Fact no.4: Best friends are one's second family

APRIL

"I'm going to kill him", I say, throwing myself on the couch between Soph and Dia. My besties immediately make enough space for me. Soph wraps her hand around my shoulder, offering me a relaxing smile. Dia takes my hand and gives it a squeeze.

"That bad?", Soph asks, her tone so polite it shows the fact the girl is a princess. And I don't just mean it as a joke. Soph really is the princess of a small country in Europe, Cordelia. And if her chilling on the couch with us doesn't scream royalty, her outfit does. She is wearing one of her Chanel looks, the only brand she wears, her beautiful blonde hair up in a bun styled with pearls, the same jewelry around her neck and wrist. Her blue eyes look at me worried now. I give her a reassuring smile in return.

In a few seconds, Nini, my other bestie, comes rushing from the room she shares with Soph. She spins around once as she comes in front of us, showing us her yellow Summer dress.

"So, what do you think?", Nini asks, her red hair falling freely down her shoulders, her brown eyes glimmering with hope. "Is this the one?"

"What do you need it for, again?", Nessie asks and we all turn our head to where she is staying on the couch. Nessie has been quiet the last few weeks, having problems with her boyfriend. Mark and her fight the whole time, and are probably to break up any day now. The girls and I have been trying to speak to her, make her be happy again, get her mind off the whole thing. She's only been partly here. Making the stuff with us we've asked her to do, going out on walks and cooking together. But it was clear the whole time that a part of her still thought about Mark.

And I just might kill that idiot for breaking my bestie's heart.

Nessie's state is clearly not the best one. Her black hair is up in a messy bun, and her big blue eyes, who usually send happiness and kindness in the world, they're now faded red and hollow. I've never seen her like this before. I tried convincing her to come to Spain with me and Dia, yet she said she has to stay in New York. Sort things out with Mark. I told her there's always going to be a room for her in the summer house, if she changes her mind.

Nini smirks at Nessie and does another pirouette.

"For the trip. And for Caden's condition", she replies. I hardly hide an amused eye-roll. After screwing up, her boyfriend managed to win Nini back at the premiere of the play she's stared in last week. The two made a little deal to always love each other. And Nini made a condition.

"Right, making him sing in Verona. How did you come up with that, anyway?", I ask her. I still don't get how she thought of that.

"He was the one to give me the idea. As he sang that song for me during the play", she continues. Caden indeed sang her favorite song for her in front of the whole audience, just to ask her for forgiveness. The guy climbed a few steps up in my Men I don't hate list.

"I bet he's counting down the seconds", Soph replies with a smirk on. Nini sticks her tongue out at her to tease her. Soph only chuckles.

"So, the dress?", Nini asks, bringing the conversation back to the original topic. "How do I look?"

"Perfect", Soph replies and we all nod to back her up. I send Nini an air kiss and she sends me one back in return. Dia also whispers "Beautiful" as Nessie draws a heart in the air.

"Love you", Nini shouts while rushing down the hall to bring the dress in the safety of her suitcase.

Soph gives me a panicked look, her eyes flickering with worries. She takes a strand of my dark curly hair and begins to play with it, lost in thoughts.

"Is he still coming with you?", she asks after a while.

She didn't have to say his name for me to understand who she was talking about. I only nod as an answer.

"It's not going to be that bad", Soph continues, probably trying to encourage me. It didn't work.

"Oh, trust me, it will", I reply. Dia shrugs, since she's also coming with us. I give her hand a squeeze and say: "Of course, that won't stop us from having the most amazing trip of our lives."

Dia smiles at me and whispers: "But you're still going to kill him, aren't you?"

I nod convinced. Soph and Nessie chuckle and I can swear I saw amusement in Dia's eyes. Her eyes are a very intense shade of green. The most "greenest" green I have ever seen. Her nose is covered in freckles, now that the summer arrived. Her brown hair is falling freely, only bent at the neck where her headphones are hanging around. The headphones she always carries with her, to be able to get away if the world gets too much.

"Who's killing who?", Nini comes back from her room, a bit too excited about our conversation. I can see mischief written all over her face. She ditched the summer dress and is now wearing an oversized T-Shirt Caden forgot here the last time he visited. It's became her favorite piece of clothing.

"I am killing Noah Coin", I add, no sign of doubt in my voice. Nini's eyes turn proud. Nessie and Dia let a chuckle out as Soph tried to end the conflict in that diplomatic way of hers: "No one is killing anyone. They could talk about it. And sort it out."

"No, they won't", Nini says, throwing herself on the couch between me and Soph. We have to slide a bit to make her space. She is still smiling bright as she continues: "I'll bring you some grenades."

"And where would you get those?", Soph continues, her voice still diplomatic but amusement hidden in her eyes.

"I don't know. We could ask Alec", Nini counters. I hardly stop a laugh. So do the others. Alec, Alec Dunn, Soph's boyfriend and love of her life, is the most dangerous guy at Wrencore, our university. Not only is he cold and dark when speaking to anyone but Soph, but he is also rumored to have killed someone. Although it was never confirmed by either him or Soph, the blades his eyes send say enough. He became my and Nini's favorite teasing subject.

"Yeah, he would get us some. He loves the dark stuff. And is rich enough to give them to us as a present", I add. It's true. Alec is the CEO of Dunn Leisures, the biggest hotel company in the world. The guy has more money than anyone can dream of. I'm sure sending us some grenades as present wouldn't cost him that much.

"Honestly, we've talked about this. You have to stop teasing my boyfriend", Soph says. We've indeed talked about this. Nini and I only haven't listened. "And besides, he's not buying you grenades. Where the heck would he get them from?!"

"I don't know. Ask him. This is his specialty", I reply grinning wide. Soph sticks out the tongue at me and I have to laugh.

"Fine, without grenades then", I add after a while. Soph gives me a relaxed look. Nini even makes the effort to look disappointed.

"I wish I would be there to see you get at Coin", Nini says. I only laugh softly.

"Girl, you're travelling around Europe with your boyfriend", I counter.

"Not to mention the incredible people you two are double-dating with", Soph continues. Soph, Nini, Alec and Caden are spending the Summer together, going on a double-date trip around Europe. The girls have been planning everything to the last detail, making sure it all goes well.

"And the fact you get to see Caden doing his condition", Nessie adds with a smirk. The first one I've seen on her in a while. Dia also must have noticed it, since she smiles now.

"Okay, you're right", Nini concludes. "But I'll still need pictures."

"We will send you", I say, answering for Dia and me. The brunette backs me up nodding her head. "But we'll also need some from you. And a video of Caden doing his condition."

"I will for sure film that", Soph replies. She earns herself a soft slap on her arm from Nini. Soph only chuckles. Dia, Nessie and I join in the laughter til all of us five are laughing loud.

I take a look at the girls in the room. I've never thought I'll find a bestie again. Not after what happened between my last best friend and me. But I didn't just find a best friend. I've found these four amazing girls whom I love more than anything. I've found something so much more than a best friend. I've found a second family.

"I'll miss you", I tell them as silence installs in the room. They all nod in agreement and come give me a group hug.

And no one has to say it, we can feel it in the silence. They'll all miss us five hanging together during the Summer too.

I give them a tight hug, not ready to say goodbye just yet. The warmth that now fills me tells me I'm right. I'll miss them during the summer.