FAKE

PART VI: FUTURE

II: national bestseller

Today we're celebrating and I couldn't be happier. I can't believe that I had so many sales to boost my way up to the top. I'm astonished at this.

Andrew and Ashely are spending the day with me today and my parents are taking me out to dinner with them tonight too. First time my parents meet Ashely other than at a funeral or the police department. She never really got to talk to them there either. She'll meet them today though.

Andrew pulls up in his car quickly and I hop in. I guess we are going to an amusement park today in celebration. Andrew bought me my ticket and Ashely has a seasonal pass. We are going to Cedar Point, which I have never been to. It's an hour drive and the whole drive there we just play music and talk about what rides we are going to ride. The green roller coaster first or the yellow one? So many choices but at the end of the day, we'll probably ride all of them so I don't understand why we are dressing ourselves now. We arrive at the park and walk in. The roller coasters are so tall and scary but I'm pretty brave. I'm ready to ride them. We spend the entire day just running around the park and stopping every now and then eating, talking, and goofing around like crazy people. I love these moments with them. It's so much better than being home all day. They are my favorite people in the world and I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for them being in my life. They were destined to be with me, they were destined to be my friends and I'm so grateful for that. I am so pumped to see what the future holds for our friendship. We ended up riding the yellow roller coaster last even though we picked that one first over the red one. Oh well, at least we did all of them and have fun. We laugh our way back from the car in the later afternoon and we are exhausted out of our minds. I hope we can at least relax and shower when we get back home. The hour back we listen to loud, bass heavy music and go to Starbucks, ordering what we always drink. My delicious peppermint mocha. Andrew orders a mango and peach black tea. We finish our drinks quickly and the finally drop Ashely off at her house so she can get ready for tonight and then Andrew and I hear back to my house. I take the first shower and get ready in a baggy blue sweater. I have erased the memory of where I got this sweater with Evelyn. It's just a piece of clothing, the only memories I want to have of them are the ones I wear whenever I'm around Andrew. I also wear my skinny jeans and black boots. Classic Jane. Andrew takes his shower as I'm getting ready. He comes out of the shower and gets ready in my room. He wears my favorite red shirt with the car on it that makes him look so good. He winks at me and I automatically feel tons of butterflies faint and die in my stomach. He's that cute. I walk downstairs and my parents are patiently waiting for us. They smile and ask us if we are ready. We head out the house and go pick up Ashley. She waits at her front step and when she pulls in, she meets my parents.

"Hey, Ashely! We're kidnapping you!" My mom tries to joke out of the window of the car and Ashely starts laughing. I internally scream at the thought of my mom making these kinds of jokes. Ashley comes to the door to the back of the car and gets in. I am sitting in the middle of Ashley and Andrew. We both joke and laugh on the way to apparently this new fancy restaurant that opened. I ask my dad what the restaurant is and he just smiles. My mom tells me that it will be a pleasant surprise from me and then I just slump in my chair, laughing.

We finally start taking some right turns and reach our destination. I look at the sign and automatically feel myself glow of happiness. My parents brought me to The Cheesecake Factory. I start tearing up because I haven't been here in so long.

We walk in and I remember all the fancy decoration inside. I can't wait to have cheesecake and to celebrate this victory. This is the best.

The lady seats us all and Ashely sits on my mom and dad's side of the table and I sit with Andrew on the other. We order our drinks, then our food. While we are all waiting for the food, my mother starts talking about my book and how she's been reading all the reviews and she's surprised but proud.

"I thought her book was lovely, one of my favorites for sure," Andrew said, while smiling.

I blush a deep shade of red and lean into him.

"I just want to thank Ashely and Andrew for this, for believing in me, for being there for me, and for simply being the best people anyone could ask for. People don't know what they are missing out on if they don't want to be your friend," I raise my glass and we all touch the glass with the other glasses. Our food finally arrives and we eat, happily.

The best part was ordering the cheesecake. I order the original with strawberries and when I take a bite out of it, all of the flavors spread across my mouth and I'm so in love.

"Jane, we love you," my dad said, while eating his chocolate cheesecake.

Ashley, my mom, and Andrew all agreed by nodding their heads but enjoying their mouthful of the dessert.

Andrew wraps his arm around me and I lean into him.