Jerrie One Shot-ish Stories | Book 2

Before Dawn - XII

Leigh is in the middle of packing her stuff. She's decided to say goodbye to Vegas and hello to New York.

She was too busy packing everything in one of the big boxes when she didn't notice someone behind her. Just when she spun around to get something from her cabinet, she was met by Jade's beaming face.

"JESUS CHRIST!!!!" she exclaimed as her hand flew to her chest, her heart hammering hard against her chest.

"Nope. It's Jade Thirlwall," she grinned. Jade looked around Leigh-Anne's apartment and saw the boxes scattered around. Most of her friend's belongings were already packed and sealed off in a box. "Where are you going?"

Leigh releases a big breath and proceeds to pack her trusty cocktail shaker and strainer. "I'm moving to New York," she says as she wraps up the shaker in a piece of newspaper. "My colleague referred me to her friend who owns a bar in NYC. Yesterday, Taylor and I went there and I got hired."

"Sweet! Who's the owner?"

"The Nelson family. The White Lioness Pub, does it ring a bell to you?" Leigh asks.

Jade scratches her chin in deep thought. "Hmm...that's the first bar I went to when I first came to New York. I'm surprised they're still operating after decades."

Leigh felt elated knowing that the place where she scored the position has been well-established. She's hopeful that there just might be something there for her in New York – a new beginning of some sort.

Jade, on the other hand, wanders around the almost empty apartment, harboring enough courage to tell Leigh-Anne one of the biggest decisions of her life.

She takes a deep breath. You can do this, Jade, she thought. A little pep talk won't hurt.

"I'm getting married, Lee..."

☆

Meanwhile, Perrie stares anxiously at her sister Caitlyn who was nonchalantly flipping through the pages of a magazine, lounging on the couch. She doesn't seem to be fazed right after Perrie told her that she's getting married.

"Aren't you even gonna say something? Anything?" Perrie asks.

"Is it for real?" Caitlyn counters casually, flipping the next page. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend, and now you're telling me that you're getting married. You sure dad didn't blackmail you? I know how he gets, and he's quite fond of putting you in a really tough spot."

Perrie sighs and massages the bridge of her nose. "Dad has nothing to do with this. He doesn't even care about me, you know that. And I don't need his presence int my wedding. He's in Europe with Jonnie, and won't be back for–I don't know–who knows when!"

☆

Leigh froze in place, momentarily disregarding the task at hand, and turned around to face Jade. "Is that also part of what you owe her? I mean, damn. It was a high-stakes poker game. But–wait...did you two play poker again and you lost...the second time around?"