Not Us: Briggs & Jacqueline

Chapter 1

Jacqueline's POV

How is this happening? This is not how I thought today was going to go.

This is not fucking happening! What the fuck is going on in my life that this is what I'm walking away from?! Or what I walked in on?! How am I supposed to get my shit from in there? And my bed?! My apartment?! Like, are you fucking for real?!

Oh god. I have to pull my car over, opening the door just in time to upchuck my lunch all over the side of the road. It's still relatively early, only ten in the morning but I'd been working nights at the hospital as a secretary to supplement our income to finish paying off the wedding and, I just wasn't feeling well. That's why I went home early. I was supposed to do a double today. I was supposed to be at work until two in the afternoon.

My phone rang, startling me as I wiped my mouth. Odette. I swear this girl always knew when I needed her. She always knew when I needed her.

"Girl. Why do I have this feeling you need me in the worst way?" She asked, sounding like she had a smile on her face, as soon as I picked up the call. I just sobbed. Happy to have at least one bestie who hadn't betrayed me.

"Did...did" I took a deep breath trying to calm myself, "Did you know?"

"Know what? What's wrong? Where are you?" I heard shuffling and rustling and then it sounded like she put me on speakerphone, "You're pulling in?! Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"Come get me. Please." I whined and cried into the phone. Begging my bestie to come help me into her apartment. I'd been sick for the last couple of days, but today was the worst of it. I hung up the phone and heaved again. All the remaining food joined my lunch all over the side of the road. This was horrible.

Odette, my bestie for the last six years, since freshman year of college when we were roommates, came rushing out and ran up to my car. She'd always been there for me. She'd never rubbed anything in my face, but I felt like she just knew when things were going to go sideways. Like she had some sort of sixth sense about these things.

"Oh god. What's wrong? Do we need to get you to the hospital? What happened? Who am I killing?"

I just sobbed as I stepped out of my car, avoiding my pile of vomit right in the middle of the door, "My...bag," I sobbed out. The tears wouldn't stop. No matter how hard I tried, they didn't stop. She grabbed it, tossed it over her shoulder, and brought it with her as she walked me up to her second-story apartment. Her arms were around my shoulders as I sobbed all the way upstairs. I knew why I couldn't stop.

I was mourning.

I'm supposed to be getting married in two months. That thought sobered me up and slowed the tears a bit. We're getting married in two months. How much money can I get back? Fuck I wish my parents were still alive. I need them.

"Odette?" She looked at me as she set my bag on the couch and shut the door behind us. She looked at me with concern, grabbing my hands and sitting next to me.

"What happened?" My brain feels foggy. Like it's trying to forget.

"They're fucking. I don't know for how long. But they're fucking. I caught them."

"Who?"

"In my bad. My phone's in my bag. There's a video." My voice sounded like it was monotone like it wasn't me talking but someone else. "When you're done, please tell him that I'm staying here tonight. I need to get my shit tomorrow while he's at work."

I heard her gasp as their moans and dirty talk filled the air and then the rage came pouring from her like she'd been stockpiling it for this moment, or any moment really, to go nuclear on Ruthie. My other bestie and maid of honor. We'd been friends since she and her family moved here in fourth grade. It's not a huge town we live in. Big enough that not everyone knows everyone, but small enough that everyone knows of everyone.