L E O N I E

As per a pre thanksgiving tradition that we had, our crew liked to gather the night before and have a drink. Most of our plans revolved around family. Amy hung out and did some weird meal that didn't involve turkey and I just could not relate. Ethan usually joined her because his parents didn't do much around thanksgiving. They had their own traditions with their own cultures. Bray and Jade had a meal with their entire extended family. Jess did the same and I hadn't been invited back since I told their rude racist grandmother that her pumpkin pie tasted like a shit sandwich.

Not that it mattered. Mom had been away that year. With Gran. Where I refused to go. That was the only reason that I was at Jess' in the first place. Alex usually spent his thanksgiving with his dad. No surprise, his mom didn't tend to make an appearance. I was starting to believe that she had a second family somewhere. Her other husband probably wore polo shirts and had a secret diaper fetish. I told Alex that to make him feel better. Dunno if it worked though.

This year I'd been invited to Bray's house. But Heath ended up asking me to be at his family dinner and obviously I had to accept my boyfriend's invitation. So on the eve of thanksgiving, Bray, Jess, Ethan, Jade and I sat in my living room with a bottle of liquor. Amy had other plans. She didn't elaborate on what. But I didn't ask either.

"So catch me up on what I missed while I was gone?" I said, pouring another bourbon and cola mix. "Ethan. You first. How are things going?"

"I'd love to know too," Jade smiled and pulled her feet up under her bum as she cradled a glass of vodka. Bray groaned with disapproval and shot her a harsh glare.

Ethan chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "We're— I have no idea. I feel like we're in limbo to be honest. We haven't broken up but we're barely talking."

"Just dump her and get it over with," Jess offered with nonchalance. She was tucked in beside Bray on the couch. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a French braid.

"Aren't you supposed to be her friend," Ethan raised a brow at her.

"Yeah. Well. Sort of. But friends or not, she doesn't treat you right."

He pursed his lips and nodded.

"I agree," I added. "But I told her that. Like, to her face. She keeps telling me that she wants to do better and relax but she can't seem to put it into action."

"She's a bitch," Jade said, pulling a joint out of her carton of cigarettes. She held it up with question and I nodded for her to go ahead. "She's so holier than thou. Lillian is a Christian and doesn't give me half the shit that Amy gives you lot. In fact, she doesn't give me shit at all. You should have flicked her ages ago."

"I feel gross bitching about her behind her back," I chugged the rest of my drink back and sat forward for another refill. "Let's change the subject.

Jade pulled a disbelieving face at me as she inhaled her joint.

"Na," Bray shook his head at his sister. "Leonie doesn't say it unless she'd say it to their face."

Jade nodded, seemingly impressed as she held the joint out to Ethan. He thought about it for a minute and then took it from her. I'd never realised how interested Jade seemed to be in him. Of course, he hadn't been around a lot because of his girlfriend. But she kept fixing her hair or smiling whenever he looked at her. Amy didn't have a reason not to trust Ethan and I hoped he didn't give her one.

We all passed the joint around— apart from Bray — until it was gone, talking shit, listening to music and after an hour, I decided to order pizza and fries because I was starving. The coffee table was spread with food and Bray slowly brought a slice of pizza towards his mouth. It was so slow, like he thought the pizza was going to get up and run the fuck off. Which it could have. I started giggling and he made eye contact as he took a careful bite.

We stared at each other. He chewed. I laughed. I laughed so hard that I forgot what I was laughing at.

"This song is a fucking bop," Jade drummed her thighs and whipped her dreads. "Let me jam this real quick. Ready—"

"No one cares Jade," Bray interrupted her before she could start rapping to Tip Toe by Jason Derulo. "You can't rap. You skip half of the words."

"I will roll you," she stared at him with half closed lids. "Fight me."

"Don't be mean to your sister," Jess swatted him in the chest. "I always wanted a sister."

"What the fuck am I?!" I sat up and started to laugh at her alarm. There was another giggle fit coming on. "I thought we were sisters."

"Her mom doesn't even like you," Bray chuckled as he polished off the rest of his pizza. "Man I want to tell them what we get up to behind closed doors. Imagine that."

"The injustice of parental hypocrisy right," Jade nodded, still bopping along to the music while she grabbed another bit of pizza. "Fucking assholes got up to who knows what but wanna micromanage our lives."

"You make it sound like you speak from experience," Bray scoffed. "You've been allowed to do whatever since you were like seventeen. Mom and dad helped you buy a damn house out of college."

"Alright shit. I was just trying to identify with your lady."

"Thank you," Jess giggled, smacking her lips. "Bray. I need water. Please get me a water."

"Na I can't. It's too far."

"Go get a her a water," Jade shouted but it was hoarse and her voice broke. "I need one too."

I gave them all the finger and giggled again. What a beautiful group of human beings.

Just then, two figures appeared in the living room and I squealed— or tried to— until I realised that it was Heath and Alex. Both of them walked in, cautious and puzzled as I wiggled my fingers at them. "Hellooooo."

"Are you all stoned?"

"Nope," Bray raised his hand. "I'm not. I'm a little drunk though."

Alex laughed and shook his head as he sat on the floor beside the coffee table. Heath dropped into the couch beside me and I immediately crawled into his lap, pressed a kiss to his lips and whispered hello. Argh. He was so beautiful. Tousled hair, stubble. His leather jacket with a soft hoodie. I fucking loved how I just sort of sunk into his hold. He was so big and wrapped his arms around my whole frame. It made me weak.

"You two should be a couple," Jess said with barely opened eyes. She grinned when I looked at her. "I'm just saying."

"We are," I replied and if she hadn't been so high, she might have become wide eyed. "Did I not mention that? Suppose I've only been back two days. Yeah we made it official in London."

"Fucking finally," Bray sighed, loud and throaty as he first pumped. I could feel Heath's chest vibrating with laughter beneath me.

"I'm so happy," Jess sobbed. She for real sobbed. I flipped her off and told her to get a grip. "It's so sweet. You two are so sweet. It's a perfect match. Look at you both. Aw. I'm obsessed. Make a Pinterest board. With photos of you both. Girls love looking at cute Pinterest couples."

Jade burst out laughing. "I always want to know who takes those super intimate pictures."

"Should we take one right now?!" I suggested.

Heath sounded nervous as he laughed. "What?"

"Jess, take a photo," I snapped my fingers and turned in Heath's lap so that I was straddling him. "Just take a burst. This is fucking hilarious."

Heath looked so put out as I cupped his face and straightened my back so that I looked all nice and cute instead of slouched and wasted. "Babe, just look natural," I giggled at my man who was still blinking with confusion. But despite that confusion, he put his hands on my waist and focused on me as I leaned in and touched our lips. It wasn't a kiss. But I smiled when I felt his mouth on mine.

"I missed you," I whispered and heard Ethan complaining about how awkward this was. I ignored him and closed the distance, kissing him for real. No tongue.

"I missed you too," he murmured against my mouth. "You look gorgeous."

"Okay," Jess hollered and threw my phone at me. "That's enough. You're about to bang. I got some cute shots though."

After another quick kiss, I turned around again and leaned against his chest as I picked up the phone and inspected the photos. There were a lot of them. Jess took them in portrait from the side and I loved how we were watching each other. Soft smiles. Our lips barely touching. His big strong hands encasing my waist. Mmm delicious.

"I like those," he whispered and pressed a kiss on the top of my head.

"Me too," I grinned and dropped the phone beside me, putting my hands on top of his which rested on my stomach. "So how did it go, Alex? What's the verdict?"

Heath laughed behind me as Alex's cheeks turned red and the others questioned what was going on.

"Uh good," he nodded and looked at Heath behind me. "Heath said it was alright with him if I ask Sarah to marry me."

"What?!" Bray sat up so fast that Jess almost landed on her ass in front of the couch. Jade's mouth fell open and Ethan, who had been in his own world, stared with what I assumed was surprise. It was hard to tell. "Marry?! Marry you?! The fuck bro. You're not even eighteen. What the fûck is going on?"

Jess frowned. "This is a strong reaction to marriage. Should I be worried?"

"Uh," he stared at her like she had lost it. "Don't expect a proposal from me until we've at least graduated college. I'm telling you that right now."

She shrugged. "Seems fair."

"You know she's sick right?" Heath said and Bray looked at him, surprised. His jaw snapped shut and he nodded. Heath was a little more reserved when it came to the dynamics of my friend group. He observed more than he spoke. But I guess when it came to his sister, he wasn't going to keep quiet. "Yeah so she doesn't get to wait until she's the right age or until she's been dating Alex for two years or whatever. She's just got now and she's been playing dress up bride since she was a kid. So she should have this. And Alex has my utmost respect for giving that to her."

My heart wanted to come out of its chest. He wasn't rude at all. He didn't snap or speak with attitude. He was just informative and I watched the rest of them nod, accepting his explanation.

"Well shit dude," Bray stood up and shook his hand. "Let's make this a bachelor party, huh?"

Alex laughed and stood up, shaking his head. "Can't. I have to go and propose."

"Tonight?" I gaped.

"Yep. Have a ring and all."

I stood up as well and held my hands up to pause him from leaving. "Hang on. How are you doing it? Like, what's the plan?"

He scratched his head and slid his hands into his pockets. "On the beach. Under the stars. Like our first date."

"Good start," I nodded. "But we can do better. And we can help. Want some help?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Ethan," I pointed at my friend and he startled as if he was in trouble. "Call your music buddies. Grab your guitar and at least one other person who can sing. Bray, call the team. We need muscle. Jade, you can come with me and Jess. We have to get our Sarah prepped. Also, Alex, get that photographer friend to meet us at the beach in an hour and a half. And all of you keep your cellphones on and close."

Surprisingly, they all snapped into action and Alex watched them moving for their keys or phones or whatever else they needed before leaving. Heath stood up behind me and I turned around to look up at his appreciative smile.

"Got a job for me, boss?" He grinned and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

I nodded. "Go and get your mom."

It was a Friday, so she'd be at work. But every moment that Sarah had left, she needed to have her family there beside her. These were the memories that would be left behind and I knew first hand that you could never have enough of them.

He didn't move immediately. He watched me with this far off look that I'd seen a time or two. It made my stomach twist. "You mean so much to me," he murmured. "I feel blessed that you're mine."

"I feel blessed that you want me."

He laughed. It was sort of breathless. "You've had me from the moment that we met."

"Who would have thought we'd end up here," I smiled, remembering the night that we stood in Jade's living room and exchanged banter. "After all, you did think that life wasn't a fairytale. Feels a bit like that now."

His shoulders fell and he flinched as if he'd been punched in the stomach. It looked like he was going to curl over but he wrapped around me and I sunk into his strong hold. "And here I was thinking that I couldn't be any more crazy about you," his voice was muffled by my hair. "Yet you tell me stuff like that. Girlfriend Leonie is a whole other level."

"I'm a cute bitch. It's true."

Sarah looked confused when she opened the door and didn't find Alex. Instead, Jade, Jess and I let ourselves in with our bags of hair products and makeup. I'd spent an insane amount of cash on a new wardrobe for Sarah in London. So I knew that she'd have something to wear here.

Her outfit was cute. But I knew that we could do better. I'd already pictured the outfit on the way here. She peered outside and looked from left to right, closing the door when her search for Alex came up empty.

"What's going on?"

"Is Heath here?" I pretended not to know that he was at the hospital, convincing his mom that she needed to pretend to be sick so she could dip.

"I thought he was with you?"

"Oh," I read over a text that Alex sent me and quickly tapped out the next set of instructions. I sent Bray his next task too. "Nope. Haven't seen him."

Her gaze widened and she winced. "Ooh. He said he was off to your little gathering thing. Maybe he's cheating on you."

Jess and Jade gasped. But I flipped her off. Sarah - even I knew - that Heath would never.

"I'm confused," Sarah ran her fingers through her hair. "What's everyone doing here?"

"We're just tagging along," Jade shrugged and toed off her black boots. "We were bored. You going out or something?"

"Yeah," Sarah slipped her phone out of her new Hilfiger jeans and checked the time. "Alex is meant to be here soon. We had a movie at 9.30."

I clapped my hands together and pretended to be all mush and lovestruck at the prospect of their date. "Let us get you ready!"

"I am ready."

"Aw please let me dress you up cuter?" I clasped my hands and stuck out my bottom lip. Jess and Jade nodded in encouragement. "Not that you don't look cute. But, just let me do it. It's fun."

She threw her arms up. "Whatever then."

We had to work fast because Alex couldn't be too late to pick Sarah up without it being obvious. It was hard, but I managed to talk her into wearing a jumpsuit. The straps were thin but not spaghetti strap thin. The pants cut off just above her ankle and the waist was cinched tight and given some accessory with a bow belt.

We curled her hair in soft waves and gave her a full face of makeup. Some bangles and a pair of wedge heels that weren't huge or stiletto. So they wouldn't be too hard to walk in the sand with.

"So how do you feel about Alex?" I asked as we wandered into the living room. Jess was snapping some secret photos.

Sarah glanced down at me and smiled. "I feel— mixed emotions," she nodded with a thoughtful stare. "I like him so much. He's so sweet and kind and caring. Like, perfect. But it kind of hurts to know that our time is limited. Ya know? I've made peace with my future. But now I almost wish that I had more time. More with him."

I swallowed and fought back the sting in my nose. I took a deep breath and placed a hand on her elbow. "Just make the most of it. It's better to have the memories to look back on than have nothing at all and not know what it feels like to love."

She smiled. "I don't get to look back at them. He does though. I just don't want to break his heart."

"Trust me, he won't regret falling in love with you. He won't."

Alex and Sarah left for their movie just before Jade, Jess and I left her house. Jess sobbed in the passenger seat and cried about the injustice of such a sweet girl like Sarah being sick. We made it to the beach first. Alex had already been instructed to go the longest route possible. And when we got out of the car in the lot and walked about five hundred meters down the beach, we found the perfect setting.

Bray and his team had arranged six poles in the sand. Thick wooden ones. The girls had wrapped them in twinkling lights and faux flowers. In the sand were paper lanterns glowing with a flickering flame and laying down were large wooden tree trunks with more lights wrapped around them. It was enchanting. Romantic.

Ethan and one of his music buddies had a space set up a few meters from the middle of the arrangement. The candle light cast a shadow on their figures and I could see Ethan sitting with his guitar, tuning it I suppose. Alex's friend was hovering on the edge, shy and quiet but prepared to snap photos. Which was the point.

The rest of our crew were standing so far back towards the bordering fence that I almost missed them. I hoped Sarah wouldn't notice the crowd that was about to sit in on her date. Jade, Jess and I quickly moved through the sand and joined our friends. Bray looked excited and he held Jess close to his side. Jade stood beside Jazz who was beside Heath. I sidled up to him and let out a satisfied huff.

"You did so fucking well," he pulled me in so that I stood in front of his hard chest. I peered up and could have died at how beautiful he looked in the ambient lighting. "This came together better than I thought it would."

"Still, no one is going to tell me what's going on?" Jazz looked between both of us and shrugged. "Is someone getting married."

I snorted and watched her brows pull together in confusion.

"Mom," Heath nudged her and I followed his gaze to here Alex was walking along the beach, hand in hand with Sarah. They were near the water and she was on his right hand side to obstruct her view of us. "You'll see what's going on in a minute."

Jazz wasn't stupid though and I could see the wheels turning as Alex led Sarah into the middle of the enchanting arrangement. She looked around her in awe, smiling and gushing. Her amusement grew when she heard the light strum of the guitar from Ethan and his friend's soft song. Ethan had his face hidden but his sound was incredible. No doubt Sarah just figured that Alex was being romantic. Jazz had become still beside us, watching her daughter with tension radiating from her shoulders.

"It's happening," Jess whisper squealed as Alex took a knee and I almost taped her mouth shut.

The air crackled around us as we all listened in and squinted, attempting to hear. But it was almost impossible to hear what was being said while keeping a safe distance. So we watched their faces and I could see how smitten Alex was. It was all over his adorable pale face.

Sarah clutched her mouth and shook her head as she cried. My blood ran cold. She was telling him no. He quickly stood up and cupped her small delicate face in his hands. He locked her in an unwavering stare as he said something to her. Something that made her cry even harder than she had been. After what felt like forever, she offered him her trembling hand and he slid the ring onto her finger.

"He proposed," Jazz sounded breathless as she watched her daughter. The breeze which smelled like salt and sand whipped her dark curls and I saw a tear slide down her cheek.

Heath put an arm around her shoulder. "Come on mom. Let's go and congratulate her."

She still seemed dazed but she nodded and with that permission, our small private group burst into a loud cheer, gaining the attention of Sarah who looked over at us with a dropped jaw and red rimmed eyes. Alex has his arm around her waist but let her go as we approached for hugs.

"You lot," she sobbed with laughter when I wrapped her thin frame in a smothering hug. "I should have realised something was going on when you all insisted on getting me dolled up."

I made a pssh sound. "I'd do that for the hell of it."

She laughed and I stepped aside to let Heath pull her in for a hug. He ruffled her hair as a big brother does and then Jazz stood before her. She looked small. Like she was curling in on herself. Perhaps we should have warned her about what was going to happen. Sarah smiled, it was confident but I could see her nerves.

We gave them a few feet of space. Alex engaged in conversation with the others who were full of enthusiasm. I could already hear Bray making plans for a bachelor party. Help us all. But I couldn't help but pay attention to Jazz and Sarah. Jazz wiped a tear from her cheek.

"You're so young sweetie," she whispered, taking Sarah's hands in her own. "So young."

"Usually I would agree," Sarah smiled, swiping at her own tears with a roll of her shoulder. "But I'm not on the same timeline as regular girls mom. I'm on borrowed time. I'm sixteen but I might only live until I'm seventeen. That'd be like a someone living a full life and waiting until they're seventy to get married."

Jazz clutched her chest, as if she was struggling to breathe and her sobbing became more desperate but she fought for control.

"I love Alex now mom. I don't get to use the phrase, I've got my whole life ahead of me. I don't. I have now. I have a man that wants to marry me now. Despite the fact that I can't give him a long marriage. He wants me to have that. I don't feel like I've missed out on much in life. But I want this. I want it so bad. I want to feel like a princess for one day."

Jazz pulled her in and held her close and both of them clung on while their tears fell and without even realising, Heath was gently brushing his thumb across mine. I ducked my head low. I hated to break down in front of people. And it wasn't a break down. But it was tears and I refused to let people see those. However, he didn't lift my chin or attempt to talk to me. He just pulled me into his chest and kissed my head.

"I've never seen Sarah happier," his voice was smiling. I smiled. "You're to thank for all of this."

"It came together well."

"You've got a knack for organising events. That's for sure. Who would have thought?"

I laughed and held him tighter. Sand was trickling over my toes as we sunk a little further. "Think she'll let me plan the wedding?"

"Definitely," he nodded, kissing my head again. I watched Alex approach Jazz and Sarah, cautious but confident. But Jazz didn't hesitate to embrace him in a hug. She thanked him. For nothing in particular. But I had a feeling that it was for loving her daughter so unconditionally.

And suddenly, I had the urge to thank her. Thank her for raising her son the same way. He didn't have to tell me. I knew he felt it. She'd done a damn good job with her children. That was for sure.