Waiting on You

Chapter 18

One year ago.

I had been pulled in too far. He had made me fall for him, when all I wanted was to still have the option to back out. But now, I had gone too far.

We saw almost every day after school, and on the weekends, we just saw it as more time to spend together. He seemed so perfect, almost fictional, and I had yet to find a flaw in him.

Christmas was approaching faster and faster each day, making excitement build up inside of me like a little kid. Christmas season was my favorite, and would remain that way as long as Jacob was with me.

"Your not gonna ditch us for Jacob, are you?" Juliette asks bitterly on the way out of her front door. We were wrapped tightly in scarves and sweaters, but I still felt the frozen air seeping into my skin. "Cuz if you are-"

"I'm not," I tell her sternly, adjusting my gloves on my fingers.

Her eyes widen. "Really? That's a pleasant surprise. But still, are you one of them now?"

I stare at her in confusion. "One of who?"

A disgusted look germinates across her face. "One of them. The popular kids. The pretties. The superhuman models. The clones."

I look down at my boots, which are already damp from snow flying through the doorframe. "No, I'm not. I told Jacob that I didn't want to be a part of that."

It was only partly the truth. I didn't want to be a part of the popular group, but I hadn't told Jacob that either. I assumed that he had gotten the message, but it still kind of hurt to not even know my boyfriends friends. The thought only crossed my mind a few times, but it would have been nice to at least ask me. After all, I still was a teenage girl.

My friend does not look convinced. "Okay, whatever you say," she mumbles, walking down the path that led to the sidewalk in front of her house. "So why isn't Pretty- boy coming tonight? It's not like you to not invite him."

I roll my eyes. "We do stuff together all the time. Besides, he had family over."

She scoffs, making my face go red from both frustration and embarrassment.

"I didn't think you would be one of those clingy girlfriends, Ror," she says, walking a couple feet in front of me. "Your usually laid back and cool. But, then again, a relationship can change a person without them even knowing."

I pause, my brows furrowing. "Why are you being so terrible?"

She stops walking and whips around, staring me straight in the eyes. Her intensity makes me take a step back. "Juliette..."

"Why am I being so terrible? Maybe you should just take a moment to stop and think about what has been going on the past few weeks," her cheeks are as pale as the snow, but her eyes are as bright and fiery as the sun on a hot day. "But, wait! I forgot, you haven't been here to realize what is going on, have you?"

I gulp, searching for words to say back, unsure if I was angry or apologetic. "I... I," I start but she cuts me off with a firm motion of her hand.

"Look, Rory," she begins, taking a step closer to me, her voice softening slightly. "I know you like this guy, but you shouldn't put all of your effort into one person. You have two people who love you more than anyone in the world."

"My parents?" I ask, and I am rewarded with a small smile. I knew that one would work.

"Of course your parents," Jules establishes lightheartedly. But her somber look appears once again. "But I mean me and Tucker."

Tucker. Where was Tucker in all of this? Did he and Juliette talk about this a lot. For some reason the thought makes me sick to my stomach. Something was not right about this situation.