“Amy, the letter was a fake,” Carrie said. Jake’s face lightened up considerably now some faith was restored in him, and Carrie smiled at him. Amy, though, was utterly confused, and put her head in her hands.
“No, no, it can’t be true, you’re just saying that because you’re sorry for me, and want us back together. You don’t have to defend Jake to me.”
“Amy, I’m defending Jake ’cause he’s innocent,” Carrie said solemnly. “He had nothing to do with that letter.”
Amy was still on the defensive, and looked Carrie straight in the eye.
“If you’re so sure Jake didn’t write the letter, who did?” Amy enquired.
Carrie chuckled, to Jake and Amy’s surprise.
“Once you find out, you’ll be very surprised.”
“If Jake didn’t write it, who did?” Amy begged Carrie. Amy began to feel maybe Jake really did not write the letter after all, as she knew Carrie would never lie about this to her. Carrie sighed, seeing that Amy was getting more agitated by the minute.
“You’ll both be very upset when you hear this.”
“What Carrie?” Jake and Amy both viewed Carrie with interest, and waited for her next words with bated breath. While Carrie very much wanted to blow the whistle on Chad and Francine, she found telling Amy and Jake about this was easier to do in theory than in practice.
“The letter — the letter was written together by — by Chad and Francine.”
Amy and Jake were utterly astounded when they heard this, and could not believe it. Amy again sat down on Carrie’s dressing table, and Jake on the armchair. The atmosphere in the room, suddenly, was cold with chaos and insecurity.
“Chad and Francine? Don’t believe it — Chad’d never do that to me.” Amy tried to think of a reason for Chad’s behavior, with Jake equally as numbed to Carrie’s admission as Amy.
“Sorry Amy, he would, and they did,” Carrie said, sensitive to her friends’ shock. Amy’s eyes were wild with embarrassment, and she shook her head repeatedly. Jake looked blankly at Carrie, but, was more composed than Amy was.
“When’d you find out about this?” Jake asked.
“Just a few minutes ago,” Carrie said, sharing Jake and Amy’s dismay. “I was passing out of the kitchen when I heard them talking. They admitted to everything. They said they wanted to break you and Amy up forever, and the letter was the perfect way to do this,” Carrie said, as Amy and Jake shook their heads, Francine and Chad’s deed just starting to sink in. “Yeah, they set everything up really well,” Carrie said, eyes downcast.
Amy was overwhelmed by Carrie’s admission, and felt as if the world had come crashing down around her, feeling exactly the same as the day she found the letter. All of those months thinking Chad was being good to her, while he really was not, floored Amy. Jake was equally as uncomfortable as Amy, open-mouthed from the shock of everything. Amy could not stop shaking her head, and began talking.
“So you mean for months I’ve been avoiding you for doing something you never even did, and I let myself be fooled by Chad. God, I’m so dumb?” Amy said, looking at Jake in a friendly manner for the first time in months.
“You’re not the only one,” Jake said, sighing heavily. “I let myself be used by Francine. I believed her like an idiot. I can’t believe how blind I was to her,” Jake realized. “What was I thinking?”
Carrie smiled with understanding, and patted Amy on the head, whilst smiling at Jake.
“I always had my doubts about them, but I couldn’t prove anything. Sometimes the more you say, the worse things get,” Carrie concluded.
“I should’ve listened to you — you were right all along,” Amy said, eyes wild with anger and guilt. “Damn, I feel so dumb,” Amy admitted.
“Me too,” Jake said, still shaking his head. Carrie walked over to Jake, and smiled at him. She also patted him on the head, and he looked up at her with gratitude.
“You shouldn’t be too hard on yourselves — they could make anyone believe anything they wanted,” Carrie assured her shell-shocked friends. “Anyway, that’s over — we’ve gotta think what we’re gonna do next.” A silence spread through Carrie’s bedroom. Amy walked towards Jake with tears in her eyes, and Carrie watched them intently, herself teary-eyed.
“I’m sorry Jake, for not believing in you when I should’ve, thinking the worst at a time which really should’ve been, and was, the best of my life. I dunno if you’ll forgive me, but I’ll understand if you don’t,” Amy said.
Jake looked at Amy with a puppy-dog expression for a few moments, and she was not sure what he would say. Just as Amy thought Jake would not respond he smiled, and extended his hand out to her. Amy quickly accepted Jake’s gesture, with much happiness.
“Who could ever stay angry with you,” Jake said, staring deeply into Amy’s eyes. “I would’ve done the same thing, thought the same way, if you did that to me.” Amy was a little more reassured after Jake said this, and smiled between her tears. Jake looked down at the floor for a second, and again looked up at her. Amy thought maybe Jake was reconsidering what he just said, and watched him in suspense. “I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it a million times — Amy, I love you,” he said. With this announcement, Amy embraced Jake, and they were together again, at long last.
Carrie cried at witnessing Jake and Amy’s reunion, but stayed composed for their sake. While they had been apart for a few months, Jake and Amy felt it was only yesterday since they were last together. They held each other for some time, crying tears of happiness, when Carrie, without warning, cleared her throat. Amy and Jake looked at her with a puzzled expression, not knowing what to think.
“Haven’t you forgotten something?”
“Like what?” Amy asked, pulling away slightly from Jake.
“There’s one small, but important thing you’ve both gotta take care of,” Carrie said. Amy and Jake watched each other in confusion, but, after a few seconds, they nodded, perfectly understanding Carrie’s thinking.
“Oh, I get what you mean,” Amy said.
“Me too,” Jake said. Jake and Amy pulled away from each other, and watched Carrie, both feeling thoroughly determined. This was one time when finding out the truth did hurt, but, was worth it.
“Yeah Carrie, we’ve gotta thank Francine and Chad for what they did for us over the past few weeks,” Amy said, her backbone finally showing. This was a characteristic of Amy’s Carrie had hardly ever seen in evidence before today. Amy was a different person from the one who, several months ago, did not know whether anyone wanted to take her to the gala, and needed a heap of confidence-boosting from Carrie. Amy would now stand on her own two feet without Carrie’s support.
“Know something Amy?”
“What?” Amy asked.
“I like your style — looks like I have taught you something,” Carrie enthused.
“Yeah, I’ve learnt from the master — you’ll see that very soon,” Amy said, with a wink. With this comment, Amy gave Carrie an enormous bear hug in appreciation, to which Carrie responded very keenly. Jake observed Carrie and Amy, and laughed merrily.
“Thanks Carrie — you’re the best,” Amy said.
“Of course I am, and I’m always right,” Carrie said, rolling her eyes comically.
“You believed in Jake even with the letter around, and you were right. Everyone should be so lucky to have a friend like you,” Amy praised, to which Carrie looked on, a little shyly. “If I listened to you, none of this would’ve happened.”
Jake was also deeply appreciative for Carrie’s support, and smiled at her.
“Carrie, I wanna say ‘thank you’ for believing in me,” Jake said, drawing closer to Carrie and Amy.
With this, Carrie again began to cry, to Amy and Jake’s surprise. These were not tears of sorrow though, but, of real joy this thing with Chad and Francine had finally been solved. Carrie’s mission to reunite Amy and Jake had, finally, been accomplished. Carrie saw Jake was looking at her with his familiar puppy
-dog expression, and beckoned him to join them into their embrace.
The friends hugged each other for a few minutes, but, separated thereafter, although very unwillingly. They laughingly wiped away their tears, and giggled happily again. It had seemed such a long time since Amy and Jake were together, and it was a relief for them to finally know the truth. After regaining her self-control, Carrie looked Amy and Jake square in the eye, and said to them,
“Mmn, we’ve gotta go now — don’t forget, you’ve got some business to take care of.” Amy and Jake nodded in agreement with Carrie, and the three friends left the bedroom together.
Upon emerging from the bedroom, Amy and Jake found Chad and Francine talking together on Carrie’s sofa. Chad and Francine immediately shot up from the sofa when they saw their partners, and seemed a little alarmed. They looked at Amy and Jake, and spied Carrie smiling deviously in the background. This left Chad and Francine a little tense, as they were aware of Carrie’s feelings towards them, but, instead, they decided to focus on Amy and Jake. Her face flushed with doubt, Francine said to Jake,
“Where were you? I thought you’d gone and left me.”
“I was talking to Amy and Carrie. We had a long and very interesting talk,” Jake said, eyeing Francine carefully.
“Amy and Carrie? You were with them that long!” Francine exclaimed, wild-eyed.
“Why, you have a problem with that?” Jake asked her, with a subtle smirk.
“Oh, no,” Francine said, a worried feeling settling in her stomach. She could sense something was not right here, but, could not pinpoint it exactly.
Amy and Chad were also close by, similarly locked in conversation. Chad was watching Amy, and shook his head exaggeratedly.
“Thank god, you’ve come back!” he said. “You were gone so long, it felt like forever!”
“Why Chad, did you think I was gonna leave you alone?” Amy asked dryly, her eyebrows raised.
“No, well maybe,” Chad said, mumbling his words.
Amy stood bolt upright, and emitted an even cheekier grin at Chad.
“Forget that Chad. Now, there’s no reason for me to ever leave you again, is there?” Amy said, with a wicked grin, with Chad puzzled by exactly what she meant.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The Christmas party, by this time, was now well under way, with everyone enjoying themselves enormously. A flood of conversations, voices and laughing filled the air. The snack platters, in turn, just kept on coming, and it seemed as if the appetite of Carrie’s friends was never going to be satisfied. Carrie, though, had some special business to take care of, and was bursting at the seams, waiting for the right time to make her move. Carrie, though, was unable to wait any longer, and interrupted everyone in the room by announcing they proceed outside to the pool area.
Amy and Chad, and Francine and Jake were still talking amongst themselves, as were most of Carrie’s friends at the party. Carrie’s friends gradually began to move out of the lounge room, and onto the veranda. Francine was intrigued with Carrie’s actions, and squinted her eyes in excitement. She said to Jake,
“Wonder what Carrie’s gonna say — this should be interesting.”
“Yeah, it will be,” Jake said, smiling impishly at Francine. Francine looked at Jake, and shook her head, puzzled by what he said. She sensed Jake seemed different from when they first came together to the party tonight, and this made her a little antsy. After giving it some thought, Francine remembered it was Christmas Eve, and maybe Jake was finally coming to terms with his breakup from Amy.
James, though, was annoyed with Carrie’s secrecy, and pulled her aside.
“Carrie, what the hell’s going on?”
Carrie was not put off by James’ attitude, and produced that familiar, sweet smile he dreaded.
“Sorry James — you’ll just have to wait and see.”
“Great,” he said, flapping his arms in the air out of sheer frustration. “I’m not surprised.”
“But you will be,” Carrie said, before moving to the veranda.
By this time, all of Carrie’s friends had now gathered outside, and the caterers passed along them, providing them with drinks. The swimming pool was in a screened-in area, and rose petals swayed luxuriously around in the water. There were Japanese lanterns hanging in various spots around the pool area, and these radiated a soft, romantic glow. Carrie saw that all of her friends were now assembled, and raised her drinking glass to them.
“First up, I wanna wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and all the best for the coming New Year.”
“Thanks Carrie,” Carrie’s friends chorused, merrily striking their drinking glasses, laughing and smiling. Chad and Francine, and Amy and Jake, though, looked at each other, satisfied, and smiling — but for totally different reasons. While Chad and Francine thought it was the beginning of a new era for them with Amy and Jake, and they had finally gotten exactly what they always wanted, Amy and Jake knew otherwise. They were bursting in anticipation for what would happen next.
“Jake?” Carrie asked.
“Yes Carrie?”
“I give you the honor of making a toast,” Carrie said, watching him proudly.
“Thanks Carrie,” Jake replied, everyone’s eyes now upon him. James looked at Carrie in confusion, and whispered in her ear.
“Carrie, what’re you doing? You should be making the toast — it’s your house.”
Carrie looked at James, and smiled calmly.
“This is one time when giving this honor’ll be a pleasure. Be quiet, and just listen,” Carrie said.
“Okay Carrie, whatever you say,” James said, wearily.
“I knew you’d do as I say,” she whispered cheekily, as James shook his head.
Francine was also dumbfounded by Carrie allowing Jake to salute her friends, as it was, after all, her Christmas party. She looked at Carrie in ambiguity, but Carrie responded with a cool smile. Francine was not getting the response she was seeking, and eyed Chad, who looked as baffled as Francine with what was going on. Chad shrugged his shoulders, and decided to just wait it out.
“I wanna make a toast to two people who are very important to me, and without their contribution my life would’ve been much different,” Jake said, with passion. Amy looked at Carrie with a mocking expression, and Jake smiled at Carrie, with Amy doing likewise. Francine and Chad thought Jake was about to mention them, and felt cherished. Jake raised his glass higher, and pointed it towards Francine and Chad.
“Here’s to you Francine and Chad — you deserve each other more than Amy and I’d ever deserve you,” Jake said, with a suppressed rage.
Carrie’s friends gasped in disbelief, and looked at each other, totally dumbfounded. Carrie, Amy and Jake smiled, but James, like Carrie’s other friends, was bemused by what was going on. Francine was shocked by what she had just heard from Jake, and said to him,
“Jake, what’re you doing? Is this a Christmas joke or something?”
“I’m doing something I’ve gotta do,” Jake said, looking at Francine with defiance. “I probably should’ve done it sooner, anyway.”
Francine shook her head in utter panic. She was speechless for the first time in her life, and could not get a word out for the life of her. Unlike Francine, Chad was fuming with anger, and felt he was going to explode at any minute. Chad glowered at Jake, who was not scared of him in the least.
“Jake, if this’s your idea of a joke, well, I’m not laughing,” Chad said.
Jake turned his head around, and looked at them with a neutral expression.
“Francine, Chad,” Jake said, “I’ve never been more serious in my life.” There was some nervous giggling from some of Carrie’s other friends, but, everyone quieted down to listen to Jake.
“Keep going, Jake,” Amy said sweetly.
“With pleasure, Amy,” Jake said, in his element. Chad looked at Amy for some meaning as to why she was doing this to him, but her face was empty of any emotion. Chad and Francine were boggled how Amy a
nd Jake were obviously again on speaking terms, but too stunned by the events, and could not get a word out.
“Now, where can I start… Oh yeah, that’s right, it all started with a letter. You see, Chad and Francine were so jealous of me and Amy together, they made it their life’s aim to break us up. They thought the best way to do this was to write a letter, written to me from my ‘other’ girlfriend, ‘Jane’, saying how she missed me, was hot for me, do I have to say more? ‘Jane’, anyway, doesn’t exist, but you wouldn’t know that from the letter. Chad and Francine put it in my parka, so when I’d see Amy, the letter’d ‘fall’ out, Amy’d think the worst of me, and never wanna see me again,” Jake said.
Francine felt as if the whole world was crashing down around her, and her life was spinning out of control. It was the first time she had felt this way in a long time, especially since her father’s passing, and it was not a pleasant sensation in the least.
“Please stop Jake, I can’t take it anymore,” Francine said. With tears springing up in her eyes, Francine ran inside to Carrie’s lounge room, sinking into the sofa, crying inconsolably. Carrie’s other friends, who were watching what was going on looked at Francine, and shook their heads. They all thought Amy and Chad, Jake and Francine were now together, and could not understand what was happening.
“No, no, I can’t, I haven’t even started,” Jake said, looking at Francine’s reaction to his words with disinterest. “I’m not even at the best part yet. Don’t you think, Amy?” Jake said, the taste of his revenge on Chad and Francine becoming irresistible.
“Yeah, I’m with you. Keep going — everyone wants to know the rest,” Amy said, nodding in approval at Jake, to Chad’s stunned reaction. Jake smiled at Amy, and continued.
“What Francine and Jake hoped’d happen was that me and Amy’d forget about each other, and, surprise surprise, they were the perfect people to help us do this. They did this by ‘being there’ for us during our bad times, and in Francine’s case, showing off her body at me. You know, Francine really loves wearing small bikinis. Did Chad do something like that for you, Amy?” Jake asked, curling his lips. Chad felt powerless at Amy and Jake’s exchange, and watched them in helplessness. Some of Carrie’s other friends sniggered at what they were hearing, while others viewed these events stony-faced.
The Great High School Love Game Page 28