Fate is a Funny Thing

Is That An Engagement Ring?

I clamp my hands over my ears, to protect myself from going deaf when Hazel squeals as I tell the girls about Rafael and me. Their reaction is even more enthusiastic than mine. Zahlee smirks and Hazels grabs my arm a little too tightly, jumping up and down and screaming. Aware that the boys are downstairs talking, and that they have ears, I command the girls to keep their voices down.

"Don't you shush me! This is huge!" Zahlee hisses, excitement clear in her eyes.

"I know, it's your first relationship," Hazel squeals again, "it's just so cute!"

"You're making me regret telling you," I face-palm feeling incredibly shy. "And for the love of God, please keep your voices down, they're going to hear us."

"Are you kidding me?" Hazel smirks, "we're going to shout it from the rooftops!"

"Girls please," I plead. "I don't even know if he wants anyone to know yet."

"Who cares?" Zahlee shrugs, "it's not just his relationship, it's yours and you have the right to tell anyone you want to tell. Most definitely us."

"You don't just have the right to tell us, you have an obligation," Hazel says, gripping my arm and shaking me around again. "A moral code, a duty, a promise to the sisterhoo..."

"Yes, H, I understand," I roll my eyes, clamping my hand over her mouth. "Now do me a favour?" I ask and she nods expectantly, "SHUSH!"

"Okay," she drawls finally lowering her voice, "but you have to tell us everything, like from the second you left yesterday until the second you got back!"

"But before that, I just need to say something," Zahlee interrupts. "I would like to know, Miss Hope Lynn, where that explosion yesterday came from? It was the most badass thing I've ever seen you do."

Hazel's eyes go wide as she recalls my rant at Thalia's new husband. Mentally groaning, I sigh because I hoped they'd forgotten about that. It only happened a few hours ago so I don't know what I expected. Not knowing how to answer I try to subtly change the subject instead.

"You think that was badass?" I say, "you should have seen me that night we broke into Joe's apartment. That was another me entirely."

"I bet you were dying on the inside," Zahlee teases.

"Yep," I reply popping the 'p', "slowly and painfully. But I still did it and I didn't outwardly lose my shit, so that's something."

"I'm so proud of our little girl Z, aren't you?" Hazel whispers, wiping away a fake tear.

"They grow up so fast," Zahlee mimics her, making me lob them both with my pillow. "Oh, so now you're a lover and a fighter. H, can you believe this girl?"

"Hold your horses there," I exclaim quickly, "no-one said anything about love."
They look at each other with unbelieving expressions. Hazel mutters something about me being too shy to admit it, so I throw a pillow at her. She ducks her head so I miss her and get Zahlee instead. Glaring at me in amusement, she yells pillow fight, and the three of us start pelting each other with the pillows.

A knock on the door, makes us pull apart as the boys ask us what we're doing. We stare at each others faces and then burst out laughing.

"What are you doing up here?" Asher asks, flinging the door open.

"Hey!" I complain, as the girls get to their feet, "you can't just barge in here, what if I wasn't dressed?"

"Then I would have gotten lucky," he winks with a smirk. Rafael is stood close behind him, looking very irritated as I try to suppress the heat rising in my cheeks. Zahlee notices the same thing and she snickers quietly.