Hey, guys, this is me uploading chapter 35 AGAIN because I got MANY messages from people complaining about the chapter not showing up in their libraries. Hope this works!
Chapter Thirty-Five
I was so terrible at lying and giving smart responses when getting busted. It's as if my brain couldn't function properly. Jason waited for our reply. I was frozen but Helen was beyond that, she wasn't even blinking.
I had to open my big mouth to say something stupid, of course, "I like pizza."
Jason frowned, "What?"
Helen snapped her head towards me and gave me a 'Wtf' look. I gave her a shrug. That response was all my brain could conjure.
Jason opened his mouth to protest but I saw Shane coming towards us with the glass of wine for Helen, "Shane!" I called out exaggeratedly, "Right here! We're right here!"
Shane gave me a 'wtf' look as well.
'Wtf' looks for the night: 2.
I was on fire.
Shane got to us, "Are you drunk already?"
I huffed, "No, I just..." I glanced at Jason, he cocked an eyebrow. I snatched the glass of wine from Shane's hand, "I'm thirsty." I raised the glass to my lips and drank the whole thing in one go.
"Jules!" Helen protested.
My head span around for a second, the alcohol kicking in, "I'm fine."
"Are you even supposed to be drinking?" Jason sounded worried, "Aren't you taking painkillers or something for your hand?"
I shook my head, "Not on New year's eve."
"That was my glass." Helen muttered. I gave her a killer look. I had distracted Jason and she was bringing the whole thing back up.
Jason opened his mouth but I chime in, "We should open our presents."
"Already?" Jason scowled at me.
"Yeah, we better do it before someone gets drunk enough to forget who their secret Santa is." Everyone nodded in agreement. We were supposed to have the Secret Santa thing on Christmas' night but you remember how that ended.
"Jo! Lau!" Shane called out his besties, "Stop raping Jules' kitchen and come over here."
"Oh Lord, my poor virginal kitchen." I mumbled.
Jordan and Laura sprint out of the kitchen looking guilty as hell, "We weren't making out." Jordan said but Lau's hair was a mess.
"Sure." Shane murmured.
"I'm so thrilled to know who my secret Santa is." Jason rubbed his hands together.
"I know, right?" I grinned at him.
To be honest, this wasn't the first time I'd been part of a Secret Santa activity, it was my second year but it still felt ridiculously new and exciting. Everyone had a present to give. We had to wait until the person revealed who the gift was for.
We all sat on the couches around the pile of gifts that were resting on the small table in the middle.
"Who's going first?" I asked and everyone shared a quick glance.
Helen raised her hand shyly, "I know I'm new but I'd like to be first."
"Of course." Jordan cheered for her.
Helen picked up her present, "I'm really happy to be here. Thank you, guys for letting me in your group."
Lau smiled at her, "Don't be silly. We're grateful to have met you."
"Thank you." Helen played with the wrapping of her gift, "This present is for someone really special to me. He was a good... friend." By the way she said friend I knew who she referred to. I could see the pain in her eyes, "I really hope he likes it." Her eyes found Jason's. She offered the gift to him.
Awkwardly, Jason got up and took it. We all clapped and they shared a very uncomfortable hug.
Helen sat down and Jason stood there opening his gift. He pushed through the awkward silence. He pulled out what it looked like a ticket and a CD, "Holy shit!" Jason screamed out in shock.
"What is it?!" we all wondered out loud.
"A VIP to see my favorite band and their latest album." The excitement in his eyes contagious. He looked at Helen, "You remembered. Thank you." She simply nodded her head.
God, she was so sweet and he was blind to lose her so carelessly.
"It's my turn," Jason stated, clearing his throat, "This present is for a girl I used to hate when we were in first grade. She was such pain in the ass," we all laughed a little, "She was always clinging to Jules and I thought she was stealing my best friend from me." I grinned at his words, "But with time, we manage to get along and we soon become the three musketeers. I like to think she's the smartest one among us three. Jules and I would be lost without her. My secret friend is Laura."
"I knew it was me the moment you said "the smartest" one thing." Lau hugged him tightly. We were all smiling like idiots. There was such a good environment around us: Friends who feel like family.
Lau laughed in happiness when she opened her present: there were all kind of sweets made of honey there, her favorites, "Thank you! You're the best!"
"It's your turn now, babe." Jordan handed Lau the present she was about to give.
"Alright." She took a deep breath in, "My secret friend is someone I love dearly." Her eyes landed on me, "She's..." she paused, "She's simply my sister, and she has the sweetest heart in this world. She inspires me, she teaches me. I couldn't imagine my life without her." Tears filled my eyes by this point, "Thank you for giving me a space in your heart. I'm so incredibly lucky." A tear rolled down her cheek, "God, it must be the wine making me emotional." I gave her a sad smile, "I love you so much, twinny. When I become a famous movie director, I will be the one to adapt one of your books into the big screen." We all chuckled, "No matter what..."
"I'll always be your other half." I finished for her. That was our little saying.
I got up to embrace her as tight as my bad hand would let me.
"I love you, silly." I whispered and kissed the side of her head.
"Awww!" Jordan and Shane said together.
I wiped some rebel tears away and tried to open my present but I couldn't. Jordan opened it for me.
"Oh my God!" it was my favorite book series, all five books. I couldn't believe it, "this is so perfect, Lau!" she beamed at me, "You rock!" she mouthed 'I know'.
"You're such a nerd." Shane huffed.
I stuck my tongue out at him and he chuckled.
It's my turn.
I let out a long breath, "My secret friend is someone I've come to admire with time." Shane huffed, placing his hands behind his head whispering 'That's obviously not me' "He's always been an insufferable jerk and hardcore player," that word got his attention, "I thought that was all he was but I realized there's more. Behind that arrogant attitude, he's actually a sweet guy, a loyal friend and an amazing person. I admire him because he changed for the better, for himself, for the people around him." Shane stared at me in utter silence, "Jerkpid?"
Shane smirked at me, "Yes, minion?"
I offered his gift with my good hand, "Well done."
He got up and took it. His hazel eyes looked into my blue ones and leaned down to hug me. His body felt defined against mine. He smelled so nice.
I sat back down and watched him open it, "Let's see." He got the three video games out of the bag, "How the hell did you know I wanted these games?"
Jordan raised his hands, "Guilty."
"Traitor." Shane mumbled and took the last thing out of the bag. It was a grey t-shirt with the words 'Proud Jerkpid' in black and red on the front. Shane burst out laughing and everyone followed.
Jordan gave me his thumb up, "You're the best, Jules."
Shane shook his head but then his eyes fell on me, "I'll wear it proudly."
After laughing for a while, we listened to Shane crazy speech for Jordan. Jordan was so excited to open his present.
"Oh my God!" Jordan exclaimed, holding it, "It's my favorite player's jersey and it's freaking signed!"
When it was Jordan's turn, we all knew it was Helen because she was the only one left.
"Well, I think everyone knows who my secret friend is," Jordan started, "She's the new addition to our group but she's already grown on us. She's sweet, dedicated, kind and so willing to listen to anyone who needs it. Helen," Jordan looked at her, "I know you've been through a lot and I speak for everyone when I say we feel incredibly honored to be your friends. Thank you for opening your heart to us, we know that's not easy thing for you to do and we don't take it for granted."
Helen gave him the sweetest smile in the world, "Thank you, guys."
Her present was a beautiful dress she had liked the other day when we went shopping with Lau. I guessed Lau told Jordan.
After chatting about our awesome gifts, I grabbed my coat, hat and scarf and headed outside. The porch was cold but it wasn't so bad. Although, I knew I couldn't stay there for long if I didn't want to die frozen. It was still snowing, my front yard was already covered in a few inches of white.
I sat on the swing and took a sip of my glass of wine. Lau joined me silently, taking a seat next to me in the swing.
For a while, we just stared at the snow falling slowly on the ground. There was something peaceful about it.
Lau sipped her glass, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." I muttered, absorbed in the view in front of me.
Lau sighed, "Are you really okay, Jules?"
"I'm fine. I'm just..." I pursed my lips, "I have a lot in my mind right now."
Lau knew about the twins being my step-siblings and my father's sudden appearance. She was the only person I'd told, "Take your time. No one is rushing you to make a choice."
"I know that." I breathed out a long puff of air, "I just feel like my life has been so chaotic lately, like I can't get a break. It's as if someone has pushed the fast forwarding option and stuff just keeps happening."
"Then un-push that button, stop the fast forwarding." Lau stared at me, "Just live one thing at the time."
"I'm trying." I admitted, "But it's so hard. Putting things on hold isn't helping me. My problems, the situations I have to solve won't go away no matter how much time I leave them on hold. I have to deal with them."
"Yes, but you don't have to deal with all of them at the same time." She rubbed my shoulder, "Just choose one. Work on it, solve it and move to the next one."
"You're right. I don't even know where to start."
"Yes, you do, Jules."
I bit my lower lip, "I have to tell mom about my father, don't I?"
Lau nodded, "Yes, she has the right to know what's tormenting you."
"I don't want to do it. I don't want to break her heart all over again." I let out a long breath, "She's going to be so sad. I know she still has hope. Knowing he left her for another woman is going to devastate her."
"But it will bring her closure, Jules. She needs closure. Maybe that's the reason she hasn't completely gotten over him, because she doesn't know why he left."
"Okay, I'll tell her. That solves only a part of the problem. What am I going to do with my father?"
"Oh twinny, I wish I could tell you what to do but that is such a personal choice. It's up to you."
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pulled it out. It's a text from him. My heart tightened in my chest.
Lau noticed the change of expression on my face, "Is it Evan?"
I nodded, "Yeah, just another thing I need to solve."
"Have you figured that one out?"
I nodded again, "Yeah, I'm going to do what's best for the both of us."
Lau held my hand, "I support you no matter what you do."
"Thank you."
"Alright, time to go inside before we freeze to death." She walked inside and I followed but not before glancing at my phone's screen.
From: Evan.
Alright. I'm glad you want to talk.
I'll see you next week-end at the park.
-----------------------------
Author's note: It's been forever, I know. But hey, better late than never. What's Jules going to say to Evan? The year has ended and everyone keeps drinking, will we deal with a drunk person next chapter? Who knows?
Thanks for your amazing patience.
If you want to chat with me, do it through twitter Arix05 or Instagram Ari_godoy because I barely get into my Wattpad inbox anymore. My job(which is not writing unfortunately) doesn't leave me much time.
Ariana G.
"I better go see who that is." I ran away from my living room and headed for the door.
When my hand touched the doorknob, my brain came to the realization that we weren't waiting for anyone else. Everyone was here so, who was knocking on my door in this heavy snow storm?
My heart skipped a beat at the possibility of Evan being at the other side of the door. Could it be him? Maybe, he came to pick Helen up or something.
I fixed my hair with my good hand and straightened my blue knee-length dress. I remembered him saying that blue looked good on me.
I opened the door to face...
"Nadia." I mumbled in surprise.
It'd been two weeks...
��l�WWhb�R���