FAKE

PART V: REVELATION

V: los cuatro

After the whole party and after the cake was given out, I thanked everyone for their kindness and thoughtfulness of coming up with this party. I told them how happy I felt and am that they are here to support my writing. I tell them that they'll be the first to receive my book and I will gladly sign them if they would like. Andrew and Ashley hang out with me the whole time and then, a little later, they invite me for dinner. I get into Andrew's car and remember Jason. How goofy he would be if he was here, all four of us together. How much I would give to have him back. His funeral was the saddest thing I've ever been a part of. I cried so much, men and women from his family were in tears. They came up to me and wished me the best. I told them how sorry I was for their loss and cried even more. Andrew and Ashley stood next to me, the entire time while I broke down. I was just praying and praying that by some miracle he was still alive but he wasn't coming back. He was gone and there wasn't anything I could do. Los cuatro weren't ever going to be los cuatro anymore. That will always be stuck in my head, at least for a long time, but I have to be grateful of what I have now. Jason would want me to do that. Jason would want me to be happy right now. I say a silent prayer for him and shed a single tear as we arrive to the restaurant. We're back at the same Italian? Restaurant we were when Andrew told me he had feeling for me. My birthday. I quickly realize, that dinner occurred 5 months ago. Exactly. It's our five month anniversary. I smile at the though of that but don't say anything because I'd sound like a crazy obsessed girlfriend if I said that out loud in front of them. We walk into the restaurant and are seated. I order my spaghetti and meatballs, my favorite from this restaurant. We all eat, laugh, and joke around.

"If only Jason were here," said Andrew after a minute of silence and I looked up, smiling at him.

"That would be amazing," I say and I'm happy that Andrew's thinking about him too.

"I got to know Jason after the whole breakdown of you two and he was such a sweet guy. He said he thought of killing himself because he couldn't live with the pain of ever hurting you. He missed you so much. Evelyn is the world's evilest bitch for ever splitting you too apart," Ashley said and smiled at me.

I was left speechless and almost choked on my tears. They came streaming down in a flood, I couldn't stop them.

"I miss him so much guys. He didn't deserve it."

Andrew took my hand into his and kissed them.

"He did not. Now he's in a better place. He's being protected, trust me. I would give anything to see him again. He was a brother to me. You know how much anger I have towards Evelyn? It's too big to even explain," a single tear slid down Andrew's soft cheeks.

"Guys, he's watching over us," Ashley said, reassuringly, and wrapped her arms around me beside me. She laid her head on my shoulder.

"We miss him. This dinner is for him," I say and raise my glass.

"For Jason," Andrew and Ashley say and we clink our glasses together.

"He will always be a part of us in our soul."

We eat the rest of our dinner in silence and when we're full, Andrew pays the check.

I give him a kiss on the cheek and we get into his car again, driving back to his house. When we arrive, Elle is home.

"Jane!" She comes rushing and embraces me tightly.

"I heard. I'm so happy you're ok. I'm sorry about Jason too. I miss him so much, he was like my son. He was such a good friend to everyone and he was always misunderstood. I heard about your book too! I am an avid reader too and you bet I will be more than delighted to read that book of yours!" She brushes my hair with her skinny long hands and I feel a sense of happiness in me.

"Thank you. That means so much, Elle. Thank you," I say and I hug her again.

"Hello, I'm Elle, you must be Ashley!" Elle shakes hands with her.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs," Ashley politely says and looks really shy.

"You guys have room for any dessert?" She asks us and I nod my head.

"I'm making my famous molten lave cake. Delicious. You guys will love it! I know Andrew does! When he was little, maybe around six years of age, he would take handfuls of the cake and secretly eat it. He would pretend later, saying he doesn't know what happened to the cake. I loved seeing his funny face when he lies. You can tell when he lies to you, his eyes bounce around the room as if they were looking for an escape."

I turn to Andrew and his face is red with embarrassment.

"That's cute," I laugh and try to remember if he ever did that with his yes. He surely did when we fought the night before the video of him and Evelyn were released. He wouldn't look me in the eye for a long time. But every single time that he says that he loves me, he always looks directly into my eyes, never looking for an escape.