Halfway (#Wattys2016)

To New Beginnings

"Is it visible?"

Jules rubbed her head, "It'll dry. Just stand with your back facing the wall."

I had peed myself.

I peed myself laughing, but I peed myself. Just a little bit.

"God damn it, this hurts like a bitch."

I laughed, pee stain forgotten, "How did you not see the wall?"

As you may have guessed, Jules ran into a wall. Yes, ran. Fortunately for her, no one saw her but me. Unfortunately for me, I laughed so hard, a little pee came out. Also some people may be questioning my sanity now. As if they weren't already.

"God, I can't believe school starts in two weeks. Where the hell did summer go?" Eva said, without looking up from her phone.

"Yeah, I know." Jules smiled sadly.

"Okay," Chloe smiled excitingly, "It's done. Who wants the first taste?" She waved the freshly baked cupcakes. Apparently shopping didn't cut it for Chloe anymore, so her grandmother suggested something else: baking. Those cupcakes are the first things she tried. She called them cupcake renaissance. Don't ask.

"Oh, well, Eva loves cupcakes." Jules pointed at our dear friend.

Eva's eyes widened, "Well, uh, yeah, but since it's Lisa's house and Lisa's kitchen, I think she should have the honor of the first piece." She smiled at Lisa innocently.

Chloe turned to Lisa with a big smile and handed her a cupcake. Lisa swallowed but took the cupcake with a smile, "Oh – uh – thanks honey."

As Lisa was about to put the cupcake in her mouth, a loud gasp was heard. "Uh oh." Eva stared at her phone in shock. Chloe looked over to her.

Lisa threw the cupcake over her shoulder.

"What?" Jules got up from the couch to go where Eva was sitting; but as soon as Jules got up and took a step towards Eva, Eva got up and took a step backwards.

"Jules, I think you need to sit down for this." Eva warned.

"What's going on?" I frowned.

At this point, all of us were looking at Eva, who was still standing behind the chair, clutching her phone to her chest.

"Eva," Jules said softly, "You're freaking us out."

Eva took a deep breath, "Michael and Alexis."

"What about Michael and Alexis?" Jules asked, a warning in her tone and suspicion on her face.

Eva gulped, "They're – uh –," then she whispered the cursed word, "dating."

All of us stood completely still, watching Jules' reaction. And all I kept chanting in my head was 'no sudden moves, nobody moves, stay perfectly still'.

"What?" Jules breathed out the word.

"They're dating." Eva said firmly.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"He uploaded a picture on Twitter."

"Show me." Jules demanded.

Eva clutched the phone tighter to her, and hesitantly replied, "I don't want to."

"Show. Me. It." Jules said through clenched teeth. And when nobody moved, she yelled, "Now."

Eva quickly handed the phone over to Jules, Chloe, Lisa and I stood behind her, gaping at the phone. Michael was holding Alexis' waist, her arms were around his shoulders, and they were smiling through the kiss they were sharing. And the caption read 'Happy birthday to the sweetest and kindest soul. I'm lucky and proud to call you my girl'.