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A/N Sorry for my really long disappearance but I'm back now and will hopefully be able to deliver lot's of updates thank you a lot for all the support I love you guys! <3

Jade drove Lita back home after their conversation, and a sense of regret crept over her as they approached her house. As she glimpsed into her driveway, the sight of her mother's and Charlie's cars gave her a sense of unease. She knew all too well what awaited her. "Well, this should be fun," she muttered to herself.

Upon pushing open the front door, Lita was met with the scene she had anticipated. The air inside the house felt heavy with tension, and an ominous quiet hung in the atmosphere. Her mother sat at the kitchen table, her once immaculate appearance now disheveled, wearing the usual disdainful look. The stench of alcohol lingered in the air, and the chaotic state of the house resembled the aftermath of a storm.

"You missed it," her mother's words were slurred, and she sat in a position that seemed awfully uncomfortable. Her hair was a mess, and the disarrayed living room suggested a turbulent night. Lita took a hesitant breath and stepped inside.

"I was with–"

"Jade, I know," her mother interrupted, nodding with a drunken giggle. "Wanna know something funny?" she asked. Lita, unsure of what to expect, shrugged with indifference.

"I got a little text...from someone we both know! Guess who." Her mother's words stumbled through the haze of her intoxication.

Lita shrugged once more. "Jade's mom!" her mother announced before erupting into laughter. "And you wanna know what she told me...she said my daughter! Kissed her daughter," she continued before loudly cackling. "How dare she! Right, hun? So I told her my daughter is not some slut!" Her mother's speech slurred as she continued, "Unless..." she stood up, swaying, and walked closer to Lita. The smell of alcohol easily wafted off her breath as she spoke. "Unless you are? Are you some sluttish dyke, Lita!?"

"Mom!" Lita exclaimed, her brows furrowing. "What!?" her mother yelled back. "You can't say that!"

"Oh, shut the fuck up! You and all these other kids with their rainbow flags, thinking they're better than us." She walked around to the kitchen countertops, grabbed another beer, swiftly opened it, and took a swig. "It's a fucking mental illness!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Lita yelled. Her mom began to chuckle. "Oh...now where did this courage come from?" she asked.

Lita looked her mother in the eyes. She wanted to dismiss these words as drunken ramblings, but maybe it was true that drunken words were just sober thoughts.

In anger, Lita attempted to leave but felt a hand pull her back. "Let go of me!" she yelled, pushing her mother back, sending her stumbling into the metal handle on one of the drawers. Her eyes widened as her mother clutched the back of her head, seemingly now sobered up.

"What the fuck!?" she yelled in anger. Suddenly, out came rushing Charlie to see Lita stood above her mother, who sat clutching the back of her head, blood now trickling down her arm.

"What's going on?" He yelled in anger, instantly coming down to Maria's side, giving Lita a wide-eyed look. Her mother merely groaned in pain. "I-I didn't mean to-"

"She knew exactly what she was doing..." Her mother said through tears before leaning into Charlie, sobbing.

"She knew exactly what she was doing..." Her mother's tearful admission hung heavy in the air as she leaned into Charlie, seeking solace.

"You're unbelievable!" Lita's frustration erupted into a sharp retort. "Lita, please, just go to your room," Charlie interjected, his voice tinged with disappointment as he comforted her mother.

With a heavy heart, Lita retreated to her room. As she closed the door behind her, her phone buzzed with a message from her father: 'Mateo's surgery is tomorrow. Wish him luck.' Despite the turmoil of the evening, a small smile tugged at Lita's lips at the thought of her brother. Yet, the weight of her mother's behavior lingered, a stark reminder of the turmoil within their family.

A knock interrupted her thoughts, and Bella's voice filtered through the door, full of concern. "Lita, it's me, Bella. Are you alright?" Lita sighed, unlocking the door to find Bella's sympathetic smile waiting for her.

"Not my greatest day," Lita admitted with a sad smile. "I'm not great at comforting people, but... why don't we just binge-watch some movies in my room for the night? It might take your mind off of it," Bella suggested, offering a small but genuine gesture of support.

Lita's smile grew warmer. "Yeah... that'd be nice."

Bella set up her laptop and turned on '27 Dresses'. Lita was surprised by Bella's choice of movie, but she appreciated the distraction nonetheless. As they settled in to watch, the comfort of friendship began to ease the weight of the evening's events.

The next morning, the pair woke up in Bella's bed, the sunlight flickering on causing them to groan and bury their heads deeper into Bella's mountain of pillows. The weight of the upcoming event pressed on Lita's chest, a mix of anxiety and resentment clouding her thoughts.

"Quick girls, get up! Lita, your mother's already at the venue getting ready, same with Charlie. Hurry up before we're late!" Lena's voice echoed, rushing them up.

"Okay, okay! We're coming!" Lita said, her voice tinged with reluctance, while Bella simply groaned tiredly into her pillow. After finally managing to get up, the pair dressed in their proper attire and headed downstairs. As Lita followed Bella down the stairs, a knot of tension twisted in her stomach, anticipation mingled with dread for the day ahead.

"My mom didn't make you a bridesmaid?" Lita asked, attempting to break the tension, though her voice came out strained. Bella shook her head, her eyes avoiding Lita's gaze. "We're not really close like that... or at all," she admitted, a hint of sadness coloring her tone. Lita's heart sank at Bella's words, a pang of empathy surging through her amidst her own turmoil.

"Yeah, I'm just as surprised as you are..." Lita said with a shrug, trying to brush off the disappointment. "You two look gorgeous," Lena exclaimed, her words slicing through the heavy atmosphere, momentarily lifting Lita's spirits. But the weight of her mother's disapproval still hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the supposed joyous occasion.

"Don't be surprised if your mother is jealous," Lena joked, attempting to inject some levity into the situation, yet Lita couldn't muster more than a forced smile, the tension coiling tighter with each passing moment.

"Okay... let's go," Lena said, her voice urging them forward as they stepped outside. The chilly morning air brushed against Lita's skin, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within her. The drive to the venue felt like an eternity, each passing moment stretching her nerves thinner until they felt ready to snap.

Upon arriving at the venue, Lita's eyes widened at the sight of the elaborate decorations, a sea of vibrant colors and blooming flowers that seemed to mock her inner turmoil. "Wow... that's a lot of flowers," Bella said awkwardly, echoing Lita's own thoughts. "I guess my mom looks in a lot of catalogs," Lita replied, her voice tinged with bitterness, the extravagant display only serving to highlight her mother's penchant for ostentation.

"Let's get this bullshit over with," Lena said, her words cutting through the tension as they made their way towards the bustling venue. The air hummed with anticipation, yet for Lita, it felt more like a suffocating weight pressing down on her chest.

The seating area was crowded with familiar and unfamiliar faces, each one a reminder of the fractured relationships and unresolved tensions that lurked beneath the surface. Lita forced a smile as some people waved at her awkwardly, her mind already drifting towards the inevitable confrontation that awaited her.

She was surprised to see Jade here, especially after what her mother had told her last night. Jade's presence only served to stir up a fresh wave of resentment within Lita, the betrayal cutting deeper than she cared to admit.

Jade quickly walked over to her, an alarmed look on her face. "My mom told me what she texted your mom. I'm so sorry!" she said, her words rushing out in a torrent. "How'd your mom even find out–" Lita said in confusion before Jade cut her off, her voice tinged with remorse.

"I told her... I'm sorry, I was trying to come out to her and... she just yelled at me and asked why I would think that and– I'm just really sorry, are you mad at me?" Jade asked, her brows furrowed in worry.

"Angry? No, no, I swear I'm not, don't worry..." Jade nodded before hugging her, though the gesture offered little solace amidst the turmoil raging within Lita's heart. "Thank you... you're a great friend," Jade murmured, her voice tinged with a mixture of gratitude and sorrow.

"I know," Lita said, causing Jade to laugh before releasing her. However, her relief was short-lived as Paul's arm wrapped around her. "Hey, Lita," Paul greeted, nodding to her, while Jade shot Lita a wide-eyed look.

"Uh, hey," Lita responded with an awkward smile. She wondered if Jade had said something to Paul, but apparently not, as he continued, "Your mom did a good job."

"Yeah, well, she tried... You don't have to lie; everyone knows there are too many flowers," Lita quipped, earning a chuckle from Paul.

"Good, 'cause I'm not a great liar," Paul replied with a sigh. Jade's loud laughter drew an awkward glance from Paul as he removed his arm from around her. "You all good?" he asked, shifting his attention to Jade.

"What, me? I'm great," Jade shrugged, seeking Lita's support with a glance. Lita shook her head slightly. "I just need a drink," Jade added before brushing past him.

Turning his gaze to Lita, Paul asked, "Did I do something?"

Lita shrugged again. "Not that I know of... She's probably just tired," she offered, her own discomfort rising as the awkward tension lingered.

Before any further conversation could unfold, Jacob's voice interrupted. "Hey, Lita... Paul," he greeted, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. However, instead of acknowledging Jacob, Paul simply stared at where his arm was, then abruptly walked off in search of Jade. "What a weirdo," Jacob sighed, releasing Lita and turning his attention to her attire.

"Wow, you look... disgusting in this," Jacob joked, his teasing softened by a genuine smile. Lita playfully pushed him, laughing. "I'm just kidding; you look really pretty," Jacob quickly added, noticing her slight blush. "You look alright, I guess," he teased further, earning an eye roll from Lita.

As the banter continued, Quil made a flamboyant entrance in a floral suit. "Whoa, what the hell are you wearing?" Jacob exclaimed with a laugh.

Quil, unfazed, replied, "A suit," with a grin. Lita couldn't help but comment, "Oh, honey, I think someone died in that."

"Actually someone did for your information. It's my grandpa's, he wore it to his funeral, pretty hot right?" He asked doing a little spin.

"That is the most horrendous outfit ever." Embry suddenly said coming up behind Quil

"Who made you the king of fashion?" Quil asked, sounding annoyed.

"No one, yet I still dress better than you." Embry said with a shrug.

"You guys are all just jealous of my vintage fashion style." Quil said, folding his arms "Yeah sure." Jacob said with a laugh.

"That's not vintage–" Lita started but Embry patted her shoulder shaking his head "Just let him be delusional."

"I'm not delusional!" Quil exclaimed, Embry laughed before putting his arm around Quil's shoulder and guiding him away "You need a drink buddy." Turning back to Lita, Jacob changed the subject. "So, where are you sitting?" he inquired, gesturing toward the gathering crowd.

Lita sighed. "Actually, I'm a bridesmaid, so no sitting for me," she replied, feeling a mix of pride and apprehension about her role.

"Damn, that sucks... Hope their vows aren't too long," Jacob remarked sympathetically.

With a knowing smile, Lita replied, "Knowing my mother, my legs will ache by the time she finishes."

Jacob chuckled loudly. "I'm gonna go find my dad, but we'll talk later," he said, causing Lita to nod in agreement, grateful for the distraction.