Fall in Love

by Anthology

So, needless to say, from that day on, Chelle and Katie were ‘diamond friends.’

  Then, Chelle had to move the summer before their senior year because her dad got transferred. They kept in touch through letters for the first few months, but by the end of senior year, Katie got so busy that she hadn’t written—and then she left for California.

  She almost couldn’t believe what she was seeing, that Chelle was really here. In Harper’s Crossing. They hugged long and hard, and as they pulled away, Katie felt tears forming in her eyes. Oh good. More tears. At least she was consistent. Oh well, at least these were happy tears. She'd had enough angst.

  “Hi, diamond friend,” Chelle said with a big smile on her face and tears brimming in her own eyes. “How ya been?”

  “I can't believe you’re really here.” Katie said aloud.

  Chelle smiled and said in her signature dry tone, “Really? Because since I moved back here a year ago, the word on the street is that it's a lot more rare to see you around these parts than me.”

  Katie laughed. “Guilty as charged. Wow. So you moved back here? How did that happen?”

  “Well, that's a funny story. You know David Price? Remember, from high school? He's running for City Planner now. Well anyway, we reconnected on Facebook a few years ago and started talking. It just turned into something…more, and now we're engaged.” Chelle said happily, showing Katie her ring.

  Katie struggled to keep the expression on her face positive—or if she couldn't manage that, at least neutral. Katie had always thought that David Price was a supreme douchebag. But hey, maybe he had changed. Right? As long as he made Chelle happy.

  As Katie and Chelle caught up, it felt to Katie like no time had passed at all since they’d seen each other. They fell into an easy conversational rhythm, one that was uniquely theirs.

  Katie learned that Chelle’s older brother, Eddie, was in the wedding, a last minute replacement. He and Riley Sloan were best friends, and when it became clear that Riley was not going to be able to make it back, Eddie had offered to fill in so that the ratio of bridesmaids to groomsmen would not be skewed. And since he also worked with Bobby and Jason as a project foreman at Sloan Construction, it had seemed even more natural.

  Katie, in turn, told Chelle all about becoming a lawyer and being on the fast track to junior partner.

  “That sounds exciting.” Chelle enthused.

  Katie nodded in agreement, but her manner was thoughtful. She replied, “Well, I don't know if exciting is really the word I would use. I mean, it's a lot of work, a lot of pressure. But it's very fulfilling.”

  “Oh, that's amazing.” Chelle said with a wide smile. “It must be so cool to help all the people that come into your office, all of your clients. I know you always talked about wanting to help people who were in trouble. Just like you did with me. And now you're a lawyer. Now you can.”

  Katie nodded, although it was even more half-hearted than before, and said, “Well, yeah, I mean...our clients are corporate executives. I mainly work in corporate acquisitions. You know, preparing briefs, hammering out buyout deals, things like that.”

  Chelle nodded. There was a moment of awkward silence before they both burst out laughing. They laughed until tears ran down their faces.

  “Okay, so I'm just gonna shut up then,” Chelle mocked herself when their fit of giggles was over. “I'm putting my foot back into my Jimmy Choos before I can stick it in my mouth again.”

  “No, no,” Katie said. “Really, it's fine. I mean, yes, I know that my life doesn't look like I had always dreamed it would. But it's nice, you know? I live in a beautiful city, I have a job I enjoy and am really good at, an apartment I love… That's a pretty damn good life, right?”

  Chelle nodded enthusiastically. “It is. And are you happy?”

  Katie affirmed that, yes, she was indeed happy.

  Chelle paused a beat before saying quietly, “Well, why do you look so miserable, then?”

  Katie opened her mouth to respond, but before anything could come out, Amber appeared in front of them and informed them that the party games were getting started. Katie was glad. She didn't have the first clue what she would have said to answer Chelle.

  As Katie and Chelle settled back in their seats, the other girls all piled into the “VIP” area and sat down, forming a large circle.

  Once everyone was seated, Amber announced, “The first game we will be playing is ‘Same-Same-Shoot It-Shoot It,’ the object of which is to find out a little bit more about each other. Well, the object of which is to get drunk. Who are we kidding?”

  A raucous cheer went up from the girls at Sophie's party, and she continued. “The way it works is you pass around a hat filled with general relationship questions. One person at a time draws and then answers the question. Everyone who has the same answer has to drink.

  “For example, if the question is 'At what age did you have your first crush?' and the person says six, and six is the same answer for you, then you have to yell 'Same-Same!' and then everyone else will yell 'Shoot It-Shoot It!' Then the person who drew the question and everyone who had the same answer have to take a shot. Got it?"

  The group nodded their understanding and the game began. Amber went first to demonstrate. She pulled a card out and read, “Have you ever had a one night stand?”

  Katie noticed that a flush appeared on her olive toned skin as Amber nodded while announcing, “Yes. Yes, I have.”

  Several other girls yelled “Same-Same!” Then the rest of the group yelled, “Shoot It-Shoot It!”

  Half-way through the first round, it became glaringly obvious that these girls had had quite a bit more experience than she had. It wasn’t as if the statements on the cards were even all that racy. Over a half dozen girls had gone and Katie had only participated in a grand total of one 'shoot-it shoot-it.' She’d gotten several strange looks from a few girls when she hadn’t yelled out 'same-same' on a few of the questions. It was odd, but it felt like these girls expected her to be much more worldly than she actually was.

  Katie chalked their reactions up to the fact that she lived in California. People did generally have preconceived ideas about that place.

  When the question-filled hat was passed to Katie, she actually got a little nervous as she pulled out a card, hoping for something innocuous. Thankfully, she was more than a little relieved at what she saw. Her question was easy-breezy-beautiful-Cover-Girl.

  Happily, Katie read it out loud with confidence, “How old were you when you met your first love?”

  She looked up at the girls, all waiting for her answer shot glasses in hand, and began to respond but, surprising even herself, Katie stopped herself before the reply that had automatically popped into her head had come flying out of her mouth. Her confidence dropped like it was shooting down a Slip-N-Slide on a steep hill.

  What was wrong with her? She had met Nick the summer before seventh grade. So why was the first answer that had popped into her head, 'I was five years old'? And why did that realization feel like a punch to the gut?

  “I was eleven,” Katie answered quietly, and several girls yelled, “'Same-Same!'” with everyone chorusing, “'Shoot It-Shoot It!'” immediately after.

  Bringing the glass to her lips, Katie’s head fell back and she downed the shot, ready to have her turn over as fast as possible. The liquid stung a little as it hit the back of her throat. A warmth spread through her as she gulped down the alcohol. Setting the glass down she could already feel her muscles loosening as she became more relaxed. Dang. Two shots and she already had a little buzz. Clearly a party girl she was not.

  Chelle’s turn was next, and her question was “Have you ever had an unrequited love?” Chelle immediately responded emphatically. “Yes.”

  Several people yelled, “Same-Same!” and the group called out a spirited, “Shoot It-Shoot It!”

  Katie leaned in close to Chelle feeling a little loose from her participatory shots. “Unrequited love, huh?”

  Chelle smile
d enigmatically. “Hey, at least I told the truth.”

  Oops. Busted. Had she been that transparent? Katie tried to look as innocent as humanly possible as she turned to face her diamond friend, but with the buzz she was already feeling, it was a little hard.

  “What? I told the truth.” Katie protested, her lips pursing as she lied through her teeth.

  “Nope, you sure didn't,” Chelle insisted.

  Katie tilted her head, still hoping to play it off. “Really? Okay then, diamond friend, what’s the real answer?”

  Chelle shrugged, and the alcohol was clearly starting to get to her as well. She replied with a small slur, “Haven't the foggiest. Ha ha. Get it? 'Cause you live in San Francisco now.” Chelle chuckled and then waved her hand dismissively, “Anyway, I don't know what the real answer is. I only know that it wasn't what you said because you, Katie Marie Lawson, still have the same lying 'tell' you've always had.”

  “I do not,” Katie argued.

  “Then how did I know you were lying? That proves it right there,” Chelle said proudly.

  Katie shook her head, which was starting to feel a little fuzzy. “Your so-called 'proof' is based on a faulty premise. I wasn't lying, so your logic is flawed.”

  “Whatever,” Chelle said cheerfully. “That would work in a court of law. But we're not in a court of law. We're in the court of tequila. And in the court of tequila, you and I both know you were lying.”

  Katie opened her mouth to continue arguing but just sighed resignedly. She shrugged. “Fine, what's my tell?”

  “You purse your lips together right before you lie. It’s like your body is rejecting the lie,” Chelle chuckled.

  “Whatever.” Katie rolled her eyes.

  “So what is the real answer?” Chelle persisted.

  “Eleven,” Katie insisted, not willing to give up the story. “I was eleven when I met Nick. What else could it possibly be?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Chelle said airily. “How old were you when you met Jason?”

  Katie's eyes widened, but she was saved again from having to provide an answer by being called back to the game.

  “Katie! Chelle! Pay attention!” She heard Sophie's tipsy voice ring out above the music. “You’re missing all the questions.”

  “Sorry,” they answered in unison, turning their attention towards the game.

  Sophie drew next. “Have you ever had sex in public?” She immediately responded, “Yes.” About half the crowd yelled, “'Same-Same!'” and so they 'Shot it-Shot it.'

  The game continued, and Katie realized as the questions became more sexual in nature, that she had seriously been neglecting her love life. Or more accurately, her sex life.

  She tried to tell herself that the reason she wasn’t 'same-saming' and 'shoot-shooting it' was because a lot of the questions seemed to be not only sexual, but geographically specific in nature. Like your first time being under the night sky up at Whisper Lake. There were quite a few questions that involved Pickler Field and the back of a black pickup truck.

  Every time another question that involved that field and a truck came up, Katie was shocked at just how much Jason had done with these girls. He’d certainly lived up to his nickname. Romeo had nothing on him. His truck had seen more action than G.I. Joe.

  Katie began to start feeling a tad self-conscious as she continued receiving strange looks whenever one of those questions came up. Then her Sherlock-senses kicked in, and she realized, of course, all these girls would of expected that she and Nick had done every dirty deed imaginable in that field in his truck. They hadn’t. With each question her shock-slash-totally-irrational-irritation at Jason grew, she figured, screw it. Rather than stick out like a sore thumb, she would just, well, 'shoot it-shoot it.'

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jason leaned against the doorway while he nursed his beer and looked around the private back room at McMillan’s Pub, which he had rented out for the bachelor party. All of his and Bobby's friends were there in the dark, wood-paneled room. They were drinking, throwing darts, shooting pool, and smoking cigars. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

  Jason should have been enjoying himself a hell of a lot more than he was. He couldn't get his mind off of Katie.

  Damn.

  Why did she have to be every bit as beautiful as the day she left? Every bit as smart. Every bit as fiery and funny…

  And, she was leaving. Again. It had been bad enough the first time, when he’d lost the girl he’d loved practically his whole life. Now, after seeing the woman she’d become, he’d fallen even more in love with her. What in the hell was he going to do when she left this time?

  Jason shook his head. This shit was making him crazy. He felt one edge. Irritable.

  “Strippers!” a loud, obnoxious cheer sounded in Jason’s ear.

  There were also a couple aspects of the party, itself, that was getting on Jason’s nerves. Like David Price. That douchebag. He was running for City Planner and he hadn't aged one day (in terms of maturity) since junior high school. He was sloppy drunk and wouldn't shut-up about how Jason should have “ordered” a stripper. He referred to it the same way you’d order a pizza.

  “I don't know what to tell ya, Davey boy,” Jason repeated for what felt like the hundredth time. “It's Bobby's night, and he didn't want one. This is all about giving Bobby what he wants.”

  David threw his arm around Jason's shoulder, which upset the balance of both Jason's and David's mugs of beer. Of course, both drinks splashed down Jason’s pants, leaving David's completely unscathed. Jason sighed as he pushed down the urge to punch this asshole in the face at Bobby's party.

  How this jackass had ever managed to land a class act like Chelle Thomas, Jason would never understand.

  Jason still remembered when Chelle had moved to Harper's Crossing and transferred into his and Katie's second grade class. Almost the entire class had been completely awful to her—including this douchebag she was now engaged to. Jason hadn't felt good about it, and he had certainly never joined in, but he never made a move to stop it either.

  He still remembered the morning he saw Katie slip Chelle a piece of paper that looked like a card. She didn't make a big production of it. She just handed it to her while they were all filing into their seats. Jason only noticed because, well, he noticed everything Katie did.

  He watched Chelle read the card. He saw her open it up, her expression blank. She probably thought it was going to be a mean trick, something to make fun of her. But as she read over the words once, twice, three times, her expression changed. He saw her smile for the first time.

  When the teacher started class, Chelle quickly tucked the card inside her desk. However, as the class worked, he saw her take it out from time to time and, clandestinely, read it again. Every time, the same little smile would creep across her face.

  When the class went out for recess, he saw Katie and Chelle run to the playground together.

  Jason had to stay behind, as usual, because he hadn't gotten his work done in time.

  When Ms. Lindsley told him that she was going to run up to the office and that she would be right back, he saw his chance. He had to know what that card said.

  He rushed over to Chelle's desk, looking over his shoulder the whole time, and quickly pulled out the card. He opened it. The first part said “YOU ARE” in bold crayon letters. The second part was a list, one that used little stars, hearts, and flowers for bullet points. (Girls! Whatever.)

  The list included items like “Really Smart,” “Really Brave,” “Really Funny,” “Really Pretty,” “The Best Speller In Class,” and “Really, Really Nice!!!!”

  That was Katie. His Katie.

  As if reading his thoughts, David turned the subject to Katie. “So, have you seen that Katie Lawson's back in town? God, she has a great ass.”

  Jason felt every muscle in his body tighten at David’s comment. He had to remind himself, yet again, that this was Bobby's party and he couldn't punch David Pric
e out in the middle of it. Not to mention, if he won the City Planner election… Yeah, it wouldn't be great if the future president of Sloan Construction had a history of violence with the City Planner.

  Jason nodded, ignoring the ass comment. “Yep. She's the maid of honor. I'm the best man. It would be kind of hard to miss her.”

  “Hehe…you said hard,” David chortled, imitating the Beavis and Butthead cartoon show they had watched in junior high. “Hard. Katie’s ass makes me hard. Katie. Katie. Katie.”

  Jason felt himself moving dangerously close to not giving a shit whether or not they were at his baby brother’s bachelor party when Eddie, Chelle's brother, saved him by coming up and joining the conversation. Or so he thought.

  “You guys talking about Katie Lawson?” he asked. “Damn. I saw her at CVS, and she looks good. I know she was my little sister's best friend, but I always thought she was pretty hot.”

  This was going from bad to worse.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Jason saw Bobby answer a call on his cell phone. His brother’s animated movements and expression did not look like the conversation was going well.

  “Catch you guys later,” he said to Eddie and David as he gestured towards Bobby. “Duty calls.”

  With that, he made his way over to Bobby in several long strides.

  “No, baby,” Bobby was insisting into the phone. “There's no stripper here, I promise.”

  Even over the crowded room Jason could hear Sophie’s inebriated, loud voice on the other end of the phone. She sounded like she was more than just a little tipsy. Thank God they’d listened to him when he’d suggested having the bachelor and bachelorette parties on Thursday instead of Friday so everyone would have a day to recover.

  Bobby's face wrinkled in puzzlement and he said, “What do you mean Katie locked herself in the bathroom?”

  Jason said, “What’s wrong with Katie?”

  Bobby turned away from Jason, waving his hand to signal Jason to be quiet.

  Bobby spoke again into the mouthpiece of his cell phone, asking if Sophie was okay. Jason tried to wait out the drunk ass lovebirds assurances that she was okay and there were no strippers at the bachelor party. But when Bobby and Sophie started a lengthy and drawn out session of I-love-you-more-no-I-love-you-more-no-I-love-you-more, Jason lost his patience.