“Same.” Sloane groaned. “I don’t know why I didn’t think to bring a change of clothes.” She smirked and jutted her hip into mine. “At least we look good.”
I eyed her wearing Cade’s leather jacket, and she eyed me wearing Carter’s hoodie. We exchanged a silent look of a thousand words. “Later.” I quietly mouthed with a smirk, and she nodded in agreement.
Soft folk music played from the snack bar speakers, and the cackling sound of the city’s scariest and most debauched haunted house echoed in the distance.
Everything was fine. I had just gotten a little spooked in the dark, that was all.
And yet, I could tell Carter was still tense, anxious almost. It was making me feel anxious, but I didn’t know exactly why.
“Where’s everybody else?” I asked, letting the curling steam from my paper cup bathe my face in wet warmth.
“You guys were taking forever. So, Liam and Carter went back in to look for you.” Sloane pulled Cade’s jacket tighter around her shoulders. “Jules and Doug must have gotten really turned around.”
I shoved my nose under the collar of Carter’s hoodie and blew into it. Next to me in a tight, black t-shirt that he looked far toogood in, Carter’s skin pebbled in the brisk air. “Do you want your hoodie back?” I asked, feeling a little guilty.
I could feel Sloane’s gaze shift to us as Carter wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest, murmuring softly. “Naw, I’ll be fine. I’ve got a cute little hot pocket to keep me warm.” I rolled my lips over my teeth, hiding a grin, and Sloane wiggled her brows at me before she made herself busy talking with Cade.
A few freezing cold minutes later, Liam appeared, prompting Carter and I to quickly step away from each other. Liam looked pissed, and I panicked for a split second thinking he’d seen us, but when Jules came into view a second later, I realized something was wrong. Liam ushered Jules towards us, with a protective hand on her back, while Douglass stalked off towards the bathrooms, mud splattered up the back of his suit. When Jules got closer, I could see her eyes were puffy and swollen, like she’d been cryinghard.
“Here, Jules.” I handed her a fresh cup of hot cider, and then Sloane and I crowded around her, rubbing her arms to warm her up. “What’s the matter?” I asked gently as Jules tried to hide her sniffling.
She stared down at the hot drink, blinking rapidly. Her lips parted, but then she just shook her head, unable to get the words out.
“Jules.” I asked softly. “Are you okay?”
Her lower lip trembled, and the word was a push of air. “No.”
“What happened?” Sloane asked as we shared a look.
“We just got in a fight, that’s all.” Jules voice broke. “I really don’t want to talk about it right now.”
“Are you up for the haunted house?” I asked. “We can totally skip it if you want.”
“Uh, yeah, sure.” Jules said, clearing her throat. “No, yeah, let’s do it.”
I looked at Carter, and he nodded icily towards Douglass, who was walking straight past the bathrooms and towards theparking lot. Doug didn’t so much as look back as he disappeared between the cars.Still wearing his jacket.
Jules caught our glances and followed our gaze, her lower lip trembling fiercely as she tried with all her might to keep it together. “I’m going to need a ride home.” She whispered emptily.
“I can take you home. You’re on the way.” Liam offered sympathetically, even though she wasn’t even remotely on the way home.
Jules just stared blankly towards the parking lot, and a tear slipped down her cheek. My heart caved in, and I handed Carter her drink before I wrapped my arms tightly around my friend and just held her. I felt Sloane’s arms pile in over the top of mine as we sandwiched Jules. Her shoulders shook, and the smallest noise squeaked out of her as she held back a sob.Damn it.
We all shot each other silent looks while Sloane and I held her like that for several minutes, until Jules finally pulled back, wiping her eyes.
Liam cleared his throat. “Jules, I can really take you home now, if you want.” When she didn’t respond, Liam reached out and touched her arm gently. “I was actually getting kind of tired anyway. You’d just be giving me an excuse to ditch.” He tried lightly. “You ready to go home? Call it a night?”
There was a long pause, and she wiped her nose with the back of her hand before straightening. “I don’t want to go home and be all alone.” She said quietly but firmly.
Liam nodded, his lips parting as he searched for the right words. But what could any of us say that would truly help? Nothing. We could just be there for her, like she’d been there for all of us when we needed it.
“You should sleep at the house tonight.” I casually offered. “I was actually thinking we could do a girls night. I know I should have planned better, but I was thinking we could do breakfast in the morning?” I looked at Liam, who nodded in agreement.
“Oh, please say yes,” Sloane chimed in. “I miss you guys so much.”
Jules nodded and then shook her head in a circle as we watched her silently change her mind multiple times over. “Yeah.” She sniffled, her mind clearly somewhere else. “Okay.”
Without another word, as if knowing we’d try to talk her out of it, Jules turned and slowly started towards the haunted house line.
