EDITED VERSION: Chapter Thirty

"I petition to go shopping," Samara stated, slamming her book shut and placing it on the glass coffee table.

Nathan and I had just gotten home and were greeted by Samara sitting in our living room, watching Netflix.

I rolled my eyes and let out of snort. "I can't go out with this!" I pointed to the lingering bruise that was on my face from the encounter with Kieran a week and a half ago. It was no longer that dark violet colour, nor was it swollen anymore but it still had a presence of a yellow and nearly green bruise. Going anywhere was a nightmare because all I received was looks of sympathy, pity, and disgust, especially if Nathan was there picking me up from class like today.

Samara ignored my remark and simply walked to the bathroom and I heard her rummaging through my things. She came back to the living room and was careful not to step on her clothes that were still in piles around the room. Sam then had a smile on her face, holding up a bottle of foundation, concealer, and my go-to eyeshadow palette with a couple of brushes and mascara. "Now that it's nearly gone, I can cover it up without it hurting too much."

I gave her a grim look. "I suppose you can attempt to cover it up. But if it doesn't work we aren't going--we should be studying."

"Psh," Sam squatted her right hand. "It'll work. And studying? Study what? We're English majors. How do we study English?"

"Well, you could study the notes we read in class, review the lectures and our assignments, maybe reread our reading list if you really want to go above and beyond," I started rambling but Sam held up her perfectly manicured hands. "And we have done all of that. You have been Study Mode Audrey since you got back. Relax and enjoy the day."

The makeup worked and I was glad of it. Sam ended up giving me a natural look and even did my hair in a nice high ponytail with strands still lining my face and had them and the ponytail curled in such a way it didn't look curly, instead, it looked like messy waves. Nevertheless, it still looked good.

I dressed in my usual--leggings, ankle boots, and a petal pink knitted sweater. It was mid-April so the weather was still cool, but not cool enough you had to wear a winter jacket.

We started off our shopping day like all of our other shopping days and went to Starbucks. Eventually, we made our way down to the Eaton Centre which is the biggest mall I have ever stumbled upon but absolutely love because there are so many stores there. They even have a Disney store. Sam and I spent a good hour in there playing with all the plushies and looking at the cool items they have for sale. Eventually, we left that store and made an expensive stop to two of our favourite stores--Kate Spade New York and J.Crew. After we got way too many things at too expensive of places, we went to my ultimate favourite store. The book store.

I was exploring the fantasy section, reading the first few chapters of the Hobbit when Sam poked her head around the giant bookshelf and said, "Don't you already have that?"

I nodded my head but quickly added, "Well, technically, but this is a different edition."

"But if you already have it, why buy it again?" she argued, looking quite confused.

I rolled my eyes and let out an annoyed breath. "Because it's a different edition."

Sam held up her hands in surrender. "You do you, boo. Let's go eat, I'm starving."

We left the book store and Sam groaned as we approached the restaurant. "If they make us wait to be seated, I'm going to eat them."

I let out a laugh. "I don't think we'll have to wait to be seated but if we do, I'd prefer if my best friend didn't result in cannibalism because then that would be an awkward story to tell my best friend's boyfriend."

"Hayden wouldn't mind," she simply responded with a casual shrug that had me not wanting to know what Hayden and Samara did in their personal lives.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Your boyfriend is a weird dude, my friend."

We got into the dimly lit restaurant and luckily was seated almost immediately. The waiter handed us two menus and without looking up from hers, Sam says, "Speaking of boyfriends, what's up with yours? He's been acting all doom and gloom all week."

I shrugged my shoulders slowly. "He's been having a hard time with the Kieran thing. He still thinks it's his fault."

Sam nodded her head stiffly and I could tell she was thinking of something, but wouldn't tell me what it was.

I was just to add that everything was okay when I heard a familiar voice from behind me. "Audrey?"

I turned my head trying to locate who it was but I failed to realize who it was until they approached me with a huge grin on his face. I jumped out of my seat instantly. "Jude?"

He enveloped me in a hug and I was smiling like an absolute idiot. After I let go, I smacked him on the chest. "Why haven't you talked to me? I've been trying to reach you for a while now."

Jude scratched the back of his head and winced. "I felt bad about how we left things after our date..."

"Oh," I replied, unsure how to respond. I thought for a moment and attempted a smile. "Well, it's no worries. Water under the bridge."

Jude shook his head, looking distraught. "No, it wasn't right to assume your feelings and I should have set my jealousy aside."

"Ju-"

He looked back up at me and shot me a hesitant smile. "I was thinking maybe we should grab some coffee to make up for that disaster of a date?"

From behind me, I heard Samara suck in a breath and mutter, "Oh, you poor thing."

Not wanting to meet his eyes, I looked down, playing with the knot necklace Nathan had given me. "Jude, Nathan and I are sort of together now."

"Together like dating or together like in a relationship?" He questioned. I could see him trying to hide his jealousy like he had mentioned moments before, but he wasn't very successful.

"Together as in a relationship," I answered, looking him in the eyes. "I'm sorry."

Jude nodded his head, looking disappointed. "I saw it coming, you don't need to apologize."

Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and walked out of the restaurant.

"Well," Samara said, taking a sip of his drink. "He doesn't take rejection well. Although it could have been worse I suppose."

"Yeah no kidding," I sighed, leaning back into the booth. Thank God Samara helped me cover the bruise because I had no doubt in my mind Jude would have made the same assumption everyone else has and then question my choice of boyfriends. Jude was a nice guy but he felt things with such intensity that sometimes it made me feel unsettled. In a way, I was kind of relieved he was out of my life.

***

A week later, Darian and I walked out of the movie theatre still talking about the film. "I didn't like the ending."

I rolled my eyes and stared at my roommate. "You never like any endings to any film."

Darian stuck out his tongue at me in response. Exams were over and I was happy about that. But at this point in time, that was the only thing I was happy about. Nathan still hasn't bothered to talk to me at all this week, no texts, no calls. Hell, we live together and I haven't even seen him. Darian claims he has and again stated that Nathan has been picking up extra shifts but I can tell there's something else. Whatever it was, I was starting to get worried.

We hauled a cab and Darian gave the cab driver Justin's address. I gave him a strange look, but he simply said, "I just want to stop by and say hi."

I nodded my head and leaned against the window, my stomach in knots thinking about what is going on with Nathan.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Everyone shouted as we walked through the door.

I stood there, completely dumbfounded because I was certain that I made sure I didn't tell anyone my birthday. I scanned the room to figure out who would even know. Samara wouldn't but I'm confident she could find out, Darian maybe the people from lectures certainly couldn't, I wasn't that close to them, Justin couldn't, but then my eyes landed on Nathan. He had his up-to-no-good-face on and he approached me with open arms. "Somehow, I knew no one would know your birthday, so I let them in on the secret."

I grinned as I smacked him lightly on the chest. "You suck."

He chuckled as he hugged me tightly and proceeded to kiss my forehead. "Happy birthday, princess."

I took a step back, giving him a beaming smile. "Is this why you've been avoiding me like the plague this week?"

Nathan winced. "Probably not my finest boyfriend moment, right?"

I shook my head. "Definitely not your finest boyfriend moment," I kissed his lips. "But this makes up for it."

"Good," Nathan pulled me by my waist kept his grip on it. Instinctively, my hands went to the back of his neck. He lowered his head onto my forehead and began to kiss me slowly but lovingly. All my grievances melted away about the past week when we kissed. Unfortunately, it was cut short.

"Happy birthday to my favourite human!" Samara singsonged as she handed me a red solo cup.

I pulled away from Nathan, though I was still in his arms. I looked down at the cup and when I got a huge whiff of it I scrunched my face in distaste. "What is that? It smells awful."

Samara shrugged. "Justin mixed it. It doesn't taste too bad when you look past the fact there are twenty different drinks in it."

Nathan's eyebrows shot upwards and took the cup from my hands. "I'll make something that won't kill you."

He darted off to the kitchen and Samara and I burst out into laughter. I shook my head. "Did he really put twenty different drinks in it?"

"Unfortunately," Sam answered, pointing to the kitchen. "He had a bucket on the counter. Five kinds of whiskey, five kinds of tequila, five kinds of vodka, and five kinds of wine."

"That's disgusting," I grimaced, shivering at the thought of drinking that.

Samara laughed at my reaction and Nathan came back with two drinks in hand. He handed me one. "Well, Justin nearly used all of the alcohol in the house but I managed to find some rosé."

I took the cup gratefully and chugged the contents. Wine wasn't something I would typically chug, but seeing all the stress I've been through lately, I'd chug anything at this point.

Breaking me from my thoughts, Justin spoke over the crowd using a microphone that was behind the DJ booth. Only Justin would hire a full-on DJ for a college student's birthday. "Happy birthday to my boyfriend's best friend, Audrey! I love you; girl and I hope you have a great night. Oh, and don't forget to try my creation, it's good I promise."

Everyone cheered as well as I did as another red cup was placed in my hand. Music starting blaring and Nate grabbed one hand and Samara grabbed another, meanwhile, Darian pushed me from the back. "Let's dance birthday girl!"