Forever Together (Forever Love #2)

by Jade Whitfield

  While I may be occupied with doing a victory lap or something, I don’t miss the worried look on Liv's face to Noah. Again a horn blares.

  "Someone’s impatient." I mutter.

  "Well, I better go. Nice seeing you Dickwad. Let’s not do it again soon." Liv says standing up and teetering on her fifty-inch-high heels.

  She leans towards a sitting Noah and gives him a sloppy kiss on the mouth that has me wincing.

  "Who’s that?" I lean back and look behind me as if I can see through three walls and know who’s outside.

  "Nobody." She answers quickly. Too quickly.

  "You're acting weird." I state suspiciously, my eyes narrowed and lips pursed.

  "No I’m not. Anyway gotta go. See ya." She grabs the purple purse from the countertop and rushes outta the room.

  I don’t know why, but I quickly stand up, my eyes still narrowed and follow her.

  "Brady..." Noah warns.

  The front door slams shut just as I’m reaching for the handle. I wrap my hand around the cool metal and I am prepared to pull before I feel a dead weight throw itself at me. Two beefy arms wrap around me, pinning my arms to my sides.

  "What the-" And I’m going down.

  That fucker actually tackled me to the damn floor!

  "WHAT THE HELL MAN?!" I shout.

  "Just leave it." Noah the lump says from on top of me.

  I feel like I’m in some kind of twilight zone. What the hell is going on? I’m a bit frazzled, lying on the polished wooden floor, my side killing me from the impact. I feel like I've just taken a tackle in a game of football. Technically I have.

  "Sorry man." Noah lifts himself off me and holds a hand out to help me up. I grab it and yank, rolling out the way just in time for him to hit the hard floor. "What the fuck!"

  "What the fuck? What the fuck? You just fucking tackled me to the floor like... like a... like a damn cop throwing down a robber! What the fuck man?"

  "Sorry, but it was necessary."

  "Necessary?"

  "Uh huh."

  I then remember what it was that I was doing before being thrown down and jump up, yanking the front door open and not feeling even a little bit fucking bad that it hit’s my definitely not best friend in the shins. I step out just in time to see the tail end of a car driving away. Where have I seen that damn car before? It’s familiar but not too familiar if you know what I mean.

  "Who was that?" I call inside.

  "Nobody." Noah answers slowly.

  "Uh huh." I nod. "Start talking dude otherwise you're gonna have some damaged equipment on your wedding night."

  Noah pulls himself up from the floor as I stare at the car that’s now disappeared. It then dawns on me where I've seen that car before.

  "You fucking dick!" I shout.

  "Remember man, it’s my job to make sure you don’t get a restraining order." He says as if it makes complete sense. "I don’t need you following the girls around Savannah."

  "Savannah huh?"

  "Oh for fuck's sake."

  "Hey, I’m not gonna do anything." Yet.

  Chapter 7

  Cindy

  It feels good to have girl time. More than good actually. I can’t remember the last time I did this, just hanging out, talking and laughing, gossiping and teasing. I feel my age instead of like a depressed fifty-year-old. I feel like the carefree, happy girl I was this time last year. I’m actually starting to look forward to the rest of Summer instead of dreading the solitude and loneliness I had just a few days ago.

  "You." Trina points at me. "Can be my boo number two now this one here is abandoning me in favor of wedded bliss." Trina gestures towards Liv who rolls her eyes as if she's heard this a thousand times before.

  To tell the truth, I was a little worried about seeing Trina. Liv wasn’t the only one I shunned and I know how protective Trina is of Liv. I didn’t know if she was gonna start flipping tables over and scream at me. She was nothing but sweet to me though and it definitely made me feel a little better. I can’t believe how easy it’s been for everything to slip back into place. It’s just like old times but I can’t help but feel that something is missing. I’m not stupid or naïve, I know exactly what that missing piece is, or should I say who. I figure it’s just the familiarity of everything though. I spent twenty percent of my life attached at the hip with Brady. Every adult thing I've ever done was either with him or I was thinking of him. So sitting on the patio at the cutest little restaurant imaginable, resting in cast iron chairs and watching the Savannah river just across the street, it feels like a real grown up thing to do.

  After spending six months trying to push every thought of him to the back of mind, it almost feels like some kind of mental attack. Images and memories of him are assaulting my mind at every turn. I spent so long with him that in every place I go there are memories of us. Whether we were just lounging about, talking, or making out. I think we've done that in every inch of Franklin. He was such a good kisser; I just couldn’t help it. I quickly realize I’m running the tips of my fingers across my lips at the memory and pull them away.

  This is a good place though. I never came here with Brady so I haven’t gotta sit down and see us completely in love in front of me. That doesn’t mean I’m not thinking of him still.

  "So watcha think Cindy?" Trina asks and I shoot my head up.

  "Uh sorry, what?"

  "Us two hitting the town, painting it red, girls gone wild." She wags her eyebrows up and down with every word.

  That'd probably be the best thing for me, but it feels like my worst nightmare.

  "We can set you up, broaden your horizons, you know?"

  I’m sure my face is a picture of panic and I don’t miss Liv looking at me as if I’m some kind of puzzle she’s just solved, the thought of being set up makes my stomach turn and bile rise up in my throat.

  "What about Brady?" I ask, almost snapping before I can even think.

  "You’re not with him anymore." Liv says slowly, as if I’m about to bail and jump over the railing into the fast running river.

  "Um… uh... yeah... I mean-"

  "You gotta move on some time boo two." Trina points out and makes it sound like it makes perfect sense. My mind ’ s not accepting that though.

  "Isn’t it a bit soon?" I hope they agree.

  "You’ve been broken up like six months. Time to move on."

  A strangled, high-pitched sound escapes from my throat.

  "Or not." Liv jumps in. "It’s completely up to you."

  "OW!" Trina yelps. "Why'd you kick me?" She scowls at Liv.

  "I need to go to the bathroom." I stand up and quickly dodge the table behind me when I spin around. My hips still hurt from banging them into every table at Annabelle’s.

  I swerve through the tables littering the floor, all pushed together and yank the door open to the inside of the restaurant. The low lighting gives it a romantic feel that just seems like pure torture to me at this moment. The red carpet is thick and the heel s of my forest green patent pump s sink s in. I again navigate round the oak circular tables, chandeliers hanging above every one with lit candles rather than lightbulbs. I guess that’s where it gets the romantic feel is from.

  I practically throw myself through the dark wood swinging door that leads to both the men and women’s bathrooms. I have no idea what the men’s bathroom looks like obviously, but the women’s is a picture of elegance after using it when we first arrived. There are large ornate mirrors hanging above the three sinks which are just basically porcelain bowls sitting on top of the marble vanity. I can imagine my Mom oohing and aahing at this. There are gold framed pictures of the Savannah landscape lining the damask patterned walls. Well, I’m definitely not in Franklin anymore.

  Pulling the handle on the high hook shaped tap attached to the wall, the sound of splashing cold water and the quiet hiss that taps always seem to make fills the room. I splash my face with the cool liquid, not caring that my makeup is probably ruined. I’m sure
Liv will have some spare in her purse for a panda eyes emergency.

  I stare at myself in the mirror in a way I never have before, in a way that I’m hoping will give me some answers. What the hell is wrong with me? I went six months pushing him to the back of my mind, obsessing over trivial crap like stupid self help books and projects. It’s not like he’s been there at every turn; I've seen him once since I came back to town. I've avoided asking about him because I feel like if I don’t voice it out loud then it’s not happening, that I’m not completely still hung up on him.

  How can I still care? He broke my damn heart, ripped it out and stamped on it then threw it in the garbage. I take a deep breath hoping the intake of oxygen will give me some strength. I've waited long enough for Brady Cooper to get his act together. Why being around Liv and Trina is messing with my head concerning this guy I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I know they see him, they’ve been around him and they could probably give me the answers I’m subconsciously asking. Does he still care? Has he moved on? Did he refuse to get out of bed for a week, too weak from sobbing?

  I need to get a grip. I've only seen him once and nothing spectacular happened. All he said was that he'd always catch me. That doesn’t mean anything though. He could have just been being nice I suppose.

  I take another deep breath and squeeze my eyes shut. Damn, I feel like I’m losing my mind. Maybe I should just talk to him, get some closure. That might help, finally closing the door on that chapter of my life. Oh, who am I kidding? I won’t get closure just my heart even more broken.

  I open my eyes and brush my straight dark hair through my fingers and lean my face nearer to the mirror, wiping my finger under my eyes to get any smudged mascara.

  "Pull yourself together, Cindy." I say to my reflection, hoping nobody decides to walk in at this precise moment.

  I walk out of the bathroom and towards the door leading outside. I can see Liv and Trina with their heads together, whispering, before noticing me and pulling apart. They give me two toothy wide smiles. I’m suspicious. I grew up with a meddling, gossiping mother, I know the signs.

  "What are you guys up to?" I ask with narrowed eyes.

  "Oh, nothing." Liv says brightly. "Ready to go? We got an appointment at the dress shop in ten minutes. It's only round the corner so we may as well walk there."

  I nod my head and grab my brown satchel from the table, following behind who I suspect are two people masterminding my life this very second. My head is messed up enough without these two adding to it.

  ***

  I’m gob smacked. Absolutely gob smacked. I've been friends with Liv for over two years so I’m well aware of how utterly beautiful she is. You'd have to be blind to not see it. The sight of her in her wedding gown was something else entirely though. Like an angel, which I’m sure everyone says on seeing someone in a wedding gown. This wasn’t just any wedding gown though, oh no. The bodice was covered in lace and pearls with a sweetheart neckline, the skirt flaring out giving it a Cinderella theme. The bridesmaid dresses were just as amazing, a mint green silk that gathered at the floor, also with a sweetheart neckline.

  I knew Liv was a fashionista, the girl loves her clothes and always has the latest styles, but those dresses were just amazing. I’m totally jealous. And I can’t deny that while that statement should probably have a little laugh at the end, I’m deadly serious and it makes me feel like crap. I should be happy that my friend’s dreams are coming true, that she’s marrying her soulmate. If anyone deserves it - she does. As much as I was happy seeing her in the beautiful wedding dress, I couldn’t help the little bit of sorrow I felt as well. I buried it deep down though, the feeling burning through my body along with the shame and guilt for feeling it in the first place.

  Is this the way it will always be? Am I forever going to be jealous of people’s happiness and love because I don’t have it myself? Probably, because let’s face it, I’m never gonna have it with anybody other than Brady and that thought depresses me to no end.

  The only sound during the car ride back to Franklin has been the radio. It seems the radio is fully against me today. The first song to come on was Fergie's "Big girls don’t cry". If that wasn’t bad enough, it was swiftly followed by "All by myself" By Eric Carmen and my personal favorite that had both Liv and I groaning out loud "We are never getting back together", courtesy of Taylor Swift.

  Right now, I’m tempted to throw myself out of the moving car just to avoid the torturous and frankly traitorous radio that is hell-bent on making this car journey as miserable as possible for me. I've now become a child, an actual eight-year-old who asks every five minutes "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" I’m pretty sure considering the last time I asked I was answered with a growl from up front, the girls are ready to throw themselves out of the car as well.

  "Mojito's round mine?" Liv asks, turning in the passenger seat to face me.

  "Sure." I shrug and plaster a wide but completely fake smile on my face.

  I don’t really know why she asked since we're like ten seconds from her house and mine is in the opposite direction. As we get nearer and nearer to the big white house I can see lights in every window. Someone’s obviously home. Trina pulls her yellow beetle to a stop outside the house. Noah’s famous Mustang sit’s in the driveway, a dark blue truck sitting behind it. It must be Liv's Dad's, though I’m pretty sure last time I saw him he was driving an SUV.

  "It looks like your Dad's home Liv." I nod towards the truck.

  She just hums her agreement and pulls her seatbelt off, opening the door and pulling the passenger seat forward for me to get out. It's roughly an hour until Sunset and the sky is starting to get that orange glow to it.

  "Bring on the Mojitos." Trina cheers.

  I climb from the back of Trina’s car, my heel catching in the belt and causing me to stumble. Luckily Liv's there to catch me by the arm and steady me.

  "Hey there, we haven’t started drinking yet."

  "I so need a drink." I sigh.

  "Well, come on then girlfriend." Her overly Southern accent has me cracking up as we walk up the stone pathway to the black front door.

  On stepping inside, it's completely silent. The lamp on the hallway table emits a soft light and as I look through the archway into the living room, I can see that every Tiffany style lamp is turned on. The house is warm, homely and inviting. A real family home. I’m half expecting Pam, Noah's Mom, to come bustling in with some homemade biscuit’s or something.

  "Looks like it's just us girls." Liv wags her eyebrows and leads us all towards the kitchen.

  It’s a huge kitchen that I can imagine would be my Mom's idea of heaven. All hanging pots and pans from the ceiling and spotless countertops with not even a hint of spilled coffee.

  I jump into one of the barstools and lay my chin on my fists, my elbows on the bar. Liv starts pulling all kinds of stuff out of the cupboards and lining them up by the sink.

  "So, Cindy tell us the truth, what is LA really like?" Trina asks, taking the seat next to me.

  "It’s... um... good?"

  "Bullshit!" Both girls chime together.

  "Sorry girl but you are a fucking terrible liar." Trina says with a shake of her head.

  "Yeah, you've got a tell." Liv nods along.

  "A tell?"

  "You know, like a tick or something that you do whenever you’re lying. You do this weird squinting thing with your one eye." Trina’s words have me jumping from the stool and heading towards the fridge which is so polished and shiny, I can see my reflection in it.

  "I can’t see anything." I say, my face up against my refection.

  "Well, you’re not gonna see it now. You gotta tell a lie." Liv laughs.

  "I am superman." I say really slowly, my eyes glued to the eyes staring back at me.

  "You guys are real funny." I say sarcastically after seeing nothing.

  "I’m being serious. You remember in High School when you took me to the bathroom after Brandy bitch graffit
i’d on my locker? That’s how I knew you were lying."

  "Huh. So I've been going through life with this squinty thing going on and nobody thought to tell me?" Bitches!

  "If we told you, then you'd stop doing it."

  I sigh and go back to my seat as Liv starts pouring different stuff into a jug.

  "I hate LA." All movement in the room ceases as if they’re totally shocked despite the fact they knew I was lying. "I hate college, I hate my roommate who by way is a devil worshipper or something, I hate my life there."

  "I think we'll need more vodka for this conversation."

  I stare at my hands not really knowing what else to say. There are so many reasons why I’m unhappy with my life at the moment and College is only one of them. Being back in Franklin is like another world compared to LA. Franklin seems all bright and sunny and LA, grey and dark.

  "Ok, so basically I don’t have any idea how to make these so it could very well taste like shit." Liv places two highball glasses filled with... Something.

  "Are you sure that’s a Mojito? It doesn’t look like one boo."

  I can only shake my head alongside Trina, my face up close to the glass containing the weird orangey brown liquid.

  "What’s it got in it?" I ask.

  "Vodka, rum, some wine and whiskey... Oh and some soda!"

  "Aren’t Mojitos supposed to have lime in?"

  "Huh, I totally forgot about that." Liv shrugs. "I guess it isn’t a mojito then. Oh! It’s a Livito."

  "Oh just give that here boo." Trina rolls her eyes, grabs the glass and eyes it suspiciously. She moves her hand through her curly hair, no longer the afro she had when I first met her, instead, a curly mass of dark hair just past her shoulders. "If I die I just want you girls to know that I love ya'll." With those words she throws her head back and tips the contents down her throat, her eyes squinting shut.

  I bite my lip waiting for the inevitable projectile vomiting. The glass is slammed back onto the marble worktop.

  "Well?"

  "It’s strong." She wheezes out. "I’m pretty sure I drank pure unfiltered alcohol. Are you sure you put soda in?"