Life After You
Chapter 2 - To tell you I was wrong but you already know
Janelle smoothed out her black dress and checked that everything was in place. Rings, earrings and other jewelry added color and shine to her ensemble. Her curly hair was half up and half down with a shiny headband. She was going out to dinner with some of her girlfriends to catch up. She looked forward to it but hoped they won’t ask any questions about why she was back in New York.
Her cellphone buzzed a text message from her friend Arlene, “Come on grl Im outside! We r goin 2 have fun 2night!!!” Janelle peaked out her window and saw Arlene’s red sedan patiently waiting in front of the mailbox. She closed her clutch and walked out of her room. After saying goodbye to her parents and listening to their concerned remarks of her going out, she headed to the car.
“Oh sweetie, it is so good to have you back. You didn’t miss much; this town has been as boring as ever.” Arlene said with a sigh as she turned down the street toward the main road.
Arlene continued with much excitement, bouncing in her seat. “But you! You had quite an adventure out in Chi-Town. Going to parties, games, meeting celebs, you gotta tell me all about it. Oh my god! Are you here just to catch your breathe and make all us normal people feel jealous before you go back to your glamorous lifestyle?”
Arlene winked at Janelle and then giggled. When she noticed that Janelle was paused on what to say, she knew something was up.
“So there was trouble in paradise, I take it?” She asked concerned. Then focused on driving, letting the silence take over for a bit.
“You don’t have to tell me, I won’t ask, but if you do tell me I won’t tell any of the other girls, you know that. I’m here for you okay sweetie?” Arlene said with most sincerity.
Janelle nodded and smiled. Arlene was her closest friend since Kindergarten, she would trust her with life.
“It was fun while it lasted and I have no regrets. It just didn’t end like I thought it would,” Janelle blandly said. She looked outside her window, noticing all the familiar landmarks and houses. It felt good to be home, to be away from the drama.
“It seemed like last week you were having a blast, with the Stanley Cup and going all over Chicago with it. With your boy, Pat, and his teammates, partying it up,” Arlene continued. “Something pretty bad must have happened for all of that to be ruined. How bad was it babe?”
Janelle looked down, fumbling at the clasp on her clutch. She didn’t want to tell anyone what happened, because if she spoke of it and heard it, it made it more real and forced her to face it.
She looked down at her cellphone, no new messages and texts from Pat. She thought that odd for a bit that it would just stop that suddenly, but then she thought that he’s probably so drunk right now he already forgot about her.
Arlene didn’t want to ruin the drive to the Janelle’s favorite Sushi bar with more questions. She wanted Janelle to enjoy the night and relax. She loved her friend so much and tried to make herself angry over what Pat did to her. Arlene was the type of girl who fought for her friends; she wanted to beat the crap out of Pat.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Janelle and Arlene were sat by the hostess at a reserved table in the back. After ordering some drinks, the two young woman caught up on their lives, on topics of fashion, school, and family. Not even noticing that their food was served and eaten from all their talking and catching up.
“This was a great idea Arlene. Thank you,” Janelle grateful said hugging her friend. “The food was delicious and talking to you made me feel better”
Arlene smiled, “What are friends for,” she asked with a laugh. Then kissed her friend on the cheek and rubbed her back. “You know, no matter what happens in your life, you can always come home to people who love you.”
Janelle looked at her friend and said, “I know, that’s why I did come back, I needed to return to a place normal. With stability, where I could be myse...” Her voice broke off when she noticed from the corner of her eye a familiar.
The pause startled Arlene and as she followed her friend’s stare she saw him too. It was Patrick Kane.
Her cellphone buzzed a text message from her friend Arlene, “Come on grl Im outside! We r goin 2 have fun 2night!!!” Janelle peaked out her window and saw Arlene’s red sedan patiently waiting in front of the mailbox. She closed her clutch and walked out of her room. After saying goodbye to her parents and listening to their concerned remarks of her going out, she headed to the car.
“Oh sweetie, it is so good to have you back. You didn’t miss much; this town has been as boring as ever.” Arlene said with a sigh as she turned down the street toward the main road.
Arlene continued with much excitement, bouncing in her seat. “But you! You had quite an adventure out in Chi-Town. Going to parties, games, meeting celebs, you gotta tell me all about it. Oh my god! Are you here just to catch your breathe and make all us normal people feel jealous before you go back to your glamorous lifestyle?”
Arlene winked at Janelle and then giggled. When she noticed that Janelle was paused on what to say, she knew something was up.
“So there was trouble in paradise, I take it?” She asked concerned. Then focused on driving, letting the silence take over for a bit.
“You don’t have to tell me, I won’t ask, but if you do tell me I won’t tell any of the other girls, you know that. I’m here for you okay sweetie?” Arlene said with most sincerity.
Janelle nodded and smiled. Arlene was her closest friend since Kindergarten, she would trust her with life.
“It was fun while it lasted and I have no regrets. It just didn’t end like I thought it would,” Janelle blandly said. She looked outside her window, noticing all the familiar landmarks and houses. It felt good to be home, to be away from the drama.
“It seemed like last week you were having a blast, with the Stanley Cup and going all over Chicago with it. With your boy, Pat, and his teammates, partying it up,” Arlene continued. “Something pretty bad must have happened for all of that to be ruined. How bad was it babe?”
Janelle looked down, fumbling at the clasp on her clutch. She didn’t want to tell anyone what happened, because if she spoke of it and heard it, it made it more real and forced her to face it.
She looked down at her cellphone, no new messages and texts from Pat. She thought that odd for a bit that it would just stop that suddenly, but then she thought that he’s probably so drunk right now he already forgot about her.
Arlene didn’t want to ruin the drive to the Janelle’s favorite Sushi bar with more questions. She wanted Janelle to enjoy the night and relax. She loved her friend so much and tried to make herself angry over what Pat did to her. Arlene was the type of girl who fought for her friends; she wanted to beat the crap out of Pat.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Janelle and Arlene were sat by the hostess at a reserved table in the back. After ordering some drinks, the two young woman caught up on their lives, on topics of fashion, school, and family. Not even noticing that their food was served and eaten from all their talking and catching up.
“This was a great idea Arlene. Thank you,” Janelle grateful said hugging her friend. “The food was delicious and talking to you made me feel better”
Arlene smiled, “What are friends for,” she asked with a laugh. Then kissed her friend on the cheek and rubbed her back. “You know, no matter what happens in your life, you can always come home to people who love you.”
Janelle looked at her friend and said, “I know, that’s why I did come back, I needed to return to a place normal. With stability, where I could be myse...” Her voice broke off when she noticed from the corner of her eye a familiar.
The pause startled Arlene and as she followed her friend’s stare she saw him too. It was Patrick Kane.