ISOLATED

c h a p t e r 4 2

Chapter 42

An apartment isn't nearly as big as the mansion Genesis shared with Gael, but it's something she can build from. The girl's got a job, she has a place to stay now and it's fully furnished with stuff she, Natalia, and Hannah got from Ikea.

The time she's been begging for in the hospital has finally come, the time with her finally being able to process what happened, the time of her finally trying to get over Gael and finally being able to start her new life without Gael in it to ruin it.

The thought of her having to start dating again is sending shivers down her spine so any man showing interest will be brushed off as long as she needs. Hannah loves watching Genesis get back on her own feet, yet at the same time she's dreading the day Ginny decides that she can do it on her own and they have to go. Gael's been calling her nonstop to ask how she's doing, he's been obsessed with her well-being.

But Hannah didn't move.

She told him directly that she wasn't cleaning up his mess and that if he wanted to know how Genesis was doing, he should call her. But of course, he didn't, maybe he was stupid enough to file for a divorce but he wasn't stupid enough to think that Genesis would want to talk to him after it all.

"I don't want to go," Hannah says and she looks at Genesis. "You're not leaving for another week, Hannah," Genesis tells her, giggling between words. Hannah looks at her. "Long-distance relationships suck, but long-distance friendships can be worse," Natalia says, "We just don't want to lose you."

Hannah looks at Genesis. "Let's go out to dinner tonight," Hannah suggests, her gaze moving towards Natalia. "Can we please not make this week sad?" Genesis bites her lip. Hannah and Natalia share a more meaningful look this time, then they both look at Genesis.

"What?" Genesis looks at Natalia. "It's about my wedding," Nat says, "I haven't asked you yet because of the whole thing with Gael and I didn't want to make this bittersweet." Genesis furrows her eyebrows together. "Say it," she demands. "Would you like to be my bridesmaid?" Natalia blurts out.

Genesis looks at Natalia, then at Hannah. "Hannah's my maid of honor," Natalia says, biting her lip. Hannah was her best friend and she's known Hannah the longest so it makes sense that Hannah is the maid of honor, Genesis can be realistic like that. "Who else is in your bridal party?" Genesis continues the conversation.

Natalia bites her lip and looks at Hannah, then at Genesis. It's just the two of them, Genesis can see it in the way that she's looking at them. "Just us?" she blushes and looks at Hannah, then at Natalia. "I really want you to be a part of my wedding, Genesis," Natalia assures her. Genesis nods. "I'd love to," she answers her.

Of course, she knows she'll see Gael at the wedding, he'll most likely be one of Jackson's groomsmen, but by the time the wedding rolls around, she'll be over him. One thing Genesis cannot do is sit back and stop her life just to avoid him.

She's already across the country, she's not going to avoid one of her best friend's weddings just because she doesn't want to see her ex.

Genesis sits down on the couch of her new apartment. It's basically an IKEA ads folder, but she doesn't mind, it looks cozy and that's all she cares about. "Okay so I'm going to make reservations at a restaurant to celebrate," Genesis says and she gets up. The girl doesn't have any money because she spent her savings on rent this month, but now that she has a job, she'll be able to pay in the future. Hannah's going to pay for this dinner, she and James talked about it and they also helped furnish the apartment.

Natalia chipped in wherever she could, but because she also has a wedding to plan, it wasn't a lot. But the help was already so dear to Genesis and she doesn't put her two friends on a scale to measure who gives her what and then judge them based on that.