Author's Note: Here's Chapter Two as promised! Hope you all enjoy! As Always, Read/Enjoy/Review!
Chapter Two: Just Say No
" Sometimes, just saying no is the safest bet."-Anonymous.
" Tate, Tate I swear to God, if you don't stop singing that stupid song…."
I groan as Chase's voice breaks through my happy haze of sleep.
" Seventy six bottles of beer on the wall…seventy six bottles of beer…."
" Tate, shut up!" I whine sitting up trying to blink my eyes clear against surprisingly white skies, " Snow! Oh my God its snow! Stop the car! Stop the car!"
I waste no time in jumping out, paying no mind to the fact that I'm wearing no jacket and it's freezing cold. I spin around giddily as big puffy white flakes fall over me, lifting my face to the sky.
" Brae, its freezing out here," Chase says crossing his arms over his chest.
" I don't care. Its snow! Chase its snow!" I cry happily and I don't think I about it, I boost myself up wrapping arms and legs around him sending us both tumbling into the piles of snow.
Evangeline's POV
" Why is Tate stopping?" Mark asks looking in the rearview mirror and I turn and smile shaking my head when I see the black SUV behind us stopping.
" Brae must be awake and saw the snow," I say and when I see Brae, no jacket on of course, launch herself from the back seat into the cold February morning I can't help but grin.
" Well, she isn't going to have all the fun by herself," Carson says as soon as the car is stopped and safely parked on the turn off and he climbs out of the car.
" You coming?" Mark asks and I smile nodding my head.
" In a minute. Have a phone call to make."
" Evy, I know you said that you and Jared know what your doing with, well, you know Brae's surprise," he says biting his lip nervously, " I just, I don't think I understand."
" You will. When you see. Now go, save me a snow ball," I say and when I see Mark walking towards where a snowball fight has started I pull my phone out.
" I miss you, I miss you, I miss you. Cant talk long. Just one answer. Did it work?" I murmur into my phone.
" Yes."
" Yes. Okay, good. See you soon." I hang up my phone and with a small sigh of satisfaction I hop out and join my friends in the snow.
Braelyn's POV
I shiver viciously as I sit in the back seat trying desperately to get as close to the warm air that blows through the vents.
" Shh…should have thought the whole playing in the snow thing through," I manage to say through chattering teeth.
" Your clothes are in the back. Change Brae before you catch a cold," Chase says and I shake my head.
" Like I'm going to take my clothes off with you and Tate in the car," I hiss shivering harder.
" I wont look, and neither will Tate. Will you Tate?" he says and I see the boyish and mischievous grin that forms of Tate's lips.
" Nope. Sure wont," Tate promises and to make it clear that neither Tate or himself will look Chase leans forward so he's wedged between the driver and passenger seat blocking the rearview mirror.
" Okay. Fine," I mutter quickly choosing a dry pair of jeans and shirt from my bag.
So here's what I've learned. Peeling yourself out of freezing cold, snow covered clothes in a moving vehicle is not as easy as one would think.
" Are you done yet?" Tate asks from behind the wheel, and he chuckles as curse words flow out of my mouth, " I'm going to take that as a no."
" You try taking soaking wet clothes off in a car," I say as I drag my dry jeans up legs numb from the cold.
" I wouldn't have a problem getting the clothes off you, ouch fuck Chase, what the hell?" I laugh when I see Tate rubbing a hand over his head.
" You don't talk to Brae like that."
" Sorry, damn. No worries, I'm not trying to steal your woman or anything, geeze."
" She's not my woman. You just don't talk to any woman that way," Chase says and I tap his shoulder telling him wordlessly that he can turn move now.
" Whatever. Oh hey look, we're here," Tate says and I press my face to the window taking in the home that will be ours for the weekend.
" Oh, my, God," I say breathlessly and before I can start gushing on the beauty of the house the flash of a familiar car stops me, " I know that car. That's Jared's car. What is Jared's car doing here?"
I bounce from the car and run towards the black Escalade Hybrid looking into it.
" Evy, why is Jared's car here?" I demand when Evy strolls over the driveway towards me.
" Uhm, maybe because…"
" Because I wouldn't miss my pseudo sister's birthday that's why!" Jared's voice calls from above me and I look up, grinning when I see him leaning against the railing of the balcony.
" Oh my God!" I let out a scream and race to the front door pushing it open, and I stop. Dead in my tracks as I am met with a familiar face, and far too familiar blue eyes.
" What, what are you doing here?"
" Happy Birthday Brae."
Evangeline's POV
" Evangeline Bailey Mason!" Brae screams my name and I wince as I step into the house, and I see the lost look in Tyson's eyes as he runs his hand through his hair.
" Hey Tyson," I say and Brae whirls around to look at me, a look of complete and utter fury crossing her face.
" Why Is he here?" Brae demands, and I shrug my shoulders suddenly feeling completely uncomfortable under the watchful eyes of my friends and boyfriends.
" I just. Look, we talked and.."
" You've been talking to him? Seriously? After everything, after all the nights you stayed with me while I cried, and you've been talking to him behind my back!" she screams, and I feel a very real sense of distress when I see her eyes cloud.
" Brae, I just, I thought," I say, but she holds a hand up silencing me.
" I don't need you to think for me Evangeline. If I wanted him here, I would have asked him here. This is, unbelievable."
I watch her as she stalks off suitcase bouncing behind her, and I know I've royally fucked up.
" This is ridiculous Jared! My first real weekend with you in months and I cant stop crying because my best friend is CHILDISH!" I scream, emphasizing the last word knowing full well that Brae, whose room is right next to mine can hear everything being said.
" Well MAYBE if my BEST FRIEND wasn't so INSISTENT on BUTTING IN where she shouldn't be, SHE wouldn't be CRYING!" Brae screams back and I pick up the closest thing to me and throw it at the wall.
" That was my cell phone you know," Jared says and I turn to look at him, breaking down even more.
" Well great that's just fucking fantastic! Now I wont be able to talk to you anymore," I cry harder into Jared's shoulder.
" Oh poor BABY!"
" SHUT UP!"
" YOU SHUT UP!"
" CHILDISH BRAT!"
" BACKSTABBING BITCH!"
" SCREW YOU!"
" SCREW YOU!"
" OH, SURE COPY ME!"
When Brae doesn't scream back, I think I've won it, and any second she'll be storming in so we can get over this little tiff and try to salvage the weekend.
" EVY! She's leaving!" Mark's voice calls through the closed door and I fly to open it.
" THE FUCK SHE IS!" I roar pulling the door open just in time to see Brae, suitcase in hand storming down the hall towards the stairs.
Braelyn's POV
" THE FUCK SHE IS!" I hear Evangeline yell behind me and I continue walking, having completely made up mind that as long as Tyson is under this roof I wont be, " BRAELYN RILEY MERCIER DROP THE SUITCASE NOW!"
" NO!" I yell not the least bit surprised when I'm jerked back, " Let. Go. Of. My. Bag."
" No! You aren't going to leave! You don't get to run away!"
" I wouldn't have to if YOU didn't go behind my back! What where you thinking?" I demand turning to look at her, furious.
Furious that it bothers me so much.
Furious that seeing Tyson still stirs something.
Furious that I'm crying because I am so furious.
" I'm sorry! Okay! Is that what you want to hear? I'm sorry. I just, I thought that you were ready, that it would be okay. I'm sorry."
" I'm not ready okay! I'm not. It still kills me every single day! Is that what you want to hear Evy? Do I have to spell it out to you that I'm not okay? That it doesn't hurt me that I was so close to having what I've always wanted only to find out that it was all a lie, that he broke me completely?" I ask, fully aware that everyone is watching.
Everyone including Tyson.
" Why did it have to be now? When I'm just starting to believe that I'll be okay again. Why now?"
" Brae, I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Evangeline says her own eyes flooding as she hugs me.
" I know you were just trying to do something sweet, but next time you think it's a good idea to include Tyson in anything, just say no," I whisper in her ear, and she laughs just a little.
" I will. I'm sorry."
" I know."
" Uhm, not to rush you girls making up and what not, but we have a problem. This was supposed to be a four bedroom house, and its three, so how are we going to have the sleeping arrangements?" Chase asks looking at all of us.
" If its not one thing its another," Evy and I say at the same time giggling all over ourselves.