Closer ☞ Audrey Jensen Romance

F o u r

"Hey! Audrey." Emma spoke as she walked up to us. "And Ella" she says, noticing me standing off to the side.

"Hi, Emma?" Audrey responded with a bit of confusion.

"Uh... Do you want to come to a party tonight? Brooke's having a send off for Nina... With booze- an Irish wake kind of thing" Emma continues, I realized they hadn't spoken in a while but this conversation has an awkward tension and it's making me extremely uncomfortable. I shifted back and forth on my feet.

"I'm kind of grounded," She begun, "There was this video that went around. It's okay. You saw it. Everyone saw it. I know." Audrey shrugs. 'I didn't see the video, you took my phone' I think and frown.

"Well, it, uh, starts at nine out at Wren Lake. I mean, you can bring whoever you want" Emma bargained as she changed the subject. "But no pressure" She said trying to ensure that she wasn't coming across to forward. "Maybe I'll see you there?" She shrugged and chuckled awkwardly. Audrey made a small smile as Emma walked back to her group of friends.

"That was extremely uncomfortable" I say as we continue walking.

"Did you get invited?" She questions.

"Oh, there's no need to. She knows Jake will force me to tag along anyways"

"Oh"

(ง ͠° ͟ل͜ ͡°)ง

I hopped out of Jake's truck, us being two of the few people already here because we got here a little early.

"It's kinda weird, ya know?" I speak as we walk up to Brooke's large house.

"About what" Jake says and stuffs his hands in his jean pockets.

"Later, we're all going to expect Nina to show up fashionably late and be wide awake until eleven then her makeup will start to get cake-y and she'll leave with some guy from the basketball team or whatever" I kick a small rock as Jake just nods his head.

"It's gonna be weird without her making hell for everyone" he responds and holds a door open for me.

"Someone else will come along to take her place, I can feel it"

(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ

A half hour later, Audrey and Noah finally show up.

"God, I've been waiting for you guys" I stand up and pull up my olive colored skinny jeans and walk over to them. (The picture at the top doods)

"Hi Audrey! How are you?" Brooke asked as she walked up beside me.

"Good, thanks. Um, you know Noah." Brooke looked Noah Foster up and down as he began to speak.

"I have a little place just like this in the Hampton's" Noah laughed. Brooke giggled at Noah's poor attempt at humor and I sighed. I knew fully well that Brooke was just pretending to be nice towards them so she wouldn't seem like a total stone-cold bitch. Which she isn't- most of the time.

"Okay. That's funny." She looked over at Audrey as she spoke. "Okay, food and drinks over there, and suits in the cabana if you want to swim."

"Suits are completely optional" my brother walked up to us and threw a wink at Audrey and I glared daggers at him. Brooke rolled her eyes and shook her head towards Jake. Audrey pushed between them; leaving Noah and I behind. People began to stare at her as she stepped out towards the crowd. I started to feel a wave of confusion wash over me. 'The video' I remembered, I need to see that soon.

Emma waved slightly at her before Audrey shouted out into the room. "I'm the one who kissed a girl!" She stormed out of the room sweeping up a glass bottle of tequila and my breath hitched in my throat. Noah stepped out and opened his arms out wide.

"You know, star of the viral video. Hey, look, she's kissing a girl!" He laughs awkwardly. "Right?" Brooke visually winces at Noah's attempt to manage the situation. "Uh, we'll be outside."

Soon after everyone returns back to their conversations, I dash out of the room. I sprint towards Jakes truck and begin to scavenge for wherever he left the keys. I find them in the glovebox as a sob escapes my mouth. I hadn't even realized I was crying. I see Jake start to run up in my peripheral vision and I immediately start the truck and slam my foot on the gas pedal.

As I speed away, I look in the rear view mirror to see Jake throw his hands in the air and then walk back in the house.

'I don't want to see that video anymore.'