After All

Chapter One

Brianne| Jazzy

I cried a lot that day. The day I knew he left. Hope was nothing but a word that had no meaning.

The loss changed me. Day and night I was a sulking, whiny girl. Trying not to think of him, I saw him in my dreams.

He gave me a warm smile, with his pearly whites showing. I cried at his feet telling him all the things that happened. Why had he changed? From best friends to girlfriend and boyfriend to nothing at all.

He suddenly frowned and pushed me away. Walking away, he never looked back at me. Suddenly, I woke up and mentally cursed myself for dreaming about him.

I checked the time on my phone on the bedside table. I squinted when the screen light hit my face.

3:05 am

I groaned. I could never sleep again if I woke up so, I decided to revise for the exam tomorrow.

Math. A subject I totally and superbly despise. I mean what's the point of learning the wonders of algebra if in business you just add, subtract, multiply, and divide. And you have a calculator to do that for you. I mean, what's the point of those advances in technology if you don't use them?

I tried like super hard on my last quiz. Studied all night. Never slept. And guess what I got, 85.

I reread my notes and answered a few questions on a test paper that was previously my sister's.

Katherine Gregory. The eldest. The star child. Good grades. Athletic. Well-liked. Accepted into Harvard. The child my parents wished me to be.

Me. Plain old Brianne Gregory. The middle child. Average grades and average skills. I can't draw to save my life.

A chime came from my phone and I looked to see that my best friend, Jazzy had texted me.

Gurll, can you pick me up now?

I slapped my forehead. I forgot that I had to pick her up from a party. She didn't have a car of her own and told her parents that she would be sleeping over at my house.

Hang on just a sec

I threw on some clothes. Sweatpants and a t-shirt that wrote: I'm hungry. Feed me.

I got a random pair of shoes from the closet and slipped them on. So to not wake up my little sister, I jumped to the tree placed conveniently outside my window and climbed down the tree and hopped into my Audi that was parked on the driveway.

I suddenly remembered that I forgot my keys. I was about to go to my bedroom but I first patted my pockets.

Thank God!

The keys were in my pocket and I started the car and drove to the party where Jazzy was.

Melissa Brown's parties were the normal booze filled get togethers. Horny teenagers were everywhere. Random strangers would offer you drinks that you wouldn't know what its made up of. And couples would be everywhere, shoving their tongues down each other's throats.

I was invited but I passed. Normally I wouldn't skip a party but ever since he left, I wasn't in the mood for it.

I got out of the car and went in the party to search for Jazzy.

Normally, she would be really intoxicated by now. Just like me. We liked to drink away the troubles in our lives.

Many people raised the hands as a form of saying hi.

I suddenly heard someone shout my best friend's full name.

"Jazzinella Johnson. What did you say about my dress?"

That very annoying voice that thought she owned the school just because her mother was the former principal. Lillian Jenkins.

A crowd formed around them and I had to push through it to get to the center.

Jazzy looked mad. Her full name was never used. Do not address her like that. She is usually a very patient person with a lovable attitude and was never angry. She could put up with the most irritating people and not get pissed off.

But now you could practically feel the anger coming in waves from her. Her face was contorted into a mask of fury. Cartoon smoke was practically coming out of her ears. Most people backed away. Including me. Everyone had the right to be scared. The last time someone called her that she almost scratched that person's eyeballs out. Her spirit animal was a cat, go figure.

She said in a calm voice that she definitely was trying to control,"Do you want me to repeat that? That dress is the most horrific thing I have seen on a person. With all that skin showing you could practically just save money and come here naked. If you want boys to like you for who you are, then show some respect for yourself and cover that horrendous thing up. It's a thing that I would never wear in a million years. Even if you give me a million dollars for it."

"Why," Lillian said,"that must be sad. Your fashion sense limits you to jeans and T-shirts. That must be what your family can afford now."

She had struck a nerve. I could see it plainly on Jazzy's face. Her dad died and he was the one who supported their family. A great and well-respected surgeon, Jonathan Johnson was the epitome of an awesome dad. He played catch with his son, James. He was always home for meals. He never missed an important day in one of his childrens' lives. You know, the usual dad stuff.

Unlike my dad. Always working for the business. Almost never came home. Missed me and my sister's birthdays.

I was so distracted that I didn't notice the part that Jazzy jumped on Lillian and started pummeling her stupid face with her fists.

I ran to my best friend and started pulling her back to my car.

She screamed,"Next time I'll see you you'll die!"

Lillian got up holding her nose which was such a hilarious sight that I laughed on the spot.

Her eyes narrowed on me. "And you," she spat at me,"tell your friend to keep her filthy hands off me."

I answered thoughtfully,"You know that I'm the only one who's restraining her right now. I could let her go and she could murder you right here, right now."

Her eyes widened and she stammered,"Get her out of here."

"I didn't hear the magic word."

"Get out!"

"Hey Jazz," I said,"You still wanna punch Lillian?"

Jazzy let out a grunt.

"Okay, okay please?" She finally said.

I nodded at her and said threateningly,"If you ever touch her again, I'll make sure you'll never do anything again. Have a grave prepared."

I, holding Jazzy, walked out of the house and went into the car.

I drove home with a sleeping Jazzy. The silence was comfortable with little snores from Jazzy.

When we stopped at my house, I poked Jazzy.

She budged but didn't wake. So I said,"Jazzy, Jazzy, wake up."

She snorted but still didn't wake up.

I screamed into her ear,"Jazzy, Voldemort's back from the dead."

Jazzy suddenly opened her eyes and shouted,"Don't worry, Jazzy's here, and she's going to kick his butt."

I looked at her and we both started laughing hysterically.

We got out of the car and climbed up the tree to my bedroom where we changed into our pjs- Jazzy sleeps over like always so this is like her house and she had clothes here- and went to share my bed.

"Good night, Bree," she mumbled.

"Good night, Jazz," I told her.