Where's My Happily Ever After?

Quinn’s P.O.V.
“Juliette-Jade Montague! You had better explain to me this instant why you are sprawled on the wet ground, face planted in the dirt. I’m not playing mind games, young missy!” I shrieked right in Jade’s ear, laughing as she grumbled something. “Honey, only the earthworms can hear you.”

“You’re an earthworm,” she informed me, slowly crawling to her feet. “And don’t be a smartass! You know full well that this is all your fault!” She tossed an accusing finger my way and I shrugged, giggling.

“Oh, you don’t need my help to fall over. So,” I started, hoping to change the subject before she decked me. “How are you and Jasper doing?” Her face lit up at the mention of his name, and I didn’t blame her. He was the most perfect, sexiest skinny-jean wearing boy on the face of this planet! She’d even talked him into wearing eye makeup and letting her straighten his hair every day. She had him whipped.

“He’s amazing as usual. Our year anniversary is coming up, you know?” Her face was literally glowing. I had a feeling they would be together forever. Usually her relationships lasted a few weeks, but this one was still going strong. I nodded, grinning. I was happy for her even though it hurt me to see her so happy with him, not me. But she accepted me for who I was, and I was happy she at least kept me in her life. I guess.

While she babbled on about Jasper to me, I tuned her out and thought about what would be going down tonight. Jade told me that she had planned a great big eighteenth birthday party for me. She had mentioned getting me drunk and tipsy since she had connections. I wasn’t entirely sure if she was being serious. I just knew that she promised to invite our circle of friends: Jade, myself (of course), Jasper, Andy, Emma, and Cameron. My only worry was that she would be all over Jasper, but that was unwarranted since she had often blown him off for a “girl’s night out” with me.

“...And we’ll have babies. Oh, so many babies! Four hundred babies! They’ll be Johnny, Junior, Elizabeth, Mandy, Nathaniel, Esmeralda, Carlton, Logan, Edwin, Noah—”

“I get it: it’s a lot of babies!” I laughed, knowing full well that she was joking. We both hated little kids so much and we had made promises to never become mommies. We knew that we would go insane with that infernal crying. Plus, I was sure Jade didn’t want to relive the chance of losing her kid like she’d lost Amy so long ago.

“Hello, gorgeous,” pulled me from my thoughts. I glanced over to Jade and saw Jasper attached to her ear.

“Oh, blimey!” Jade shrieked, giggling as she punned on the poor boy’s British heritage. He was still working on learning to speak like a normal teenage American since he had just moved to America two years ago.

“Ye barmy bint!” he cried, rolling his eyes as his hands fell to her hips and he kissed her quickly. “Why do you mock me at every turn? I am arse over tit in love with you, yet you constantly mock me?”

“Bob’s your uncle!” I rolled my eyes as she threw herself into a fit of giggles. “I’m sorry, I just can’t wait to be British!”

“Love, marrying me shan’t make you British,” he chided, smiling. Jade started pouting and I, finding it unpleasant to be a third wheel, left the lovebirds to go chat with Emma and Cameron. They were only friends since Cam was strictly gay, and I preferred that than to seeing Jade getting some action from a British bloke.

As soon as I walked over to see Emma with both Andy and Cam, I heard them start shrieking a birthday song to me. I laughed as Andrew pitched out a “And a happy new year! Love you, doll!”

“Oh? But I thought you loved me,” Cameron pouted, seizing Andy’s hand. He giggled and kissed Cam’s nose.

“Oh, get a room!” I begged, laughing, secretly searching the room for Jade and Jasper. Even as the bell rang, they were no where to be seen. I slung my tote bag onto my shoulder, a bit nervous. Where were they?