Back to the Place We Knew Before

I sat at home, I had two hours before I had to go back to the grocery store from hell. I wasn’t doing anything other than watching TV and eating watermelon that was ridiculously expensive since it was December.

I could hardly wait for Rian to get him. I missed him more than I ever knew was possible. I wanted to hug him, I wanted to kiss him. I wanted him to tell me I was beautiful and to tell me he loved me. I was dying to have his attention.

The door bell rang and I groaned in annoyance, I struggled to get off the couch with my huge stomach. After a good minute spent on freeing myself from the cushions I walked to the door.

I couldn’t help but scream. “Oh my God! I’ve missed you so much! You have no idea!” I hugged Braelyn tightly. I couldn’t be sure if it was because I was a cow now that Braelyn felt much thinner or if she had actually lost a lot of weight.

“Oh my God! Mikayla! Look at you! You look so fucking cute!” Braelyn squealed and hugged me again.

I can’t lie. Braelyn actually managed to make me feel good about the condition of my body.

“So where is this Finn boy?” I asked, peeking behind her only to find the door.

“He’s coming in down in two weeks, he couldn’t get a whole month off from work.”

“Right. So…you’re staying here tonight, right?” I asked. I was blown away by how much I actually did miss Braelyn and all of her annoying habits.

“Umm…”

“Come one, Brae! I haven’t seen you in months! Besides, what are the chances that your mom and dad will even come home tonight? Stay here.”

“Alright.” She smiled and hugged me again. “So, what are you gonna name this guy?” Braelyn asked, poking my belly.

I instinctively smacked her hand away. “I don’t really know yet, I can’t find anything I like enough. What if I have him and I don’t know what to name him?”

“Don’t worry, you’ll think of something.” Braelyn reassured me, and took a seat on the couch.

“Oh that reminds me, I’m calling off. We need to catch up.”

“Dude, we talked just about everyday…how much catching up could we possibly need?”

“We’ll watch Monsters Inc.” I bribed her.

“I’m sold. Call off.”

- - -

Braelyn and I were cramped on the couch under a pile of blankets. We were surrounded by just about every junk food I could think of. The credits to Monsters Inc. rolled up the screen, neither of us made a move to turn it off. We just sat in the dark and talked.

“So, do you think it’s going to be awkward?”

“What?” Braelyn asked, genuinely confused.

“Well, you are bringing Finn to the Christmas party. Aren’t you?” I asked, referring to the enormous Christmas party that I have every year on the weekend my parents are off visiting my crazy old aunt.

“Yeah.”

“Zack’s going be there, won’t it be weird to like…”

“To like what?”

“Just to be in the same room with him while you’re with another guy?” I asked, fully aware of how heartbroken Zack would be. He only knew as much as any of the guys, Reagan, or I told him. None of us really knew how to tell him that Braelyn wasn’t exactly waiting for him to take her back. This, by the way, was exactly what he was planning on doing as soon as he got home a few weeks from then; to get her back.

“He broke up with me. He wanted this.” Brae glared at the TV before changing the subject. “How’s Jack?”

“Jack is…not too good.” I said blandly. Braelyn nodded her head, knowing exactly what I meant.

“Poor Jack.” She pouted.

Once again, everything is always about Jack and his problems.