Unspoken Goals

Maybe I am Jealous

Continuation of last chapter

Juliette stood in the front yard, tears brimming in her eyes as she watched Abigail disappear back into the house. The weight of their argument settled heavily on her shoulders. The night's chill crept in, making her shiver. The front door creaked open behind her, and she turned to see Natalie approaching, her face full of concern.

Without saying a word, Nat pulled Juliette into a comforting hug. They stood there for a couple minutes, Juliette burying her face in Nat's shoulder, letting her tears flow freely.

"Do you want a ride home?" Nat asked softly.

Juliette nodded, pulling away from their hug and wiping her eyes. "Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks."

They walked to Nat's car in silence, the night wrapping around them like a heavy blanket. Once inside, the hum of the engine filled the void. It wasn't until they had been driving for about ten minutes that Nat finally broke the silence.

"What happened back there?"

Juliette sighed, recounting the argument and the events leading up to it. Nat listened attentively, nodding in understanding.

"Abby will come around eventually," Nat said reassuringly.

Juliette shrugged. "I don't know. We've never argued like this before. She said some pretty harsh things."

Nat gave her a sympathetic look. "She doesn't see it yet, but you're just trying to protect her. When she finds out about Hayden, she'll apologize, and everything will go back to normal."

Juliette looked out the window, her voice barely above a whisper. "I hope you're right."

They rode in silence for the rest of the drive, the tension still lingering in the air. When they finally pulled up outside Juliette's house, she reached for the door handle.

"Julie?" Nat's voice stopped her.

"Hmm?" Juliette turned to face her.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Juliette replied, her curiosity piqued.

Nat hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Why did Hayden's comment about you being jealous get to you so much?"

Juliette shrugged, a knot forming in her stomach. "I don't know. It was like his comment made any self-control I had left disappear."

Nat studied her for a moment. "Do you think maybe it's because he's right?"

"What do you mean?" Juliette asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

"Maybe you are jealous," Nat said slowly, "maybe deep down, you do wish it was you with her."

Juliette shook her head vehemently. "That's not possible. She's my best friend. I would never see her that way. Plus, I don't even like girls."

Nat gave her a sad smile, knowing now was not the time to push the matter and only time could play a role in this. "Okay, maybe not in that way. But maybe you're jealous because you now have to share your best friend with someone who means just as much to her."

Juliette pondered this for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "Maybe you're right. It's always been the two of us. Now that there's someone else, it's bothering me."

Nat smiled gently and pulled her into a hug. "Just give it time. Things will work out. Try to get some sleep, okay? And don't worry, I'll make sure Abby gets home safely."

Juliette nodded, feeling a bit more reassured. "Thanks, Nat."

Later that night, as Juliette lay in bed, her phone buzzed with a text from Natalie.

Nat: Abby got home safely. Hannah brought her home.

Juliette sighed in relief, finally able to close her eyes. She thought back to what Nat had said and began to accept the possibility that she was indeed jealous of having to share her best friend. The realization was unsettling, but at least now she had a starting point for understanding her feelings. As sleep finally claimed her, she hoped that, in time, things would indeed go back to normal.

[A/N]: Happy 4th everyone!! Please let me know what you think of this chapter!