Easier to Lie

Chapter Seventeen

I wanted to lie in bed and read before getting the day started. I had already taken a shower and changed clothes, I just wanted to be lazy.

Unfortunately, Leah had other plans. Right as I laid down and made myself comfortable, she rushed herself into my room with Adam right behind her. She had been crying but didn't seem hurt or upset.

"You okay?" I wasn't sure what I was supposed to say. I had never seen her like this before.

"We have the most amazing news ever!"

"Oh my God, you're pregnant, aren't you?" I closed my book and sat up on the bed.

"What?" Her excitement dwindled. "We're married! Awesome, right? I still have to tell my parents and his, but I'm officially Leah Corbin Jenkins! Look it's on this paper," she proudly held up the signed marriage certificate.

I didn't know how to feel or what to say. We were kids, nowhere close to being mature enough for marriage. I couldn't say that to her. As the best friend, I had to give her my full support. Her family wouldn't handle the news too well. I had to be there for her because I knew how ugly things were about to become.

"That's great! I'm happy for you guys," I told them. I hoped it sounded sincere.

"We're going to tell my parents in person when I take you home."

I was disappointed for selfish reasons. Leah had several notebooks filled with wedding ideas and plans. She wanted a strapless ball gown with lace trim over her stomach, yellow flowers, a DJ, and a beach wedding. I was supposed to be her maid of honor. But, she married Adam without any of that, without me. That's what didn't set right with me.

I sat outside on the balcony watching the dolphins jump through the water. Adam went out to the balcony to smoke.

"What's Leah doing?" I asked, hoping the smoke wouldn't come in my direction.

"She's cooking."

"What? Leah cooks? Since when?"

He laughed and sat beside me. "After we got married she wanted to go thrift store shopping. She bought cookbooks."

"Getting a late start on her wife training, isn't she?"

"Hey, her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the bomb."

"The bomb? Really? People still say that?"

"I don't know about people, but I still say it," Adam was funny. I guessed that since he was married to my best friend I had to eventually become his friend.

"Can I ask you something?" I had to be careful with my wording. The last thing I wanted was for him to dislike me, but I had to look out for Leah.

"Sure."

"What about Jordi? Are you going to tell her?"

"Eric told you about her, didn't he?" I nodded, and he continued, "I'm staying here. I'm not going back to her. We weren't in love. I saw no future with her. It was barely a relationship.

"So, you do really love Leah? You're not going to hurt her?"

"You don't know much about our relationship, do you? It goes back a few years. I've had feelings for Leah for about as long as Eric has wanted you. It's a long story."

Adam wanted to be with Leah since we were fifteen. He felt like he wasn't good enough for her. Jordi was a safe place—he knew what to expect from her. Leah was new, different, innocent. He knew she would wear a white wedding gown where Jordi would probably burst into flames if she wore white.