In This Life (Sequel to 'In Another Life')

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"You wanna tell me what she did?" Denise asked. I shook my head. "Not really," I answered. "Can we just get back to having fun?" The look on her face told me that she wasn't satisfied with my answer, but I knew she would drop it. At least for a few days, before she tried to get it out of me again. "Of course," she replied. Sam and Kat finally made their way over to us, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen across the group. Even Tara and Jake weren't speaking. "Hey brother," Sam said, tossing Colby a White Claw. "Ugh, thank God for you," Colby exclaimed, popping the top on it. He caught my eye, just as he brought it to his mouth. I smiled at him, letting him know that I was still fine with it. I was surprised that hadn't started drinking sooner, but I hadn't really thought about it until this moment. He took a few heavy swallows from the can, and then rested it next to him on the stone bench. "So, how was your trip? Where'd you guys end up going?" he asked Sam. He let me go, and leaned forwards, resting his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped in front of him. "We didn't go far. A few hours away, to this cute little town. We rode horses, went parasailing, found a small waterfall inside of a cave that we explored," Sam shrugged. "Just had a relaxing weekend." "What? You went exploring without me? Brotheeeerr, that's fucked up," Colby said, grinning. "I promise to take you exploring next weekend sweetie," Sam said, making a kissy face at him. I laughed, feeling a little bit more normal than I had moments before. My stomach was still twisting in on itself, but I was doing my best to block what had just happened from my mind. "You okay?" Denise asked me, quietly. I nodded, and swallowed hard, determined not to let Amber ruin this night, like she had ruined so many other things. I nodded at her, and tried to smile. "Hey you guys ready to get this party started??" Corey said, walking up to us. "Sure thing brother," Sam said, standing up, with Colby right behind him. "Great," Corey replied, rubbing his hands together. "Help me bring these balloons over. We're just going to bring both pool over to this grassy area. That'll be where we start." I wasn't sure if I could play or not, but I wanted too. I wanted to just forget everything. I eyed Colby's White Claw that he had left sitting on the stone bench, thinking about how nice it would be if I could just get shit faced and forget it all. "What are we doing?" Kenzie asked, leaning into Kevin. "We're gonna have a water balloon fight," Elias answered. He was sitting next to Denise, her hand in his. "Niiice," Sarah said, a grin crossing her face. She had always been competitive. We started ragging on each other, saying how we were going to win, and demolish everyone else. Well, they did. I just kind of sat there and listened to it. I wasn't sure I could even join, much less actually win. My phone vibrated from where I had set it on the bench, so I picked it up to check it. Everyone I spoke too was here, and I no longer had a job so I had no clue who it could be. "Oh for fuck's sake," I sighed. It was Amber. "T, I know you hate me, and you have every right too, but I really would be grateful if you would just listen to what I had to say." "Let me see that," Denise said, snatching my phone out of my hand. When she read the text, I could see how angry it made her. "What the fuck did she do Terra?" she asked, anger coating her voice as she looked at me. I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. She fucked up one too many times. Just give me my phone. I'm not going to answer her." She looked like she wanted to answer her for me, but she begrudgingly handed me my phone back. I turned it off, and set it back down on the bench. "Hey, we need some help over here!" Sam yelled out to the crowd. A few of the other guys went to help carry the pools, including Brennen, Jake, Elias, and Kevin. I saw Aryia and Reggie head that way as well. "Literally everyone is here," I said, looking through the throng of people that was crowding the backyard. We watched the guys carry the pools full of balloons over to where Corey wanted them. "Alright, everyone who's playing come over here," he yelled, motioning with his hands. We all got up and walked over, followed by some of the crowd. "Okay, how many are interested in being team captain?" Sam, Colby, Denise, Sarah, and a few other people raised their hands. "Okay, step up and pick a piece of paper from Sam's hat. Whoever gets-" "Where the hell did you get my hat from?" Sam exclaimed. Corey shrugged. "From your room where you left it, of course." He looked back out to the crowd. "As I was saying, whoever picks the correct numbers from the hat will be captains. Then they get to choose teams. Terra, pick two numbers between one and ten." He looked at me expectantly. "Um, two and seven, I guess," I replied. "Okay, step up and know your fate." Devyn rolled her eyes at his dramatism and smiled. Everyone that was interested drew a slip of paper from Sam's hat, then stepped back. "Okay, who has the numbers two and seven?" he asked. Sam and Denise raised their hands. "Damn it," Sarah pouted. "You'll always be my captain," Brennen said, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her back against him. She giggled. "I guess that'll work," she said. Sam and Denise took turns picking people for their teams, until no one was left. Colby and I ended up on opposite sides, him on Sam's team, me on Denise's.