Jerrie Short Stories

The Fake Girlfriend - 1

This is a very long story and is split over 6 chapters!

"Jade Amelia - tell me you didn't forget. I know you're a little absentminded sometimes, but you remembered, right?"

The thing is, Jade did forget.

She doesn't say it out loud, but her mother lets out a sigh on the other end of the phone like she can sense it and Jade winces. She flops back onto the sofa and tries to contain her own sigh as she runs a hand through her hair. Jesy spares her a concerned look from the other sofa.

"No, of course I didn't forget," she lies poorly. "How could I have?"

"You've always been a forgetful thing," her mother says, thankfully sounding more amused than upset. "Didn't one of your friends buy you that calendar for Christmas?"

Perrie got it for Jade's birthday, actually, and it was a gag gift to cover up the real gift of One Direction VIP passes to a concert. Jade hated Perrie for about five minutes that day (but not really).

"You promised to be at your cousin Lauren's wedding," her mother interrupts Jade's thoughts. "You promised months ago."

Jade vaguely recalls a phone conversation with her mother in a dirty club bathroom after a few shots where her mother mentioned weddings and dates (Yuck!). Jade had agreed easily – Perrie was just outside and Jade didn't want to keep her waiting.

"Right, I know that," Jade tells her mother. She watches Jesy nearly knock Leigh-Anne off a barstool and the squabble that ensues. She smiles.

"So you'll be there, right?"

Any amusement Jade was feeling evaporates and she pulls away from the phone to groan into a pillow. Jesy looks worried again, but Leigh-Anne rolls her eyes at her.

"It's been really busy these last few weeks," Jade begins, but halts when her mother cuts her off.

"You promised," her mother whines, sadness spotting her tone. "Your cousin Lauren is really looking forward to seeing you at her wedding."

"Alright," Jade folds, "yeah, fine, I'll be there."

"Jade," her mother warns, sensing the hesitation in Jade's voice.

"I'll be there!" Jade says more firmly, her voice chipper and loud enough that Perrie finally pokes her head out of the kitchen with a confused look on her face.

Jade's mother laughs and Jade smiles at the sound. She really does miss her mother, if she's being honest, even if her mother can be overwhelming at times. Jade relaxes onto the sofa, zoning out as her mother prattles on about dresses and tuxes and flowers and other things that Jade figures must make a wedding perfect.

Leigh-Anne lands on top of Jade, knocking the breath out of her.

"Jadey, I'm breaking up with you," Leigh-Anne says seriously as she shoves a cookie in her mouth.

"Lee Lee, what the fuck-"

"Jade Amelia!"

"Jesy's cookies are better than yours will ever be – I'm leaving you for her," Leigh-Anne says, not looking put out.

"Sorry, Mum," Jade says into the phone, unceremoniously dumping Leigh-Anne onto the floor. "It's just – well, it's Leigh," she explains, like that's a legitimate excuse. Leigh-Anne has been her best friend for years, way before they went to university together, so Jade's mother is definitely familiar with the wild and loud explosion of a person that is Leigh-Anne Pinnock.