Borrowed Time Part 2

Chapter 243

Being able to relax with all her friends after a particularly grueling rehearsal was probably the most blessed thing to Juliette right now, even if she did feel bad about dragging Esme out on their only night off... They'd been in and out of consciousness ever since arriving at Shelby's house, leaning on her, which she didn't mind.

She'd gladly be their pillow... They were awake right now though, that was clear from the way that she could feel them staring at her.

She glanced over before turning on her side so that she was facing them.  On her other side, she felt Penny's hand slide around her hip as she turned, making heat rise in her cheeks... This was... A lot.

A lot in front of other people.  She didn't know how to be normal about it yet, but no one else seemed to really be batting an eye.

"You look really beautiful right now." Esme murmured, tucking some hair out of her face as Juliette chuckled, leaning into them.  Part of her wanted to feel embarrassed, they were in front of all of their friends, but she just couldn't get herself to care.

She liked feeling loved, and she liked being open about it... Granted, she wasn't sure why the hell Esme was saying it right now.

"All I'm doing is sitting here." She responded, and Esme nodded, their eyes showing the warm, soft love that she'd become so deeply accustomed to over the last year... It was just so odd to have this be one of the moments where Esme reminded her just how deeply she was loved... Like, she just wasn't expecting it.

"Yeah, I know." They said, and Juliette grinned, cupping their cheek as she leaned in to kiss them, stopping shy when she heard Shelby let out a gag that was... Well, it was certainly theatrical, but it wasn't very realistic.

More she just sounded like a cat that tried to eat plastic.

"Okay, you two disgust me." She sighed, and Juliette rolled her eyes, forcing herself to look away from Esme and instead at Shelby. She didn't want to, she'd rather be locked into looking at Esme for life.

But this required eye contact.

"Love should not disgust you." She said, and Shelby shrugged, examining her nails as she spoke.

Bitch, look me in the eyes. I'll eat your soul.

"Love does disgust me." There was a faint smile on her face, giving away her joke before she even said it. "But only when it's you." She said, and Juliette sighed, picking up her shoe to whip it at Shelby.

It would've been a direct hit to the face, but Shelby was too quick - she caught it instead.

Impressive. You suck.

"You're evil." She said, and Shelby gave her a look, shaking her head.

"You love me." Shelby reminded her and Juliette chewed on her lip... She would never say that she didn't love Shelby, that would be fucking mean, but it was something that she really did consider saying.

"... I do." That was the truth, she had to speak the truth even if she wanted to throw the other shoe and try again, it was only fair. "Yeah, I do." She sighed, and Shelby furrowed her brows, letting out a disbelieving chuckle as she rested her chin on her hand, looking at Juliette with some confusion.

"I know, you sound like you're trying to convince yourself... But I know." She said, and Juliette scoffed, sitting up a bit - or trying to and failing, because she was leaning against two people and they were both holding her down in their own way because they didn't want her to move.

Penny had her fingers through her back belt loop, and Esme's arm was splayed around her waist... She wasn't going anywhere.

"You're cocky." She said, and Shelby beamed at her, nodding like it was something to be proud of... Did she not... Was she not aware that Juliette was trying to bully her?