And when I hit the highway, I finally break down, succumbing to the first sob that rips through me.
“WELL, LAST SEMESTER, I said if we ever needed each other that we had to promise to meet up right back here,” I say, patting Skyler’s bed. “Looks like we kept our promise.”
Jess snorts. “Yeah. Except I think we all should have been piled together in this thing many other times before now.” Jess, Erin, and Ashlei are leaned up against the headboard, while Skyler is sprawled out in the middle on her back. I’m at the foot of the bed, legs swinging off the edge.
“True,” I agree. “But life gets in the way.”
“I hate that,” Erin says, her little mouth pulling to the side. “I mean, I get how it happens… law school, work, class, boys.”
We all groan at that one.
“But I don’t want us to ever pull too far away from each other.”
“I don’t either,” Ashlei says. “I think in addition to our promise to meet here when things are a mess, we should also make a promise to meet up at least once a month for a girls’ day. Beach, pool, night out on the town, or PJ party, I don’t care.”
“Deal,” Jess says instantly. She nudges Skyler. “Hey, you alive over there?”
Skyler grunts in lieu of an answer, and the rest of us share concerned glances. It seems at the end of every semester, we all find ourselves in different stages of life. Where one of us might be flying high, another has just hit a new low, and this semester is no different.
I sigh, lying myself down over my Big and cuddling her. “It’s going to be alright. Kip loves you. You love him. That’s all that matters.”
“I’m glad you’re confident in that, because right now, I’m not sure of anything.” Skyler rolls onto her side. “I’m so mad at him. I haven’t been this mad at him since I found his laptop with that file of stuff his dad had gathered on me.” She shakes her head. “I was blindsided then, and hurt. But this? This is another level.”
“He’s been caught up in the show, babe,” Ashlei says. “He messed up. But he’ll make it right.”
Skyler swallows. “What if he can’t?”
“You’re just upset,” Erin assures her. “Trust me, when the dust settles, it’ll all straighten itself out.”
Skyler nods, falling quiet again, and I know she’s tired of talking about it — especially with everything still fresh and up in the air. So, I pat her butt and turn the conversation to Jess. “What about you? What are you going to do about this little family affair you’ve found yourself in?”
She huffs, reaching over for the fruit snacks on Skyler’s bedside table. She pops three in her mouth before she answers. “I have no fucking idea. If I thought Jarrett showing up last semester was a shock, it’s nothing compared to him beating down my door and confessing that he still loves me.”
“What about Kade?” Ashlei asks.
“He’s pissed,” Jess says. “Reasonably so. But… I think more than anything, he’s scared. He knows Jarrett and I have a history. And now that he’s the new president of Alpha Sigma, he also knows he’s going to be busy. I think a part of him worries he’s already lost the fight.”
“Or maybe he doesn’t think he should have to fight at all,” Skyler pipes up.
“True.” Jess sighs. “I don’t know, guys. This might be the most selfish thing I have ever admitted, but… I love them both.”
“But you can’t have them both,” I remind her.
“I know.” She shakes her head, popping another fruit snack in her mouth. “No matter what I decide, I’m going to hurt one of them. And I’m going to hurt myself in the process, too.”
“What are you going to do now?” Erin asks.
“Cry,” Jess answers on a laugh. “I told both of them I wanted to take the summer to be alone. I just started this job and I need to focus on that, especially with so many weddings coming up. My career means a lot to me, and I don’t want to fuck it up because I’m caught up in a love triangle.” She swallows. “Besides, maybe some room to clear my head and think is what I need.”
“Think you’ll have some sort of epiphany?” I ask.
“Or mental breakdown, both of which would be helpful, I think.”
We all share sympathetic smiles before Ashlei reaches over and pats her leg. “I think it will work out. And for the record, I’m Team Whoever-Makes-Jess-Happiest.”
“Me, too,” Erin says. “And Lei, I’m really happy for you and Brandon. I’m so glad the breakup didn’t last.”
“God, so am I,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m not sure how either of us survived. But I will admit, it was kind of thrilling to do the whole cat and mouse thing again.”