FROZEN IN BETWEEN

EPILOGUE

JUSTINE'S P.O.V

"You, birthday girl, I want you to put a blindfold on."

Clara sneaked the blindfold before I even realized. Just at the perfect moment where I was fixing my hair for tonight's concert. I screamed my lungs out, obviously, but she didn't listen.

"Clareeeeeeee you're insane!" I kicked anything near me.

"Because I don't want you to run away when we arrive. Protection in the maximum level." She started the engine then drove me off.

"Shoot. I can't even say bye bye to Uncle Rayvon!" I was on my last breath of fight so finally stopped kicking her car.

"I have. Don't worry. He knows what I'm doing." Clara spoke like a professional.

"You kidnap me." I pouted in the dark.

"Possibly, yeah. I kidnap you, then have a talk with you. What a kind kidnapper I am." She laughed so hard. "Shush, I'm driving."

"Drive me back home." I bit my teeth.

"Haha." She put the radio louder than before. "Can't hear you sweeetheaaaart!"

I felt this four wheels thing drove me downtown. All black and dark. Probably Clara took me outside the town because seriously this was taking longer than I thought. She stopped at somewhere, probably a gas station, and let me stay inside the car for 5 minutes before continue to drive. I asked no more questions. Lesson to learn? Don't take Clara as your best friend.

"Okay! We're here." She whispered.

"What? Why are you whispering?" I tried to adjust her fast footsteps. "Dammit Clara slow down!"

"Shuuuush!" She covered my mouth.

"Oh Jesus save me." I sighed. This looks like a kidnapping, indeed.

"You ready?" Clara helped me to stand up. "Oh of course you are. Surpriseeeee!"

The very bright light hit my eyes. Blinded. It took me some time to adjust, after being eyes-covered for an hour and a half. Then I found her smirk. Clara's. I immediately slapped her face for doing that to me. But...who're these...where am I...

"Happy birthday."

A bouquet of white roses was brought to my nose. I gasped. Who knows my birthday other than Clara? Tob... No, pretty much impossible.

"I miss you."

The voice was getting closer. It's real. Someone else was talking to me. With this blurry sight, I tried to look over the roses bouquet. And lost my air right away.

"No..." I stepped back.

"I'll leave you two." Clara put her hand on my shoulder, signing she'd be outside.

"Where is this?" I looked around, and found a poster. "Concert... Oh dang."

"Why leaving me alone?" He stepped closer to me, pushed aside the bouquet from my hands. "Answer."

"It's better be this way." I swallowed half of my power to speak.

"But that hurts." His eyes stabbed me in the heart. "I thought we were real."

"The only thing that real is Sheryl." I repeatedly tried to kill the tension but turned out awkward.

"Can you shut up?"

He tied those lips again to mine. Like the one we used to do in my room. Still the same way. Still felt too good. But I kissed somebody's boyfriend. I kissed the boyfriend of a girl I promised a happiness to. 19th birthday should've been just as lame as the past years. This is why I don't want to go to a concert.

"I love you. Leave with that." Toby pecked my lips once again.

"Sheryl." I whispered.

"So, stupid Thing Two, you think I've been dating Sheryl for all these years? You left me like that, and I didn't take any notice of it? You think it's okay for me to go on tour with a hopeless thought of where you might be? Rude!"

Toby slapped my cheek softly, then kissed it again.

"Another slap for that dumbest mind for thinking I could survive another birthday." He slapped the other cheek and kissed me again.

"That! For slapping me twice." I slapped his cheek without retuning a kiss.

"Okay. Do it." He hid his hands on the back so I got my all access to slap him.

"This! For being so stupid for letting a good girl go." I punched his chest.

"Carry on." He stood still.

"And this! For so many unintended kisses. Best friends don't kiss like that!" I slapped his both cheeks.

I took a deep breath, sat on the couch. Dammit, he's looking more perfect now. I didn't realize. But for once being a devil myself, I shall say I'm happy to know Sheryl's chapter has over. At the very least, I don't have to swallow my sadness again.

"Because we're not best friends."

Toby lifted me by one hand on the waist, put my toes on his, stared deep down into my soul. We were locked down by each other's eyes. I'm emotional.

"Don't you dare tell people you're my best friend because for God's sake, you're not." He whispered.

And these angels around us told him to kiss me once again. This time was intendedly done. In this cold green room, Pittsburgh concert, we kissed. To the moon and the light in his eyes, I love my very own best bud.

Happy early Valentine, my Valentine.