Charlotte

h_Hart : that was the longest shift ever

Lottie_bear : I hope you're not too tired

h_Hart : Nah, Jasp and I both took naps at work
h_Hart : the break room has a really comfy couch

Lottie_bear : okay cool, did you guys need to freshen up first?

h_Hart : we went home & did all that, Jasper insisted on driving though

Lottie_bear : what a good friend

h_Hart : No, he just wants to impress you

Lottie_bear : 😂 doubt it

h_Hart : He's just a hog

Lottie_bear : are you mAD ?

h_Hart : nope
h_Hart : I'm upset

Lottie_bear : okay Hart 🙄
Lottie_bear : how far away are y'all now ?

h_Hart : An hour. Ik you miss me but dang girl just be patient 🙂

Lottie_bear : boi bye, I miss both of you but don't think I won't kick your tail out before you get here

h_Hart : ☹️ why me ?

Lottie_bear : 😉 you did it to yourself

h_Hart : so no late night cuddles ? ☹️

Lottie_bear : 😂 you wilding , got a whole girlfriend and trying to cuddle

h_Hart : you ain't say no

Lottie_bear : GIRLFRIEND

h_Hart : But that's how I sleep, I didn't bring my cuddle pillow so i need a substitute

Lottie_bear : am I supposed to be believing your bs ?

h_Hart : I fr swear, I may not need to cuddle but I cannot sleep without warmth next to me. I forgot to bring melatonin so I won't sleep and it sucks.

Lottie_bear : you really have a sleeping problem ?

h_Hart : yes, I didn't always have one but it started about 4 years ago from an incident at work. I mean my boss feels bad for overworking me but I just got used to being jittery & staying up that I didn't sleep

Lottie_bear : oh, well I'm glad you're getting over that

I hope he's okay. That doesn't sound too healthy of a work environment... It's none of my business though, for now.

Lottie_bear : I'm sure we can work together to find a way to help you sleep. Sorry for doubting you.

h_Hart : nah it's okay, you wouldn't believe the problems Jasper and I have racked up on over the years and work kinda made them all better aside from my sleeping problem 😂

Lottie_bear : Well that's good Hen. In time we can all share our secrets with each other.

h_Hart : yeah the four of us will be close forever

We've been texting nonstop for a straight week, we're already on our way there

A knock on the door startles me. I don't remember Dawna leaving but I get so caught up in texting Henry that everything else blurs. I put my phone down and open the door only to see Jasper and Henry.

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID AN HOUR !" I yell but nonetheless pull Jasper into a hug. He hugs back and wiggles a little bit making me laugh. I hug Henry and ignore the butterflies, he pats my head. I lead them inside and close the door.

"Wow, Jasper you got more hunk. And Henry you filled out way more." I say looking over the two. When we first met, Jasper was a little chunky but now he's more solid. Henry was more lean but now he's got some more muscle on him. " Y'all do some training or something?"

"Yeah, football starts in fall. Can't slack." Jasper answers with a laugh. " You got prettier. Like a lot prettier. You trying to be a model ?" Jasper teases. He knows good and well I would never.

"Haha. Dawna and I just started being more strict on our diet." I respond and Jasper just nods. I turn to Henry who is staring me down hard.

"Hen, you okay ?" I ask.

"Yeah Char, you're gorgeous by the way." He answers with ease and his stare tones down. Jasper groans.

"Are you trying to outdo me ?" Jasper challenges and Henry shrugs.

"You made it easy." Henry quips and I laugh at the two. Footsteps make us all look to the steps where Dawna is coming down.

"Boys !" She yells and of course she hugs Jasper first and has a way more intimate hug than I did. Is this the start of something?

After hugging Henry she beams at the both of them until her jaw drops.

"Whoa what the hey ? I don't remember seeing a gun show like this last time." She comments and I internally groan while the boys eat it up.

"Football." Henry answers without her even asking.

"Great, I do cheer so maybe when we play your school we can hang." Dawna chats. " Lottie usually does water girl but since it's our senior year, she's on the team. She got a spot as our choreographer and co captain easily." Dawna reveals. Dang girl, tell them everything why don't you !

"Oh really now ? She never mentioned that to me." Henry looks at me and I just look away. I never thought to mention it with all the little flirting you be doing.

"That'll be cool to see you guys then. So is the other captain nice ?" Jasper continues the conversation to help me out. My savior, thank you. My phone buzzes and I pick it up.

h_Hart : We'll finish that convo later

When did he even have time to text me ? I look up to see Henry smirking at me. I swallow slowly to compose myself. I rejoin the conversation.

"Hey it's already 10, we should get going. You guys can set your bags in the guest room. We're all gonna sleep up there. Dee and I spent all day setting it up." I walk towards the steps and everyone follows.

"You guys will get a full tour later but for right now we gotta go." Dawna chips in. Once the boys are all set, we go back downstairs and outside.

"We're gonna take my car since you used enough gas getting here." Dawna says and we walk the short distance to her house. She's across the street and 5 houses to the left of mine.

" It's cool you guys live close. Jasper and I do too." Henry starts.

"Great so when we come to Swellview we won't have far to go." Dawna throws in.

"You do not wanna come to Swellview. It's so boring. Bore City is more fun." Henry nods.

"Swellview is whack." Jasper adds.

"But you guys have more scenic views. And there's cabins to rent during the winter. Dee and I have wanted to do that for sooo long. Plus how boring can Swellview be with superheroes ?" I am baffled by how Bore City is any better than Swellview.

"Okay you got us there." Jasper concedes.

"I'd kill to be able to see a superhero save the day. Maybe not up close but like see them in the distance. To see Teen Danger or Bucket Boy come strolling through." Dawna ponders aloud.

"Cooler than anything Bore City offers." I agree and we finally get to Dawna's car. She unlocks the doors and the boys open the front doors for us.

"Oh so we got some gentleman here." Dawna smirks and I roll my eyes but we each say thank you and buckle in. The boys get in the back and after we hear 2 clicks, Dawna pulls out. We get to our destination rather quickly since there wasn't any traffic.

Once we're inside the first thing to tackle is bowling. We order some wings and get ready. Dawna disappears for a bit once we're all set up at our lane.

"It's been a little bit, did Dawna go to the arcade side ?" Henry asks which makes us all look around. I spot her instantly. Jack and his friends are here. They're laughing at her while she's trying to get something off the floor. I instantly get angry. I start to march over there just to see Henry and Jasper beat me to it. They're helping. Henry helps her with whatever she was trying to get off the floor and comes back with a teary eyed Dawna.

She sits down holding her bracelet in beads. Halfway into Dawna and Jack's relationship, her grandma died. Jack got her a bracelet that mirrored the one her grandma always wore. She never took it off but now it's been ruined. All the beads are off the string and the string is gone.

"I'm still missing some beads. I have half my name and half of hers." Dee speaks. She wipes her eyes with her arm and I rub her back.

"Why does he have to ruin everything?" She whispers and breaks out into sobs. She cries into her hands and I keep rubbing her back. Henry just watches us and he walks over to where Jasper is. He says something to him which causes not only Jasper but Jack and his friends to all look over at me and Dawna. Jack's face instantly floods with remorse. Jasper nods at Henry and they both head this way. Jasper crouches down in front of Dawna and pulls her into a weird hug which she accepts and cries into him.

h_Hart : Come with me for a sec

I read the text and look at Henry who's nodding his head towards a little space away from Dawna and Jasper. I follow him.

"Jasper doesn't want to ask but I need to know what's going on." Henry pleads.

"That guy was her ex, the one who was standing right over her. He's been torturing her even since they broke up. He's gotten his friends to ask her out and stand her up several times. He started all these rumors about their break up, he acts as though she was the worst girlfriend ever to him. And that's the sum of it." I've only explained this once and I want to punch the guy. Henry just breathes deeply.

"Okay, thanks." Henry smiles but it looks off. He moves to get away.

"Henry !" I raise my voice.

"I'm just going to the bathroom. I don't want to do anything drastic." He assures me. I just nod and leave him be. I walk back over to Jasper and Dawn. Dawn is finished crying.

"Do you still wanna bowl Dee ?" I ask her.

"Honestly I don't but I am not going to ruin everyone's night." She answers. Anytime she cries she always gets huge headaches after and feels drained. I know she doesn't feel good but the fact that she'd sacrifice going home to rest for these guys is impressive. They must have a greater effect on her than I thought.

"Okay so we bowl one round. Then we play a couple of games and go home, can you stick it out through that ?" I ask and Dawn nods.

We all try to get through the night without letting Jackbehind be such a damper on the mood.