CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO   ౨ৎ Lovesick
"Can we pretend that nothing's changed at all?"

Juliette — Juliette
p.b. — Paige

Today 7:21 PM

p.b.
Juliette

Juliette
is this serious

p.b.
What? No
Why do you think that?

Juliette
can u call me julie or something
like genuinely u just made my
heart drop

p.b.
????
How?

Juliette
u just texted my name
that alone makes me

p.b.
Oh, well
Julie

Juliette
yes paige!

p.b.
Can I call you Jules?

Juliette
paige

p.b.
Julie right
I was wondering if you wanted
to come with me to this club

Juliette
who's going

p.b.
Everybody that went to
the bar last time

Juliette
can i invite my friends!

p.b.
Well, obviously

Juliette
???????
oh?????
alr

p.b.
Yes, Juliette, you can
invite your friends! I thought
that was already implied, I'm
sorry for not saying so sooner!

Juliette
i actually hate you so bad
suddenly i feel myself coming
down with something

p.b.
No you don't
But I'm sorry
Yes, you can invite them
Will you come?
I want you there

Juliette
oh
oh
right okay
of course!
i'll make an appearance

p.b.
Okay, good
We'll be there around 10

Juliette
okay we'll be there!!

p.b.
See you later
Juliette emphasized this message!

( Real Life . . . ! )
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        Walking through the open doors into the club sent a shiver down the girl's spine. She had suggested the idea to her friends just after her conversation with the blonde, who had all responded with teasing accusations and playful questions about it being a date, and if it was, whether she would have said yes. All in good fun, of course, but it still left Juliette feeling uneasy.

        Just two hours before...

        "Paige invited us to the club," Juliette began, prompting her friends to immediately look over at her. "Would you guys be down to go?"

        Amara furrowed her eyebrows before speaking, "Wait, wait, wait! Like, she asked you on a date?"

        Her expression mirrored that of her friends, a mix of confusion and surprise. "Did you like, miss the part where I mentioned 'us'? As in all four of us? Hence the use of the word 'us'?"

        "Okay, wait, bare with me. Remember what you told us a couple days ago? So, hypothetically speaking," Lorelei started, "If this did happen to be a date and she asked you on this hypothetical date—emphasis on hypothetical—would you say yes to the question that required a 'yes' or 'no' answer?"

        Would she have said yes? She wasn't sure why she was even thinking about it. She'd say no, of course! Their questions were starting to mess with her head. Hello, she needs to keep her promise!

        If she hadn't been scheming against them before, she certainly was about to start now.

        Juliette let out an annoyed scoff, crossing her arms over her chest, "Have you ever considered, I don't know, running in front of a car that was going a hundred miles an hour?"

        "Answer the question, Maiorani." She replied.

        "Considering it's to a club, no, I would've said no—hypothetically speaking, I'd say no," the girl corrected with a flat tone. "But even if it wasn't, I'd say no either way. Now, can we get ready?"

        To say she was annoyed was an understatement. Here she was, trying to invite her friends out for what could be an eventful night, but instead of getting immediate yeses and nods, she was bombarded with questions and accusations that made her want to rip her hair out of her head—

        "We love you," Lorelei started, squeezing her hip gently, "We were just messing with you."

        Oh! Oh, nevermind!

        Juliette felt her expression soften as she rolled her eyes playfully and nodded, "Right, of course. How about you buy me my first drink!"

        With a nod, the girls quickly parted ways. Amara and Juliette scanned the room while Clementine and Lorelei went to fetch the first round of drinks. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the blonde suddenly standing before her. "Hey," Paige grinned, tilting her head. The smile quite literally made her want to die.

'Would you give me another chance?'

        Her eyebrows lifted just enough to show her surprise before she glanced at Amara, who smirked, muttered a hasty excuse, and left the girls alone.

        Avoiding her gaze, the girl looked everywhere but at her. Just as she was about to speak, Paige cut in, her voice soft but firm, "You look good."

        She was going to kill somebody.

        Resisting the urge to curse under her breath when she felt her face warm almost instantly from the compliment, she sighed deeply and looked up at her. "Thanks," Juliette managed to smile. "You look, uh, good... too!"

        She couldn't help but laugh at her awkwardness. Nodding, she poked the side of her cheek with her tongue and looked down. "Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

        "Drinks!" Lorelei shouted, and the girl silently thanked her for the interruption. Amara and Clementine trailed behind with their shots in hand. She held out two more, and Paige and Juliette exchanged a wary glance before accepting them. "On the count of three, okay? One, two, drink!" They tipped their heads back, grimacing as the liquid burned down their throats, but soon, smiles broke through the discomfort.

        And that's how it went for most of the night. They drank, they laughed, they talked, and now... Juliette had lost count of how many drinks she had consumed. All she knew was that she was tipsy—probably more than that—but knowing she had nothing to do the next day, she waltzed over to the bar and leaned against the counter with a stupid, drunk grin on her face.

        She's about to speak when a voice from beside her interrupts, and the first thing that crosses her mind is,

        Ew.

       "How about I buy that drink for you?" The man suggests. When the brunette simply shakes her head, he hums, leaning closer with a smirk, "Alright, I get it, hun. Are you single?"

        Looking over at him, she gives him a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you for the offer, but no, thank you," she countered, not bothering to answer his second question.

        The—boy, now furrows his eyebrows, "Well, are you? It's just a question, don't need to be a bitch about it."

       What? Her expression hardens, and her eyebrows scrunch together. "What? Where in there was I being a bitch? I thanked you for the offer and declined, respectfully. But, if you're going—"

        "Hey, you okay?" Paige whispers urgently into the girl's ear, cutting her off. When she doesn't answer her question, Paige is about to glance over at the guy. But seeing just how tense the brunette is standing beside her, she instinctively reaches for her hand, ignoring the way Juliette visibly relaxes under her touch.

        'Would you try this again?'

        Seizing the moment before it could slip through her fingers. She lifted their joined hands, forcing a smile as she asks, "Does this answer your question?"

The guy stiffens, lifting his hands in mock surrender. "Oh, shit," he chuckled, "My bad!"

Abandoning the girls, she turns to look up at her with a look of pure disgust, a single, bitter thought shared between them.

Men.

        "Are you okay?" Paige repeats, moving to stand in front of her, her hand never leaving her grasp. "Did he do something to you?"

        Shaking her head in response, she sighs, "I'm fine, and no, but he did call me a bitch? I didn't even do anything," a pause, "I can't lie, I was a bit nonverbal, but I— okay, I'm way too drunk for this."

        Paige's eyebrows furrowed deeply as she stared in the direction where the guy had walked off. "He called you a bitch?"

        "Yeah. Deserved? Perhaps. Do you want anything to drink? I was just about to order."

        "What? Oh! No, I'm fine. Thank you," she replied, meeting her gaze once more. Leaning closer until their shoulders grazed, she added, "I'll just keep you company."

        The contact didn't go unnoticed. In the past, Paige would have thrown an arm around the girls shoulder, keeping her close. But now, given the circumstances, shoulder touching, and, well, hand holding would have to suffice, and she had no idea how much it made Juliette feel sick inside. "How sweet of—"

        "What's this?" Aaliyah chimed in with a grin, her sudden appearance making the two jump. Her eyes zeroed in on Juliette's and Paige's interlocked hands, causing them to quickly pull away from one another. "Oh, no, don't stop! Everyone already saw it." She added, her voice laced with amusement.

        The Maiorani girl groaned, "Aaliyah!"

        "What! You guys are literally out in the open."

        The Bueckers girl did nothing but laugh, "She's right, we weren't being very secretive about it."

        "I—there is so nothing to be secretive about!" Juliette scoffed, glaring at both Aaliyah and her while turning back to the bar and mumbling under her breath. "Suddenly, I don't think I'm drunk enough."

        Another laugh escaped her lips, a soft 'bye' was heard and when she glanced over her shoulder, she saw that Aaliyah had vanished, leaving her alone with Paige once again. She then accepted her drink and took a sip, she found her gaze inexorably drawn to Paige. The question that had been thrown at her just hours before now swirled through her mind, more insistent and haunting than ever.

        Would she have said yes?

        She wasn't sure, but if she were being honest, that answer was a lie. Because now, if asked, she knew she'd say yes when Paige tilted her head and flashed that smile— a smile that seemed to be meant for Juliette and Juliette alone.

        Would she have said yes?

        Yes.

౨ৎ

This was meant to be a double update but it didn't follow through so !! Haha hey.... Sorry...

I need them back together asap. Juliette's just in denial or something idk or not anymore actually nevermind

I also saw on tumblr how Paige was clingy when drunk so hello. Are we kidding had to insert a little something ALSO x2 ALMSOT 50K IS SO FUCKING INSANE LIKE WHAT.

Juuuuuuuna, veeeeeraaaa, I love you both bad I hope your days r good^_^ Hi from Ft Lmk

elena!