Author's Note:
Hi guys! I'm back! And very sorry that I haven't updated in a looong time, I've been pretty occupied with my others stories. But I'm back now and determined to finish off this story, or get another chapter done at least. And on another note...I HAVE 112 REVIEWS! I've never had triple-digits on a story before, so this is like, amazing for me. And I have you dudes and duettes to thank! So thank you soooo much for all the reviews, they mean so much to me.
Anyway, enough with my excitement. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and please review, follow, or favourite if you can. ;)
~...~...~...June 21st, 1997...~...~...~
~...Grace's Apartment ...~
"What about this one?" Jade asked me, staring at herself in the body-length mirror.
"That's nice." I muttered, flipping the pages of the magazine.
"You said that about the last one." She whined. I rolled my eyes.
It was the day of our graduation and Jade wanted my help in picking out an outfit. There was party afterwards at some random high-schooler's house, which we were attending of course, so Jade wanted to look her best. But as much as I loved the girl, she really knew how to take her time. Everything she chose was great, but she seemed very indecisive about it all. Even if I said it was amazing, she'd find something wrong with the dress. It was either too short, too long, made her ass look big, or showed too much cleavage. There was no winning with her.
"That's because the last one was nice too, and the one before that, then the one before that,"
"Okay, okay, I see your point!" She exclaimed, cutting me off as she narrowed her eyes.
"Jade I'm being serious, you look great in anything." I sighed, tilting my head.
The blonde turned to stare at herself in the mirror again, smoothing down the body-hugging navy-blue dress she wore. It looked good on her, but I knew like the twenty dresses before, it'd just wind up back in her suitcase.
"Easy for you to say," She grumbled. "You look good in just about anything, and you already know what you're wearing."
"Why don't we come back here after the ceremony? No one's gonna see what you're wearing under the robes anyway."
"That's not the point! I'll know I look good under the baggy clothes, which will make me more confident. If I don't feel confident I could fall down on the stage, or flake out or something!"
I sighed and shook my head at her over-exaggeration, looking back down at the slightly-boring magazine I'd been reading. Jade would go no matter what, it was just how she worked. She'd freak out about what she wore, claim she wasn't going, then would find an outfit about half an hour later and ask why she hadn't tried it on in the first place, when really she'd already tried the outfit. Jade was a little weird like that, but I loved her either way.
"I love you Jade but sometimes you just whine too much." I told her, smiling as her jaw dropped in disbelief.
"I do not!" She exclaimed, glaring back at me. "I just have different opinions on different things. Anyway, is your mom going?"
I shook my head. "Nope."
"Are you serious?"
"Yup."
"Well, why aren't your parents going?!"
"I don't know," I shrugged. "I guess they already had one child graduate that another one wouldn't be any different. As long as I bring the cap home to them to put up on the wall they're fine, and so am I. I don't care if they don't show, I'd rather they didn't anyway, graduating isn't that important to me so why should it be to them? I'm a little ashamed of my family, I'd rather they just stay out of my life."
"Grace," Jade sighed, moving to sit next to me on the bed. "Someone has to go, you're only gonna graduate once in your life. I mean, I'm ashamed of my family too but they're all going, and I'm glad they are. You should at least invite one person you like, just for support or something."
I tilted my head at her, rolling my eyes slightly. "There is no one to invite Jade, and I'm honestly fine with that. Just let it go, please."
"Fine." She groaned, throwing her head back in annoyance while she got to her feet. "Okay, what about this one."
~...~...~...After the Graduation...~...~...~
As I made my way home with a slightly-tipsy Jade, I wasn't exactly sure what to think anymore. I'd finally finished school. I'd always known I would, and with good grades, but I hadn't expected to be where I was right now. I mean, I'd moved out of the beautiful big suburb house with the superficial family, and decided to live with my Aunt in her inner city apartment. I'd gone out with an older Irish guy, successfully messed him up for life, probably. But in a weird, and pretty sick way, I felt good. Because if it hadn't of been for Camille's plan, I wouldn't have gone to that bar, wouldn't have talked to Connor or the other two, and probably would've carried on being my big sisters slave; But I wasn't.
I hadn't seen any of the boys in months, not since the last time Connor came by anyway. And to be honest, I kind'a missed the trio. They'd been funny, charming, and so easy to talk to. Plus, they didn't know my real age back then, so they didn't have me pegged down as a 'little girl'. I was myself around them, much like I was with Jade. But they had to move on now, and so did I.
"You know I love you, right?" Jade drunkenly asked me, resting her head on my shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah I do." I giggled, keeping her upright.
"A...and we're gonna be BFF's for life. You know that too, right?"
"Yeah I do."
"Cause we're soulmates!" She yelled out the last part and I flinched, smiling in amusement as I attempted to shush her. It was pretty late, since she'd insisted on grabbing some drinks from the after-party, and I was pretty sure most of Boston didn't want their sleep disturbed by a drunk eighteen year old girl.
"You're so lucky you're staying over mine tonight." I told her, lightly shaking my head.
"C...can we have - hiccup - ice cream?"
"Sure."
"W...with chocolate sprinkles?"
Okay, so she was a little more than tipsy. But I was used to dealing with drunk girls, but unlike Camille, I knew Jade wouldn't ever use me for that.
"If you want." I nodded, eager to get her home faster.
We finally reached the closed pet store, and the apartment door right next to it. I gently lowered Jade down onto the steps, knowing that I'd need both hands to fish out my key - especially since there was no light. But when Jade sat, a rustling sound filled the air, like she'd sat down on cardboard or something. I ignored it for now, and finally managed to get my key into the hole. And, after turning on the light, I pulled Jade to her feet and got her into the apartment, dropping her onto the couch.
"I don't feel so good." She moaned.
I smiled and rolled my eyes, taking off her shoes. Jade sighed at the feeling of relief and I quickly grabbed the sleeping bag she'd brought, throwing it over her. She immediately snuggled into the warmth, resting her head on one of my Aunts cushions. I quickly grabbed the small bathroom bin and put it down next to the couch, knowing she'd need it tomorrow. And, when I was completely satisfied that my friend was okay, I headed back down the stairs, intent on finding out what the noise was.
The source of the noise, it seemed, had been a medium-sized brown box. Obviously it was dented and wrinkled, with Jade having sat on it. So I quickly came back into the apartment, where it was a lot lighter, and carried the box upstairs. Jade was sound asleep when I came back up, curled up inside her sleeping bag. I giggled and shook my head, instead moving to sit on the armchair while I opened the box.
I'd turned the lamp lights down to a dim light, making it easier for Jade to sleep, but I could still see the contents of the box as I lifted the lid. Whatever was inside was brown, and a soft fabric. A folded up note had been placed on top of whatever the garment was, so I unfolded it, crossing my legs as I got into a more comfortable position on the arm chair.
Gracie,
Sorry we missed your graduation, hopefully this will make up for it.
I narrowed my eyes in confusion. The letter hadn't been signed, so who sent it?. Maybe it'd been my parents, but I had to immediately scoff at that thought, knowing they'd most likely disowned me at this point. I knew it definitely wasn't Camille, and my Aunt had given me my gift this morning - a gorgeous silver and green charm bracelet. So, in that moment, I really couldn't decide who'd sent it. But, as I placed the note down onto the coffee table, and lifted the garment out of the box, I knew who'd sent it.
"Momma I don't wanna go to school." Jade muttered, obviously getting back into the habit of sleep talking.
I smiled in amusement and stood from the armchair, taking the note, the box, and the piece of clothing into my bedroom. Aunt Belle had gone out for the night, deciding to make herself scarce so that Jade and I could have a good time here. Though she probably should've just stayed, at least then it would've given me someone to talk to about this. Jade would know in the morning, but until then, I decided to fold up the long brown sweater and put it in my drawer, leaving the note on the nightstand before heading back into the living room.
Author's Note;
Hi guys! So, this was the last ever chapter of 'Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive'. i really hope you guys enjoyed it, and I'm sorry I couldn't make the last chapter more exciting or something. There may be a sequel, depending on how I feel about it. But I'm super glad you all liked this story, and thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favourited, it means everything. Anyway, thanks again! - BlueEyesXoX