-Anne. Eventually, Jordan got up from his spot next to Leigh and walked over to us, sitting down in front of us.
"So, uh, are you two, um, dating?" He asked awkwardly, his discomfort evident in his voice.
"Yeah. Jerrie is real Jordan, Jerrie is real." Perrie said, chuckling at herself.
"Oh, that's cool. Congratulations you two." He said, very understanding of 'us'.
It took all I had not to laugh out loud at his seriousness. This prank was absolutely the best idea I've ever had. Jordan went back over to Leigh, Jake, and Jesy, and explained everything. Jake nodded and smiled as Jordan spoke, obviously very happy about the news.
~~~~
As we made our way back to the flat, Perrie got the brilliant idea to ask me about my breakdown at the park.
"What happened Jadey? I don't like seeing you upset like that." She asked quietly, hoping the girls wouldn't hear.
"I'll explain when we get home, alright? I don't mean to worry anyone." I replied, my voice small.
"It's fine love, I don't mean to put any strain on you." She replied softly, stroking my hair.
I leaned against her softly, trying not doze off as we made our way home.
~~~~
As we walked into the warmth of the flat, I felt relief for the first time in hours. I walked into Perrie and I's bedroom and sat on the bed, patiently waiting for Perrie. As soon as she walked in, I began explaining the story of Luke. By the time I finished reliving the painful experience, tears were rolling down my cheeks like waterfalls. Perrie pulled me into a hug as I cried into her sweater, staining it with my tears.
"Jade, I'm so sorry. I want you to know that it wasn't your fault, and he's probably completely fine. Please, don't let this ruin your constant happiness. I honestly hate not seeing you smile." She murmured into my ear, making me cry more. She held me there for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, she gently talked me into getting on pajamas so we could have some girl time. I walked into the living area with a leaden weight bearing down on my body, making it difficult to move. I felt so lost, yet so at home, all at the same time.
~~~~
I awoke in a slightly compromising position, one of my feet resting on Perrie's shoulder, the other hanging off of the couch. Leigh and Jesy had fallen asleep on the floor, Leigh's arm tangled in Jesy's hair. I snickered quietly and snapped a photo with my phone, which was only laying a few inches away by my cheek. I moved my toes to Perrie's nose, wiggling them around. This effectively tickled her, seeing as she sputtered out giggles as her eyes fluttered open. I laughed too, causing Leigh and Jesy to wake up. I moved back into a slightly normal position before deciding I wanted coffee. I nudged Perrie with my elbow and nodded towards our room. She nodded as I got up, treading towards the room. As the door clicked shut, I made my way over to the dresser. I grabbed Mickey Mouse leggings, a loose white shirt that said "Trés Fashion" on it and white trainers. I took a shower and changed quickly so I could meet Perrie outside. As I made my way out to the car, I tripped over a rock, falling face-first onto the pavement.
"Oww....." I groaned, pulling myself off of the ground and dusting myself off, before putting a hand to my face. As soon as my finger touched my cheek, it stung badly and my fingertip was red, dampened with blood. "Oh sh-" I'm cut off from my soon-to-be curse-filled rant by Perrie, who is standing behind me with her arm on my shoulder.
"Jadey, are you ready to- Oh my god!" Perrie exclaims, paling at the condition of my face. "What happened to you?"
"I tripped and fell face-first on the pavement." I spoke slowly, not wanting to irritate the wounds on my face.
"We need to get your cuts all cleaned up and then we can go." I nodded.
Perrie took me inside and got a warm, damp washcloth and dabbed it on my face multiple times, cleaning the blood. The cuts were apparently small, but they bled a lot. We then went back outside and got in the car. I was driving, and Perrie was sitting passenger side, making silly faces at me while I tried not to laugh. I drove to a café a few blocks away that was called "Vanilla Spice".
Perrie
We arrived at the café Jade wanted to go to, and it seemed vaguely familiar at first. As soon as we walked in however, I knew it was familiar. I smiled at the thought of being here again, before the memories came back.
~2005~
I sat down in the booth, looking around for my friend. I really needed to talk to him. My eyes darted around the room as I heard a 'ding', and my eyes shot to the door of the café. There he stood, causing butterflies to erupt in my stomach. I giggled softly as he walked over to my booth, sitting across from me.
"Hey Matt." I said, smiling.
"Hey Perrie. What did you want to talk about again?" He asked, ruffling his hair with his hand.
"Well, um, there was something I wanted to tell you, actually." I spoke softly, the nervousness taking over.
"Okay, well, what is it? You know I won't judge you Perrie, we are best friends." He replied calmly.
That was my problem. We were best friends, and I was about to risk our entire friendship.
"Well, I, um, I kinda like you..." I mumbled the end, causing a look of confusion from Matt.
"You what?"
"I like you, alright!" I half-yelled.
His eyes went wide as a blush creeped across his cheeks.
"Y-you like me? R-really?" He stuttered, obviously shocked at the news. "I-I like you too."
I smiled and hugged him tight from across the table, giggling.
~~~~
The next year
~~~~
I was meeting him at the café again for our one year anniversary. We had done nothing besides act the same way we usually do the past year, aside from the hand holding. The bell above the door let out a shrill ding as Matthew walked in, scanning the room for me. As soon as his bright green eyes landed on me, he disheveled his soft brown hair and walked over to me, his expression not wavering. He sat down across from me without grabbing my hand like he usually would. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly before speaking.
"I'm sorry Perrie. I know today isn't a good day to do this, but we have to, um, break up. I'm sorry." He said, the sorrow evident in his usually carefree features.
"But it's our one year anniversary! This was supposed to be special..." I broke down crying in the booth as he left me alone, drowning in my tears.
~2015~
The tears were slowly building up at the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill out at any second. I wiped at my eyes and ran to the bathroom as fast as I could. I slid my back down the wall of the girls' bathroom, sobbing violently. I heard the door click open as a shortish figure emerged, turning to look at me. She crouched down so she was at eye level with me, her tanned legs almost hitting her chin.
"Pez, what's wrong?" She asked slowly, as she cradled me in her arms.
"I had my f-first date a-and break up in th-this very café. H-he was the longest relationship I've ever had. H-he broke up with me on o-our one year anniversary." I choked out, tears spilling down my cheeks once more.
"Shh... You have me, love. I'm here for y-" Jade was cut off by squealing and the sound of the camera shutter on a phone.
"Oh. My. God. Jerrie is real!" One of the girls squealed, taking another picture.
"Oh no..." I mumbled quietly, afraid of what was going to happen next.
~~~~
Jade
I awkwardly walked into the large building our management owned, afraid of the conversation that was about to take place. I signed in and went into the meeting room with Perrie right behind me, her hand in mine. Jesy and Leigh-Anne were already in the room when we got there, and our management guy, Alan, did not look happy.
His scowl bore into my soul, disturbing my every thought.
"You girls have made a big mistake. You're lucky we have a solution." He bellowed, his terse tone echoing around the small room.
"What do we have to do?" I asked, my voice small.
"We have found a couple of guys for you to date, which will hopefully clear up the rumors." He explained, pressing a button on his intercom microphone.
Only moments later, two tall, fit guys walked into the room.
"Girls, introduce yourselves to them. I have another meeting to attend, so I'll leave you to get acquainted. Perrie, you're dating the one on the left, Jade, you have the one on the right. Have fun." He sneered, waddling out of the meeting room.
I walked up to the guy on the right, Perrie went to the guy on the left.
"Hello, my name's Jade." I greeted happily. Based on the look on his face, I can only assume he heard "heelo, me neems Jeed."
"J-Jade?" He questioned.
"Yeah, my name is Jade. Do I know you?" I asked, not trying to sound rude.
"I-it's Luke." He spoke slowly, making my eyes go wide.
"Luke?! I-I thought you were-" I choked on my words at the thought of it, my eyes watering as I pulled him into a tight hug. "I missed you.." I murmured into his chest, crying.
Perrie
"Hello. My name is Perrie." I introduced myself to the man, who only stared back at me. "Hello? Earth to guy?" I teased, shaking my hand in his face.
"Oh, um sorry. Are you sure you don't already know me, Perrie?" He asked. I shook my head in reply.
"My name is Matthew." He replied calmly, the realization shooting through my body like a firework shooting into the sky.
"Matthew... It's you." I spoke at last, my eyes watering.
"Yeah, it is." He replied, pulling me in for a hug. The tears rolled endlessly down my cheeks, and I stained his nice shirt with my tears.
"I'm sorry..." I mumbled into his shirt, gripping him tighter. "Why did you leave?" I mumbled into his chest quietly.