Because Of Her Jacket

Chapter Nineteen

PB&Js & Secrets
♡ Fiona ♡

I wake up in the darkness of my own bedroom.

The curtains are drawn and the only light shining in is the light of the moon.

Curled up next to me lightly purring is Simba, warming the crock of my neck with his lightly colored fur.

I'm not longer with Tammy or my friends or my sister.

I blink rapidly, trying to adjust to my change of setting as I slowly sit up.

I start to rub my eyes, where is everyone and how did I get here?

I reach over and turn on my panda shaped lamp, I blink and try to adjust to that light.

Simba sleepily walks over to the edge of the bed and lays there while I grab my phone. There's a few notifications but the only one that matter's is Tammy's.

Tammy
Hey, I had to go home. Hope you sleep well, goodnight (or morning if that's when you see this) <3

I smile at her text like an idiot.

She put a heart at the end of her message. A heart. But before I can rejoice in whatever feelings I'm feeling, a wave of sadness washes over me- I remember how she looked when she came over, how she looked when she realized people where over and then how softly she said she just wanted to see me.

People who are trying to play you don't say that, right?

But what even does that make us? Friends? More than friends? Or are we on that more than friends less than lovers bullshit that Dylan goes through with any guy he likes?

I can't wrap my head around it, and then I feel worse remembering that I didn't come to the party tonight. I wanted to, for her but...

I didn't want to because I hate parties.

God I need some serious room to think.

I throw my legs over the side of my bed and sleep my feet into my panda slippers, when that's over I walk out of my room sleepily to be met with the darkness of the house.

The kitchen light is already on when I wall downstairs.

"What are you doing up?" I ask as soon as I walk in and see that it's Lizzy, making a PB&J.

She looks up at me, "got hungry" she answers, she takes out two more slices of bread, "you want one?" She questions.

I shrug and she knows that's a 'yes'.

"So who did you and Yas bribe to carry me to my room?" I joking question.

"Ethan did it for free" she shrugs, "after they grilled the hell out of your friend".

My face flushes red, "they did what?"

Lizzy sighs, "the two of you are hopeless. You like her, she likes you" Lizzy slings her hair back before she goes to spread the peanut butter on my slice of bread, "but both of you are so oblivious it's sad".

"She doesn't like me" I chuckle as I make my way over to the kitchen island. It's Tammy Hollingsworth, she can't like me.

"You know she was the first one to offer to take you to your room, but Yas went all protective cousin on her?" Lizzy pauses as my face turns red, "and..." she sucks in a breath of air, "I don't know if I should say it never mind" she looks down.

"Say what?"

"Nothing"

"Lizzy" I whine.

"Ask Tammy, I'm not telling you".

"Why do I have to ask?"

Lizzy rolls her eyes at me, "just ask, or ask your friends but it's not me who's going to tell you".

"At least give me a hint"

"No"

"Why not?"

She places my sandwich on a different plate and slides it over to me, "not my place..." she brings the sandwich up to her mouth and takes a bite of it

"Fine" I sigh, defeated, "guess I'll take that" I smile though, because at least she knows how to stand her ground

. . .
Yasmine has the boys in the car when she picks Lizzy and I up the next morning.

After our PB&Js at 4am the two of us decided to stay up since we had school in a couple of hours anyways.

With Ethan in the front and Dylan in the back, Lizzy and I get in and everyone is giving me this look. Like they all know something I don't am I'm dying to know what.

"What?" I chuckle, slamming the car door shut.

"Nothing" they all reply and snap their heads away to do god knows what. Yas begins to drive, Dylan begins to text and Ethan's so busy trying to find the group's playlist while the only other one who seems to know what I don't won't even look at me.

"We're still getting coffee, right?" I ask them.

"We already did" Dylan reaches over and grabs a familiar pink and white dotted box and two cups from Ethan's lap and front seat cup holder, Dylan hands the cups to Lizzy and I.

"Thanks" Lizzy and I say.

"Fee" Yasmine begins, I look up.

"Hm?"

There's a long pause and even the boys snap their heads back up to tell what she wants.

"Never mind I lost it" she laughs nervously.

I want to know what's going on, desperately, actually. But no one's telling me and I feel so excluded I should slowly wither away.

But I don't pry, I don't question. Instead I look out the window and think about things- like how bad I feel for not showing up to the party last night, and how pretty Tammy Hollingsworth is and how badly I want to get to know her- ever secret, ever favorite color; ever childhood memory. Everything that I don't know yet but wish I could know.

. . .
♡ T A L E Y I A H ♡