By Chance

45 - Genevieve

"I'm sure that's what he's going to do then. It makes sense," Ashley stated, excitedly clasping her hands together while everyone shared mutual grins except for me. I was so stressed out I didn't know what to think.

"Yeah, I know. And that's super exciting and I'm of course going to say yes, but like Sam said we need to get this whole thing sorted out first. We haven't really said a full sentence to each other all day today. It was so awkward this morning," I recalled with a sigh, taking a sip of my caramel macchiato as I remembered the silence that filled the room every time both of us were in it. This place always made them the best. But perhaps I only thought that way because I had a really good one on my first date here with Harry.

"I'm sure when it's the right time it will come naturally," Charlotte chimed in, earning nods from all the girls present. Again, I was hesitant.

"I don't know. I'm starting to get worried. We've never fought before. It was so bad." I shivered, thinking back to the hurtful words we screamed at each other, never thinking about the consequences that would come after because of them.

"Genevieve, you don't understand," April started with a laugh. "Every couple has to have their first fight. It's a right of passage. If you don't ever fight, it's not a healthy relationship. Now, fighting all the time is definitely not a healthy relationship either, but you get what I mean."

I nodded, sighing.

"Yeah, I know. That's what everyone's saying. I know I'll get over it and make up with him, but I just feel so guilty about not telling him about everything first."

Now four people knew the whole truth before him. I planned on telling Harry first, but that was before I heard the "P" word. I tried to keep it all inside for the first half hour with the girls, only telling them bits and pieces. But they began to ask more questions because certain parts of the story weren't adding up due to my giant left-out chunk. I ended up just telling them everything and feeling guiltier, but they were starting to convince me that guilt maybe wasn't the best route for me to automatically jump to.

"Okay, here's the thing, Gen," Ashley began. "I totally get why you're feeling guilty over this. I totally do. But at the same time, you have to shove down the guilt because you did keep this hidden from him for a reason. Sure, it may not have been a good decision to hide it for as long as you did because when there are secrets there are always consequences that follow close behind, but he's going to have to understand that there are some things that other people are going to know before him, especially since you guys are just in the dating phase right now. But, tomorrow, he's going to ask you to go to the next stage and by that time, you will have sorted everything out with him, so you guys can start fresh. I know Harry, maybe not as well as you, but I know he'll understand. You know that too. I think your fear is just telling you what that part of you wants to hear."

Everything Ashley said made sense. I couldn't deny any of it. Of course, my fear didn't like being exposed like that, but I chose to listen to her. I needed to find a way to make this right with Harry and so far, these girls were giving me everything I needed and more.

"You're completely right, Ashley," I sided, finally able to release a genuine smile after an hour of having trouble doing so.

"Maybe you should remind Harrison about that every time he and I get into an argument," she shared with a laugh. The other girls nodded, sharing an expression that related.

"Yeah, Genevieve. We all get into arguments with our boyfriends. That's just what life is. We know that we've met the ones for us so we've accepted that there's no use fighting arguments because we're just going to have more if we do. Plus, we've decided we're going to spend our lives with them and we know life gets messy, and that's what we signed up for. You're not going to have a beautiful relationship without horrible arguments. When you're close to a person, that just happens. There's no avoiding it. If you try, you're going to get nowhere and just fall into a fake relationship," April added. She was right.

"I guess I never really thought about all this stuff before," I admitted with a sigh.

"You didn't have to yet. You and Harry have been in your honeymoon phase for your entire relationship until yesterday, in fact-" Ashley paused, thinking. "I think during the sixth month of our relationship, Harrison and I had our first real fight. Of course, we were best friends before that, so we fought sometimes, but as a couple, I think that our first major argument was about six months into our relationship as well."

My mouth dropped. I was surprised to see April and Charlotte nodding in agreement.

"Really? And you guys, too?" I asked, looking at the remaining two. I received nods in unison.

"Yep. David and I had our first real fight in the middle of our first year as a couple. Sure, it was really hard at the time but I mean, it helped us grow. Look where we are now," Charlotte said with a laugh, holding up her left hand. A gorgeous diamond sat on her fourth finger. I stared in awe.

"Where were you guys when I needed you yesterday?" I asked with a laugh, receiving ones in return.

"Yeah, Tom and I, well, as you know, started our relationship because of a fight, so I'm definitely a living testament that fights do bring people that already love each other together."

"Well, I guess this is a stupid question," I began. "But if that was the case then why do people break up all the time?"

Ashley immediately had an answer.

"Well, that's because they care about themselves more than the person they are fighting with."

"Yeah, I suppose that makes sense."

As time went on, our laughter grew greater and my excitement to officially move here was setting in as I shared a table with two girls that would soon be my sisters-in-law and my soon-to-be- husband's-best-friend's-wife. Sure, the future was uncertain, but something told me we'd all be in each other's lives for a long time.

I got home, feeling better than when I walked out the door the first time. I paid the cab driver and headed inside, immediately heading upstairs before I wait too long and chicken out. Knowing exactly where he'd be and what he'd be doing, I knocked on his bedroom door, hearing it click open a few seconds later. Harry stared at me for a moment before either of us said a word. He was obviously shocked I had come to make an effort to reconcile.

"We need to talk."