chapter 12

Lauren's POV

"Hey Lauren." I smiled at Jonathan's face on my laptop. I haven't seen or heard his voice for a while and I have to say; I missed him.

"Hey Jonathan." I responded and he smiled back. His physical appearance hasn't change that much in the past of 4 years; his hair is still the same, just a little bit longer and he has a beard unlike his clean shaved face back when we were in high school.

"So, how are things? Anything exciting?" Jonathon asked, wiggling his eyebrows. I thought back to my first encounter with Nicole and then seeing her at the party and breaking in to our old high school. How much fun that day was. When she asked me on a date, I was shocked, horrified and hyperventilating. I didn't show her that though; I stayed calm on the outside and freaked on the inside. I didn't expect that at all. I know we have been going on and on with these moments and stealing corner lip kisses from each other but wow.

I remember getting lost in her grey eyes as she waiting for an answer and fidgeted left to right in her stance. Until I decided to give her an answer and sai- "Hey, where did you go?" I heard Jonathan's voice, breaking my line of thoughts.

"Huh?" I asked because I haven't caught what he said. He chuckled, and smiled sweetly at me. I chuckled as well, shaking my head. He repeated his question, more louder and clearer as if I'm almost deaf. I rolled my eyes and smiled, sarcastically at him.

I looked at Jonathan's anticipating eyes and said. "I'm still here and no, nothing interesting happened so far, if that's what you want to know." I don't think it's right for me to tell Jonathan about his sister's coming back. Or her mother for that matter. Some of you may think I'm being selfish but the truth is I don't want to force Nicole back to her family, I want her to go back willingly and I would do anything to help her with that.

Because believe it or not, I believe everyone deserves a family to support them and care for them. It doesn't matter if it's by blood or not. There's no home without a family. Nicole left because she felt abandoned and betrayed by her family, from her dad specifically. From the exchanged words between her and her father that happened 6 years ago, I know that her dad should've trusted her and not let the past situation with Rita, get into the situation that happened with brad. Now, I don't know exactly what happened with Rita's situation, but from Nicole's eyes I know she was innocent, and that she was just in the wrong place and at the wrong time. But whatever happened before, ruined the entire family.

Nicole's father made a mistake but so did Nicole. She blamed her entire family over her father's accusations. You know what, I don't want to think about this anymore. I pushed these thoughts back of my head and turned my attention back to Jonathan's.

"Well, I got some good news." He spoke, eagerly and I waited for the next few words to come. "I'M COMING HOME, AT THE END OF THE MONTH." He yelled in excitement and jumped in his seat.

"What?!" I smiled instantly but was confused. "I thought you were going to finish college and then come back?" I asked, a wrinkle formed between my eyebrows but a smile stayed on my face.

He shook his head as a sign of disagreeing. "Nope, graduated two days ago." He announced, a bigger smile on his face. His eyes are twinkling in happiness and I can't help but feel happy as well.

"Congratulations Jonathan. Did you tell your parents?" I asked and he shook his head immediately. "Don't say a word. I'm planning on surprising them, and...." his voice drifted away and his mouth is slightly a gap. he just stared at me. Almost like he's admiring me and studying every bit of my features. "If I come back," he said but stopped and swallowed hard, looking nervous all of a sudden. I raised my eyebrows in suspicions. I think I know where this is going.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

Oh shit.

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Nicole's POV

I took of my tie and jacket suit off and sat next to Rita on the couch. She was texting on the phone with a huge smile on her face. I raised both of my eyebrows and was about to ask who is she texting, when she interrupted me. "How was the job interview?" She asked, placing her phone at the side, giving me her full attention.

I sigh when I recalled what happened. "Nothing bad. It's just......" I paused for a dramatic effect and glanced at Rita who shook her head, gesturing for me to continue. I opened my mouth and released the words that I knew, would burst Rita into a non-stop fit of laughter. "I was so nervous, that I was sweating like I was in hell, and the interviewer noticed and asked for me, to go to the bathroom and splash my face with water. I went to the bathroom and it was empty. I did what the interviewer said and was able to calm myself, but before I left, I felt the need to puke.....And it happened."

"What happened?" Rita asked, with a hint of a laugh about to come up. I stared at Rita who's lips were in a straight line. She's holding it in. She's holding it in so bad.

"I puked, all over the floor." I simply said and that was it for her. She fell on the floor and laughed her heart out. Her voice filled the living room and I just looked at the floor blankly. Rita got on to her knees and placed her hands on my knees as a sign to comfort me, but when I looked into her eyes, that were glistening in tears, she couldn't; She slapped my left knee a few times before she fell down on the floor, trying to breath. Every time her laugh died down, she would look at my face and laugh even louder.

After 15 minutes, she was sitting on the couch, next to me and wiping her tears with tissues. "What happened next?" She asked and looked into my eyes.

"I ran, of course!!, and went to finish the interview." I answered and slumped on the couch, afraid I won't get the job. I want so badly to work as a laboratory technologist. It's not an easy job but I know how everything works; all the lectures and conferences and the clinical training I've received, can't all go to drain.

"Awe, don't worry. You're the smartest person I know. You may be dumb at life but all this medical and complicated stuff, you know best." Rita wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek. I chuckled at the way she comforted me. This girl, you can't not love.

"Now cheer up, because someone told me that you threw a basketball, no no no no, TWO basketball on the air conditioner in our old high school." She chuckled and held her phone in her hand, shaking it, left to right.

I turned my head so fast that I almost snapped my neck. I stared at her like she had two heads. "First, you know those air conditioners don't work and second, WHO TOLD YOU?" I asked, eager to know, how did she know.

"Well, since you ditched me and left with Lauren, I've been stuck with Ashley. She kept following me around and asking me all these questions like 'how have you been doing?' 'what do you do now?' and all that carp. Then somehow, along the way, we exchanged numbers and been talking all night long. Lauren told her what happened, and then she told me." She explained and I just raised my eyebrows.

"So, you're friends now?" I questioned, a small smile formed on my face. If she became friends with Ashley, then that means she's okay with me becoming friends with Lauren and maybe even more, someday. If only she knew....

*flashbacks*

"Will you go on a date with me?" I blurted the question out and waited for Lauren to say the fatal word; yes or no.

I saw the shocked look on Lauren's face as she looked deep into my eyes, her mouth is hung wide open. I swallowed loudly and my hands started sweating. I tried my best to hold my gaze at Lauren's. She blinked a few times, her mouth still hung open. Come on...

I felt paranoid and started taping my foot on the floor. Then suddenly, Lauren smiled brightly, showing all her white teeth and wrapped her arms around my neck. She kissed the side of my face and said.

"I would love to." I smiled when I heard those simple four words that lighten up my heart and wrapped my arms around her waist and held her closer to my body, filling her cold skin with my own warmth.

*flashback ended*

"Well, since you're going to start dating Lauren and I'm becoming friends with Ashley, then I don't have an excuse." She stated, raising both of her hands as a sign of surrender.

"How did you know I'm going on a date with.....?? oh okay, Ashley." I questioned at first but figured it out at the end. I smiled and got up to change my clothes, feeling happy to receive my friends approval.

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Lauren's POV

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" Jonathan asked, hope filled his features. I felt my heart aching, knowing that I would break his heart. I couldn't tell him that I'm going to date his sister. He would get a cardiac arrest, for two reasons; one, his sister is back and two, I'm dating her!!

"I'm sorry Jonathan, I'm already dating someone else." I told him, feeling remorseful and saw his smile fell for a few seconds and then he covered it with a smirk. "It's fine, but only if you promise me, that if it didn't work out between you and him, you would accept my offer." He said, confidently and I just smiled, his arrogance will always remain. I wanted to correct him that it's a she not he but kept silent.

"Okay, deal." I said and pretended to pinky promise with him on the screen.

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A/N

So, to anyone who is reading, if you find any grammar mistakes or some words that were missing, TELL ME. I would appreciate it A LOT because I can't edit and go through everything.

So, yeah. Thank you and free hugs to everyone.