Where's My Happily Ever After?

Ex-Friends Till The End

"Manny?" I cried, wriggling out of Edwin's grasp as I searched desperately for Monique. I saw Nathan's door thrown carelessly open as well as Edwin's. I looked in my room first, but she wasn't there so I darted into Quinn's. "Monique?"

And sure enough, there she was standing there, this blank expression on her face. Her eyes were wide as she stared straight ahead. I ran to her side, kneeling in front of her as I held her to me.

"Honey, what's wrong? Are you alright?" I mumbled into her hair, afraid to let go of her.

"What is she doing in here?" Nathan demanded from behind me. I stood up and turned around ready to apologize, but my mouth dropped open as I saw why she had screamed.

"What were you two doing?" I shrieked, covering Manny's eyes from Nathan and Quinn's near-nakedness. They were only in towels and hastily wrapped in them.

"We were getting a shower when the twerp barged in!" Quinn screamed, glowering at Monique. Manny buried her face in my leg, trembling.

"Wait...She barged into the bathroom?" I asked, a bit skeptical as I stroked Manny's hair softly to calm her down.

"Well, we were done and kind of making out, but still!" she scoffed. "Kids have no manners!"

"She's only seven. Quinn, you need to understand that kids make mistakes. Yelling at them won't make them learn anything!" Quinn narrowed her eyes at me and I immediately felt bad for screaming at her. I kneeled down beside Monique yet again and told her to go on. She cast one last glance to Quinn before darting to Edwin's room and slamming the door behind her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell," I mumbled.

"Jade, you're too soft," Edwin told me, rolling his eyes. I ignored him, but he strode to my side and seized my waist, securing me tightly beside him.

"I thought you were my friend, Jade!" she yelled, shaking her head. "Since when do you defend some kid instead of your best friend?"

"I didn't mean—"

"Save it! I'll get out of your hair," she spat, turning away from me. I jerked myself free from Ed.

"Please! I'm sorry!" I told her, setting my hand on her shoulder. She tore herself from me and hid behind Nathan.

"I think we need to be going anyway, love," Nathaniel told me softly. "We need to go find a place. We're engaged now, you know."

"I'm so happy for you," I mumbled, trying not to cry. Quinn scoffed.

"Get her out of here, Nat," she muttered to him. I sighed and, grabbing Edwin's hand securely, walked into our room. The door to Nathan's room slammed shortly after we left.

"Mommy?" Monique mumbled, seizing my free hand with her tiny fingers. I glanced down, forcing myself to smile.

"Yes, baby?" I asked, kneeling down beside her.

"I love you." She released my hand to hug my leg tightly. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them away.

"I love you, too, Manny. Now give Daddy a hug." She saluted me with her left hand before darting over to hug Edwin. I collapsed onto the bed behind me and tried not to cry.

I'd just lost my best friend, hadn't I?