Broken

Gwen.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea." I mumbled as I took a sip of my Diet Coke. "Chill out Pasty. It's just Geoff and Bridgette. Well and Heather and Alejandro. I know you don't like her but they asked to see us so maybe she is trying to make amends." My best friend Duncan states from where he sits next to me, in the small diner. "Whatever. For all we know, this could be another chance to humiliate me." He chuckled at me. "Quit your worrying Gwen. Seriously, it will be fine." I started to protest again but the door suddenly swung open, initiating the bell chime. In stepped Geoff and Bridgette, looking the same, surprisingly. Then came in the Devils' daughter and her just as evil man candy. "Gwen!" Bridgette squealed as she pulled me into a tight embrace. "Hey Bridge." Geoff gave Duncan one of those "bro" hugs and we all sat down. I looked at Heather and gave a slight nod. "Heather."
"Weird Goth Girl." Bridgette kicked her hard. "I mean, Gwen."
I rolled my eyes and looked at Duncan. "She so wants to make amends." I whispered to him and he just shrugged. "So how have you guys been?!?" Bridgette says after the waitress takes their drink orders. I look at Duncan and he starts talking first. "Well after high school I opened my own tattoo parlor." Heather gave him an incredulous look. "You Graduated?" Duncan huffed. Alejandro put a hand on her bony shoulder. "Mi Amor. That's incredibly rude. Let Duncan continue." Duncan glared at Heather and she shrugged. "Yea Heather. Let me continue. Like I was saying. After I graduated, I opened up a tattoo parlor and it is the most successful in my city." Heather looked surprise. Not necessarily impressed but surprised. "That's awesome Duncan. What about you Gwen?" Everybody's eyes shifted towards me. "Well. I work as a kindergarten art teacher. And sometimes I work at Duncan's shop and in Trent's band." Me and Trent had gotten back together a few weeks after Duncan and I's amicable split. I had gone to a coffee shop and there he was. Afterwards we started talking again and it was just like that Summer in Wawanakwa. Not Total Drama Action summer though. I must've stared into space to long because soon Duncan was nudging me. I looked at Bridgette who seemed to have asked me a question amid my flashback. "I'm sorry Bridge. What did you say?" She smiled at me again. "I said: I guess this means you and Trent are back together?" I blushed profusely. "Yea. We got back together after me and Duncan realized we still loved other people....." I trailed off suddenly feeling very awkward. I had said a bit much. It was awkward like that for a moment and then our food came. We all started to eat in silence. I looked up to see Heather giving Bridgette a look that I couldn't quite place. Bridgette was giving her a look also. I watched the dialogue play within those two until finally Bridgette spoke up.

"There's a real reason why we called you guys here. Not that we don't like seeing you....I mean we wanted to see you too but-" Heather gave a loud cough and Bridgette continued. "It's about......Courtney." At the mention of Courtney, both Duncan and I looked up. Duncan looked at me and I just shrugged. "What's wrong with her? Is she okay?" Duncan asked in a worried tone. I couldn't help but smile at him. After all these years, he was still in love with her. Even when we were together. He was always dreaming or thinking about her.

Bridgette's prolonged silence started to worry me. "Well. Courtney...she's.....how do I....."
She trailed off. Heather stepped in. "She's a mess! She is drunk all the time and smoking constantly and when she's not, she's fucking her stoner boyfriend or whatever. She works at a strip club as a waitress and literally lives on beer. There was a time when she was passed out in her apartment and almost died because she started choking on her own vomit. I can't seem to knock some sense into her. But maybe you can. Gwen, believe it or not but you're still her best friend. Always have been. And Duncan. I know she still loves you and if there's anyone who can talk some sense into her it's you!"

I couldn't believe it. Courtney the girl who was destined to be a lawyer, who had the best grades out of anyone I knew, who always was a leader.....turned into an alcoholic and smoker? Duncan suddenly stood up from him chair. "Bring me to her."