The Beach House

The Beach House part 3

(...)

I was awoken in the early hours of the morning after Mandys' party by a loud ringing noise coming from my bedside table. I turned over and scrambled for the source of noise, mumbling a muffled hello to the caller  "Jasmine! where the hell are you? and why did you not tell me about yours and Nates' little love story by the beach? Do you not remember who your best friend is?.... answer me dammit" I winced as I heard the angry voice of Rick shouting into my ear

 "Come on then! or do you have nothing to say for yourself?"

  "Rick... Rick stop!" I finally shouted as he kept rambling about commitments and friendship breathing heavily with his frustration.

"Now as I was aware, I am more than able to make decisions for myself about who I can and cannot date thank you very much" I announced surprised at the edge in my voice

 "Now if you will please leave the issue and go to bed Rick, it's 2 am" I said softly feeling bad for shouting back at him. 

"Yeah fine, go ahead and spend the summer with your romeo, because as far as I'm concerned me and you wont be" he ended hanging up the phone. I growled angrily slamming down my phone. Why did he care so much? Him and Nate were friends, he was supposed to be happy for me, not shouting down the phone. I rolled over hitting my pillow and attempted to fall asleep, but as far as I was concerned the call had angered me and I was now to be kept awake the whole night. I pulled myself out of bed, opening my curtains to stare at the window opposite mine, Nate's window. I sighed and and looked at the gardens surrounding my house, noticing a strange figure leaning back in a lawn chair. My mother. I walked downstairs opening the sliding door to my mothers shock

 "Oh darling, I didn't realize you were awake, Come and take a seat" she said taking her feet off of the lawn chair opposite hers and bringing it next to her  

 "Thanks...so how come you're home?" I asked " Where you not supposed to be home only on monday?"

she sighed and took another sip of her wine

 "Well that was the plan, but I got a message from your father...,who seems to be engaged" she said taking a lon sip of her wine before continuing.

 "And i decided that I shouldn't be working so hard, when I could be at home spending time with you". I smiled and looked down at my feet

"You don't have to worry about me" I said meeting her gaze, I mean your work is really important, I'll be more than ok, really" I said smiling at her,

 "That's all and well darling, but I think it's about time I made myself happy" she poured herself some more wine and looked over at the Falcons' house, 

 "So how did you and Nate get along then?" she asked still staring over at the house,

"Good... really good actually, we're a couple now", I announced feeling the smile return to my lips

 "That's great hon, You two seem really good together, Just make sure you don't get hurt ok" she said now turning back to me. What could she mean I asked myself, Nate wouldn't hurt me, and anyone who knew him would say the exact same thing.

 "I'll make sure mom" I said scraping back my chair, going to walk back inside

 "I'm off to bed mom, love you" I said over my shoulder "You too honey" she said with a wave of her hand, returning her attention to Nate's house. She was out of it. Had to be, she never walked out of work to come home, and she was going on about Nate. something must be going on here i said to myself as I climbed back into bed. 

(...)

Mom was on leave for about a month. She explained that her boss had sent her home after one day at the conference declaring that she was working too hard and she needed to take a break. It was odd having her around, nice, but odd. She was constantly making breakfast, blasting the radio and trying to catch up with me whenever we crossed paths in the house. I locked myself in my room after she was trying to talk about boys and the dangers that they posses. I had had enough, and decided to invite Jamie over, she would make a joke out of the whole situation, and make me feel better.I called Jamie who stated shrilly that she would be right over with face masks and nail polish in tow, I laughed and hung up the phone realizing that a girly night would be just what I needed to de stress about Rick and my mom who was currently singing one of her old songs both very loudly, and very out of tune. Oh god Jamie, hurry up I thought.

(...)

I heard the front door open as Jamie arrived and the sound of my mom greeting her. It took about half an hour before I finally heard her coming up the stairs to my room

 "Jas! open up, my hands are full!" she shouted through the door. I laughed as she struggled with all the beauty boxes and bags she was carrying

 "God, what is with your mom? I just got a full lecture about the importance of self grooming" I laughed as she fell onto my bed in exhaustion

 "Don't ask. ever since she's been home, she's become care free like the old days, except this time, it's slightly scary" I said falling on the bed next to my friend.

 "Well all your problems will be dissolved within minutes because I have brought along my mothers newest line of facial masks, nail polishes, hand creams and soothing candles. (Jamie's mother was the head of Chillax, a brand that was popular among women everywhere) "Great!" I shouted springing off of  my bed to dig into the new products

 "Nuh Uh" said Jamie closing the box before I had a chance to look at them

 "You need to go and lie down on the chaise, and I will be over in a minute with a soothing face mask" I trudged over to my chaise lounge, sticking out my bottom lip.

 "Oh come one, You're supposed to de stress, and anyway I brought over two of everything so you can have one of each product" this made me happy and I suddenly relaxed as Jamie walked over, promptly spreading on the thick layer of '2Bminty' face mask I had heard so much about. 

 "So come on, spill the beans, what's eating you" Jamie asked as she carefully applied the face mask.

 "Where to start really?... Rick hasn't spoken to me since Mandy's party, and I think you know exactly what I'm talking about with my mother" I replied. Jamie paused and let out a long sigh finally replying,

 "Ok well first of all have you ever thought that maybe Rick liked you more than a friend?" I sat up quickly and looked at her seriously

 "Jamie please don't be so ridiculous. If he felt that way, he had all the time to tell me" She pushed me back down onto the chaise and continued to apply the mask.

 "Well that may be true, But he could have been nervous to, I mean he knew how you felt about Nate, he probably thought that there was never a chance". the more Jamie said the more it made sense, but I mean, it couldn't be. Rick wouldn't have been so horrible over the phone with me if it was, and he had so many opportunities even before Nate was around.