Sandcastles

They told me he was okay. Erin and Christine had both stopped in to tell me that Jonny was okay. The doctor’s had put his jaw back into place, but he wasn’t allowed to move it too much for a few days. In a way, that made me happy; knowing that he couldn’t go around sucking face with the blonde bimbo that started all of this shit. However, a much larger part of me felt horrible. He didn’t deserve to have his jaw dislocated. He didn’t deserve to be in that much pain, even if I was this angry with him.

After Kaner took it upon him self to deck his best friend, I had retreated to my own room, where I curled up into the bed that was supposed to be Sara’s, and slept. I partially slept because I didn’t know what else to do. I also slept because I hoped when I woke up, this would all be some terrible dream, and that I would wake up to that familiar, strong arm around me and those perfect brown eyes staring back into mine.

When I woke up alone, it was enough to make me cry.

I heard people come and leave, some of them speaking to me, other just sitting down and rubbing my back. Erin and Christine told me the news of Jonny, while Sara chose to ignore the topic completely and just sit with me for a while. Lying in bed staring at the pulled curtains gave me plenty of time to think, and it also helped me come to a realization.

It wasn’t just Jonny. This whole situation with him wasn’t the reason I was this broken. It was everything. It was finding out that the man I had every intention of marrying and starting a family with had cheated on me after years of being faithful. I never grieved the loss of David, and jumped straight into Tazer’s arms when given the chance just to have him cheat on me as well.

I never gave myself the time to heal, which was my first and biggest mistake. Sitting up in bed, for what felt like the first time in days, I took in a deep breath. I was no where close to over this. It was going to take time for me to find a way over this, I knew that, but I wasn’t about to let it ruin my vacation.

As I thought all of this over, I heard the door open behind me. I didn’t need to turn my head to know that it was Sara. The smell of coffee hit my noise, causing me to turn my head in her direction and flash a weak smile.

“Good, you’re up!” She seemed much happier than normal. “I didn’t think you’d ever leave that fetal position…other to, you know, pee or something.”

I laughed a bit to myself before taking her coffee from her. “Well at least I had enough sense to do that. I don’t really remember much.”

“Of course you don’t. You were pretty crushed. Patrick had to carry you back here from the hallway after he punched Jonathan.” Sara took a seat next to me, pulling a blanket over her bare legs.

“I was that bad?”

“Worse.” Sara explained. Her tales of what happened after the hallway were enough to send me back over the edge. It was officially two days later, meaning we only had two days left in our little Bahamas escape. It also meant that Sara’s wedding was tomorrow.

…TOMORROW?!

“You’re wedding!?!”

Sara shook her head. “It’s all taken care of. We all knew this was a pretty hard blow, so we pitched in. Sure, it won’t have that hint of Bailey OCD, but we think we did a pretty good job.”

Slumping down slightly in the bed, I took a big gulp of coffee, wishing more than anything that it had been spiked with Kaluah. Then again, with a pregnant best friend, that wasn’t going to happen.

“I’m really sorry,” I muttered, resting my head against her shoulder. I felt her hand run through my hair.

“Don’t be. This is all shit, and I’m sorry you’re in the middle of it.”

I sighed. “I think I’m ready to go back home.”

-x-

Staying in bed any longer wasn’t an option. After my touching moment with Sara, she turned back into her vicious self, shoving me from bed, forcing me into the shower, and dolling me up for whatever the day held. In a way, I was terrified. Leaving the safety of my hotel room meant that I could run into Jonathan or Amber at any moment, and that terrified me.

Of course, Sara didn’t care. She would protect me from whatever evil might cross my path. She also reassured me that Patrick would do the same.

“Why did he just haul off and punch Jonny by the way?” I questioned as we made out way towards the beach. With only two days left, I wanted to get in a bit of time on the beach before we had to fly home. That and we needed to stake out where Sara would be saying her vows.

“Because,” Sara said, adjusting her towel as we both sat ourselves down under the warm sun, “You’re my best friend. And he’s going to protect the people I love.”

I sifted the white sand through my fingers as she spoke. “He didn’t have to… hit him, I mean.”

Sara sighed and lay back onto her towel. “He also didn’t have to marry me, or get me pregnant, or agree to this silly wedding, but he did. You might have a hard time believing it, but Patrick is a pretty decent guy.”

I didn’t have a hard time believing it. I knew it was true. I hadn’t spoken much to the man who was now my best friend’s husband, and yet he still defended me when I couldn’t have done so myself. My eyes watched as the sand slowly fell back to the earth as I let it slide through my fingers.

Of course, I wasn’t allowed to stay in my daze for long before I got hit in the back of the head by a Frisbee. “Ouch…” I muttered, rubbing my head before picking it up and turning around.

“I’m sorry.”

The words were cold and heartless, much like the girl speaking them. I had a feeling Amber had missed the Frisbee on purpose, just to watch it sail into my head. Even though I saw her, Jonny didn’t seem to be anywhere in sight. In a way, I was okay with this, but I would have much rather seen him than her. She was good at trying to keep up appearances, I’d give her that, but I’m sure that was the only thing she was good at.

“Fuck off.”

The words spilled from my lips as I threw her precious Frisbee into the ocean before me.