A week has passed and I still feel like I have no real understanding of the things that happened. Stephanie and I haven't spoken about it much, probably because she hasn't really been here. Dennis made at least three trips a day taking the girls to get the rest of their stuff from the old house, because they insisted that they go with him so he doesn't fight with Kelly, so he got to the point where he just left them there to finish packing and he'd pick them up, along with the rest of their stuff, at the end of the week. I'd gone with Dennis a few times, just the two of us, to look at the new place. They were about thirty-five minutes from my house now, living on the lake opposite of where I lived. They would be moving in with the aunt and uncle who had rattled Kelly out. At least when I showed up there with Dennis they were nothing but kind to me. I guess this move wouldn't be so bad.

Still, you could imagine my joy when the end of the week finally came.


That was, until Dennis threw me for a loop when he knocked on my bedroom door. I had already dressed myself in a tight, low-cut black tank and a pair of cut off shorts, my vans were already on my feet, my hair was straight and my make-up was dark. We were supposed to go get Steph and Kris and spend the first night at the new place. But when Dennis gave me sad eyes and told me that Kelly was moving in now, she was already at the new place with Kristen and we were going to pick Stephanie up, along with Jack and Alex, I nearly puked.


"You're not serious? Why are the coming, Dennis?"


"You can back out if you want, Jess."


"Fuck that."


My body was shaking as I slid into the front seat of the Explorer. I admit, I haven't done the best job of trying to stay informed wtih Steph over this week, but that's just because I was afraid Kelly would answer if I called the house. No one told me that Steph had forgiven everyone for what they did. No one told me that she was friends with them again. I felt like my head was going to explode. She was supposed to have my back the way I had hers.. So why did I feel so betrayed?


"Here, this'll take the edge off," Dennis managed to get his arm in the backseat while still driving and hand me a brown bag. "Got them just in case you lost your mind."


"Dennis, if this is all you have-" I grabbed a six pack from the bag and popped the top on one. "-You should probably know I'm going to drink them all."


"Got a whole case at the house." He grunted, turning on his blinker. We'd be there in about ten minutes. "I know this sucks but I'm proud of you Jessie. You've had a hard year and somehow you're still going strong."


"Yeah.. Strong.."


Dennis let the conversation go as I chugged one of my beers, gasping for air by the time I dropped the bottle. We were on the dirt road now and I felt my heart thudding against my rib cage. Why did I agree to this? I didn't want to be near Alex and I damn sure didn't want to be near Kelly. My mouth remained closed as Dennis got out of the car to help Steph load what was left of her boxes. While they were in the back, Alex and Jack climbed into the backseat, quiet and collected.


"Hey Jessie," Jack put a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged him off with a smile. "How you been?"


"Great," I mumbled. "Never better."


As Stephanie and Dennis got back in the car, I opened tw more beers and passed one to Dennis, knowing he was trying just as hard not to kill the boys in the back. We tapped the top of our beers together before we began our journey. Dennis cranked the music to down out the voices in the back and we talked quietly all the way to the house. I was thankful for him, because somehow he managed to make me die of laughter the whole ride.


When we got to the house, Dennis showed Alex and Jack inside while Steph and I lingered back by the porch. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she felt guilty, and in a way, I wanted her to. Call me a bad friend, but this just was not okay.


"So, you and Jack..."


"He told me he didn't sleep with her, Jessie."


"You're an idiot, Stephanie," I snorted, shaking my head. "I talked to him that day. Never once did he deny it."


"I'm not saying that he didn't do it, I'm saying I love him too much to just let him go."
"Okay. Then why is Alex here?"


"Because he's Jack's best friend, just like you're mine."


"Yeah, but here's the thing, Rae. I wouldn't do this to you."


We probably would have started a full blown argument had it not been for Tiff stepping out on the porch. She flashed us a smile before she pulled us each into a one-armed hug.


"Girls, you shouldn't be mad at each other. You should be mad at Kelly. Don't fight, you need each other. Stephanie, go do whatever you're going to do. Jessie, don't let them know they brought you down."


Tiff was right. I did need Steph and I wasn't going to let Alex and Kelly know they broke me. They didn't deserve that. So when we went inside, I made my way to the room in which the party was being held, stuck my hand into the case of beer and began to chug more beers than I could count. I danced with the music, I hung out with Stephanie and Jack, I even spoke to Kelly, which made her cry and tell me how much she missed me. From there, I decided to ignore her the rest of the night and hang out with Dennis.


At some point, Alex even spoke to me. It was awkward, we said maybe two words, but I felt his eyes on me the entire night. The reality was, I was completely plastered trying my hardest not to kill the three of them. Sadly, the only one who picked up on that was Jack. When the beer ran low and everyone started to get sleepy, Kelly took it upon herself to curl up on the bed with Alex and pass out. Stephanie had already been asleep and Dennis was in another room with his family. Fighting to keep my tears at bay from the scene, I ran out of the sliding glass door and into the grass. I drank from my beer to keep myself from sobbing.


"Jess?" Jack slowly shut the door behind him and made his way out to the grass. He handed me a fresh beer and kept one for himself. "I told Alex this was a bad idea."


"Which part? Banging Kelly or being with her right in front of me?"


"Well, you were speaking to Kelly, so I guess he thought you were okay with it."


"I'm not."


"I-I know. And Stephanie told me you're not a big fan of me right now, either."


"She has a good heart, Jack. You lying to her about the things that you did are going to make her as cold as me one day."


"Look, she knows what happened while she was gone. She just wanted me to tell her something different, so I did."


"Yeah. That's a lie regardless, Jack."


"I just came out here to tell you that Alex doesn't really like Kelly how he seems to. He likes the energy she gives him."


"No, he likes sex and it's as simple as that."


"Be that as it may, you still have a friend in me. I admit that I fucked up and I'm sorry, but my view on you and Stephanie hasn't changed. I still love you guys and you're still the coolest chicks I've ever met. I mean, to be able to come here tonight and hang in there like you did.. I give you props, Jess. I'm also giving you Rian and Zack's number because they miss you and they want to hang out soon. Alex might not be your boyfriend anymore but you still have us."


Finishing what was left of my beer, I handed Jack my cell phone to type in Rian and Zack's number. His words were comforting, but I still felt the need to break down and cry. When Jack was hanging my phone back, he pulled me into his arms and let my tears fall freely. Fuck, it's no wonder Stephanie forgave him. He's the complete opposite of his dickhead best friend.


Eventually, I grew tired of my tears and Jack grew tired of telling me it was going to be okay. He pulled me into the house and let me curl up on his chest as he laid his head on Stephanie's shoulder, the both of us falling into a much needed, drunken sleep.


The next morning I woke up alone. My feet carried me into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth, then I shuffled into the living room where Stephanie was sitting alone, a wine cooler in front of her. It was weird for her to drink this early alone, so I sighed and sat down beside her, grabbing one of the fruity drinks from the pack.


"What'd I miss?"


"They were gone when I woke up," she whispered, taking a sip from her drink. "All three of them. Daddy said Kelly mentioned going to the lake today and they were all over it. But that's not all, Jess."


"Then what?"


"Kelly was all over Alex today. I mean, kissing his neck, calling him baby. She even mentioned to daddy that they were an item now."


"So my ex boyfriend is dating your ex mom?" I snorted, trying to hold myself together.. Again. "That's cool."


"Jack didn't even wake me up to say goodbye."


"So what's the real problem here. You think Jack is doing something with Kells, or..?"


"I just want to know he isn't."


"Okay," I shrugged, pulling my cell phone out of my back pocket. Stephanie eyed me as I called Rian's number, his voice sounded muffled as he said hello. "Ri-Ri! It's Jessie!"


"Hey girl! Long time no talk! What's good?"


I giggled, putting him on speaker. Knowing that I still had friends made it easier to accept that Alex was now dating a slut-bag.


"Just sitting here with Steph. We need to hang out sometime, boy!"


"Fuck yeah we do. Zack is sitting here beside me and he said you guys should come over this weekend."


"I'll see what I can do. Hey, are you with Alex and Jack?"


"Yeah buddy. Kelly is here, too. Shouldn't she be at home folding laundry?"


Stephanie and I both laughed as we heard Zack snicker in the background. Seems like the only person who approves of Kells is Alex.


"She should be, but you can't train a skank. Anyway, Steph is concerned that Jack is being just as much of a manwhore as Alex. Can you confirm this?"


"I cannot, because Jack is building a sandcastle away from all of us. Everything's good."


"Thanks babe! We'll plan for this weekend, all right?"


"Word. See you later, Jess."


Hanging up the phone, I turned to Steph, a small smile on my face. She nodded her head and wrapped her arms around my body, a kind attempt to make me feel better about Alex.

Notes

This chapter sucks because that night is a horrible memory. I'm sorry! But thank you for all of the comments and new votes. I LOVE you guys!!

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& anyone else who didn't show up in the first to pages of comments! <3.