Love anchors the soul...
Jade
I was only 19 when I met him. He was so amazing and perfect. You'll know who I'm talking about when you meet him.
Beep! Beep!
My alarm clock sounded as I slowly opened my eyes and look at the time. Ugh. I slowly sit up and pull the covers off my body, taking in the cool morning air.
I pick up my phone, off the bedside table and see the screen flashing the time; 7am. I slide my thumb across the screen, turning off the alarm, and reach my arms up high in a stretch. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I finally get up. Looking over at Josh, laying on the other side of our king size bed, I turn and gently shake his shoulder. "Hey babe, c'mon, time to get up."
He turns over, onto his back and looks up at me. I smile as he smiles back, and pulls me into his arms. "Goodmorning beautiful." he said, pressing his lips against mine.
"Josh, we need to get up. We have a lot to do today." I say, kissing his cheek. He smiles and rubs his eyes.
I turn onto my side and push myself up again, and walk into the bathroom to get ready for work.
I hear my phone buzz on the bathroom counter. I slide the green answer button, "Hello?"
In almost no time at all I hear my best friend, Grace, say, "Jade, it's been too long! Can you meet me for lunch today? I need to talk to you about something."
"Sure, where do you want to meet?"
"How about Rulie's café at noon? Sound good?"
"Yeah sure, see ya then Grace." As soon as I hung up, I immediately regretted agreeing to it. Every time Gracie needs to talk to me about something, it involves Josh and I. I wish she would just leave it alone!
I got through most of the day okay. Josh really hurt me last night. I don't know if I should forget and move on, or talk to him about it. I love him... I think...
12 pm
"Jade! How are you!?" Gracie practically yells, hugging me, her black eyes wide.
"I'm, uh, pretty good. You?" I stuttered. Grace's black hair was put in a long French braid all the way down her back.
"I'm not doing so good. I'll tell you about it later. Let's get our table."
The hostess waved us to our booth in the far right corner of the restaurant. A couple was sitting in the booth behind us, talking. I wondered if their life together was like Josh and I's. I mean sure, Josh gets drunk and gets a little violent. But, he doesn't mean it when he hurts me. He always apologizes for it. I wonder if that's them. If he ever hurts her the way Josh hurts me. I hope not.
"Jade? Can I talk to you about Josh?" Gracie said. I knew that's what this would be about. Ugh it's annoying. He doesn't mean it!
"Um, sure, but of this conversation will be like last time's-"
"It wont," she cut me off. "Last time it wasn't my place to say those things. I already apologized for it." The last conversation about Josh ended horribly. Gracie and I didn't talk for a while. She said bad things about my past and that Josh was gonna be like my father; violent and drunk, all day, everyday.
"Okay, I trust you."
"Jade, Josh needs to stop drinking." I rolled my eyes and put my head I my hands, sighing. "What?! It's a problem J. If he really loved you, he would stop for you."
"Okay, Gracie, I get it. You're concerned about my well-being. But, honestly, stop worrying about me. Josh wouldn't stop if I told him to. You know he wouldn't and I know he wouldn't, so I just don't bother."
"Then why don't you dump his sorry ass?! He hits you Jade! It may seem like he doesn't mean it, but it's just gonna keep happening, unless you leave!" The man in front of us, turned around and faced me, giving me a confused looked, then turned back around. She's causing a scene, oh lord.
"Gracie calm down. Everything's gonna be o-"
The waiter appeared at our table. He was so perfect I couldn't stop staring at him. He had brown hair that covered part of his blue-green colored eyes. "Hi, my name is Alexander, I'll be your waiter this afternoon. Would you like something to drink?"
"Uuuuuuh I'll just have sweet tea. Thanks." Grace said, not amused.
"I'll take the same thanks..." I managed to say. I could feel my face turning bright red with embarrassment. Ugh why am I so stupid! I can't think he's hot, no I have a boyfriend. I love Josh, he loves me... More or less...
The waiter smiled and
"Jade please leave him. Find someone else who will actually love you." She said, pleading.
"I can't Grace, I love him and that's that."
The waiter returned with our tea. "Here ya go." he said, placing Grace's tea down first. He accidentally lost his grip on my glass and it toppled over into my lap, and got tea all over my shirt.
"What the hell?!"
