Jourdan Mathews has a secret, and she knows she needs to take this one to the grave.
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Her life was never complicated: a college student with a close family, good friends, and a plan for her future as a doctor. Had that night had never happened...
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I almost got up to meet everyone in the kitchen until I heard Bex's words floating to me through Jourdan's bedroom door, which she'd left cracked open. Her words made my heart sink, a lump settling in the back of my throat that made it hard to swallow. I'm sure I was just as shocked as Jourdan and Andee must be feeling right now, but I also felt an overwhelming sense of dread.
Everything I was afraid of was finally being said and I was powerless to stop it as I laid here, in Jourdan's bed, helplessly listening every word.
"Be honest with yourselves," Bex's voice is louder now. "Please, for once, just stop and think before you keep going. I mean, you're both planning to be in relationships after we graduate? You're going to live with Tristan in Denver while you go to grad school and he's gonna what? Skateboard for a living?"
"Bex, this is ridiculous." I hear Jourdan trying to speak some sense into her. "Come on, can't you tell us what this is really about? Who are you actually talking about?"
"You'd never—I can't, it doesn't even matter anymore because it's over." Bex seems to hesitate as silence echoes across the apartment.
"You can tell us." Andee reassures her. "Please, anything is better than you lashing out at us like this."
"I am not lashing out," Bex hisses. "I am telling you both the harsh truth that no one else will say out loud. And what about you Jourdan? You're going to go to med school here while Ryder gets to run around the country playing basketball in the NBA? You want to be in a long-distance relationship like that?"
"You're getting ahead of yourself," Jourdan sounds surprisingly calm. Calmer then I feel right now, that's for sure. Bex might not be phasing her, but she is sure as hell phasing me right now as I feel panic rise in my chest.
"You already almost missed a huge test," Bex plows onward. "In a class you needed to graduate for him. You're telling me you aren't going to miss more things because of him?"
"I still got to that exam on time and did very well," Jourdan protests. "And, if we're being honest right now, then I honestly don't think I can listen to this anymore."
"Same." I hear Andee's voice chime in. "We want to talk and be here for you Bex, really, I know you're upset about something. But not until you can tell us what this is all about, for real."
"This is impossible." Bex grumbles, and then I hear heavy footsteps, followed by the loud slam of the front door. It's then I sit up slowly in bed, that hard lump in my throat starting to hurt now. I know what I have to do before I even start to do it, pulling on a clean pair of boxers from my backpack. I get dressed slowly, careful of my shoulder as I pull on black sweatpants and a navy-blue sweatshirt.
Then I move around the room, gathering the clothes I slept in last night and my phone charger, throwing both in my bag before zipping it up. Next, I go to their bathroom down the hall, unable to ignore the hushed voices coming from the kitchen as Jourdan and Andee try to make up their minds about whatever the hell just happened.
