Broken Pieces, L. S. [brene brown rising strong .txt] 📗

report I have to pass on Wednesday. I hate rushing things so as much as possible I want all my task to be done the day after it's due date. I went back inside our room, sat on the chair and settled my food on the study table Carter bought for me.

I checked on my phone, it's exactly one in the afternoon, Paris is nine hours behind LA so it's only four in the morning there and Carter might still be sleeping. I'll give him a call before he gets to the office.

I was trying to satisfy my taste buds with the heated mac and cheese when Destiny's Child's Independent Woman filled the room. Since I saw Charlie's Angels a couple of weeks ago with Christy and Brooke this became my favorite song. I glanced on my phone to see who it was, when I saw Brooke's name I answered it right away.

“Bitch, where are you?” she asked.

I think she is outside cause I can hear the noise coming from her background and I can hear Christy too.

“I'm at home, why?” I asked, cocking my eyebrow.

“What time are you planning on coming here? We've been waiting for you for hours.” she sighed in frustration.

Waiting for me? But why? Then I remembered, I agreed to bond with them on the beach today.

“Sorry, it slipped my mind.” I apologized, “And I am kind of cramming on this paper I have due on Monday so. . . can I get a rain check?”

I was biting my lip while waiting for Brooke to answer. I can hear her telling the rest of the group that I am coming so there were lots booing on the other line.

“Do you hear all the frustration over here?” Brooke asked. “Come on Jillian, live a little, your rich hottie boyfriend is not even there so why cram on your school work? Have some fun! Be a teenager sometimes.” she shouted and I can hear the screaming from her end.

She is right though, I am turning nineteen two months from now and I haven't had the chance to enjoy my life being a teenager. Since I got here all I did was study and become Carter's companion all the time. I feel like I am a twenty-nine year old girl stuck in an eighteen year old body. I guess going through a lot results to that.

“So are you coming or not?” I heard Brooke again.

I took a deep breath. I think it's fine if I relax a bit besides I am already exhausted working on my paper all day and lying under the sun getting all tanned is the best way to do that.

“I'm coming, give me an half an hour.”

“Winters is coming whipping off the Summer!!!!” Brooke shouts and the crowd screams.

I laughed. Brooke is a real entertain, whenever you're with her there is no dull moment at all.

“See ya bitch”

“Ya, see you”

Then I turned the phone off. I turned off my laptop and brought my food in the kitchen, I sat on the breakfast bar finishing my meal. For sure there will be beers there and I had to put something on my stomach before having any. If I want to avoid getting drunk and taking advantage off. I talked to Brooke and Christy about what really happened on the beach, we tried to hunt down the guy but apparently he was someone's plus one too so we decided to let it go. Both of them we're sorry and promised to keep an eye on me. So I hang out with them again.

I finish my mac and cheese while typing a text for Carter. He maybe thousand miles away from me but I still want to tell him what I do here while he is away.

Hey, I know you're still in bed but I just want to let you know that I am going down the beach with Brooke and Christy and the rest of the group but I'll be back before you get to work so please ring me. Don't forget your breakfast. Make use of room service. Come home soon, I miss you. - Jill

I hit sent and took my plate on the sink. I washed the dishes and made my way back to the room. I took a quick shower since the heat is killing me and I put on my polka dot blue two-piece bikini Brooke forced me to buy once we were out shopping downtown and a yellow sun dress over it. I blow dry my hair and tied it in a messy bun, no makeup for me since I'll be swimming for sure. I looked for my new flops Christy gave me as his peace offering for leaving at the beach. When I am sure I have everything in my beach bag I shove it in my shoulders and sashay my way downstairs. I pushed Carter's security code to shut everything down then made my way to the garage. The beach is almost twenty minutes away from here so I have to take my Bentley with me. I took the garage remote control from the car compartment and pushed the button to open the garage. I started the engine and drove out of the garage, I stopped for a while and pushed the button again to close the gate and I drove my way to the beach.

The beach is kinda crowded when I got there. Brooke and the rest of the group are on the right side of the place. I can Brooke lying on the sand with red hot chili colored bikini with her head rested on Jake's lap, he's a sophomore in UCLA and a lacrosse player. Are they item now? Well, who knows? When it comes to Brooke and boys, you can never can tell. Beside them was Christy sitting on the beach blanket they laid on the sand, next to her was Stephen, Jake's roommate and teammate and beside him was his girlfriend Kendra and Kendra's friend Meg both are freshmen.

I started going out with them when Brooke celebrated her birthday at the club downtown. She was flirting with this Damien guy who's teammate's are Jake and Stephen, after one night Brooke was done. Damien liked her a lot but was hurt when Brooke became cold and clear that she doesn't want anything to do with him so the rest of the guys still hang out with us but Damien looked for a different crowd to hang out with. All of them are nice to me, they're all friendly and kind of protective.

Carter knew the people I spend time with, he knew them from Brooke's party, he picked me up at midnight and stayed for a while. I was surprised cause he liked them and he was okay if I hang out with them.

Kendra saw me first as I was walking my way to them and waived her hand out to me. I waived back.

“You made it,” Kendra's high pitch voice greeted me.

I smiled at her and scooted near Christy.

“Who wants to get murdered by Brooke, right?” I joked.

Everyone laughed. I sat beside Christy while Brooke shook his head.

“You promised, so you need to fulfill it whether you like it or you like it.” Brooke blurted out.

I laughed and Stephen offered me a beer and I gladly took one. For the past months I have spent here in LA and with these people I started to learn the do's and don’ts when drinking. I've practically learned my lessons and I am glad that I kind of opened up with them again. I am tired of isolating myself from the others cause I am keeping some sort of a secret. Stephen invited Kendra to go swimming, she agreed as well as Meg, Brooke and Jake. Christy and I were left there.

“How's Carter?” she asked.

I lied on the blanket not taking my sun dress and sun glasses off. The heat of the sun is relaxing and this is way better than to cram with my school work.

“He's good, I guess. It's still dawn in Paris so he hasn't called me yet but I left him a text.” I answered.

She nodded.

“Good then.”

When Christy found out about what happened to me at the party she became uber-protective of me. She wants to make sure I am safe at all times, one thing that Carter liked about her.

“Isn't Johnny coming here today?” I asked, referring to her long time boyfriend.

She took a deep breath. I know something is up cause she has been quiet for the past couple of days but I am having second thoughts to ask. I only met Johnny a couple of times since I met Christy and he is a firm man I can say.

She looked at me with sad wondering eyes.

“You wanna talk about it?” I asked hesitantly.

She tightly closed her eyes and took another deep breath.

“I think Johnny wants a way out” she said sadly as she opens her eyes.

I looked at her but she doesn't meet my gaze. Hey eyes are staring straight at the beach. I don't know what to tell her. I haven't been in this situation in my life when someone close to me is going through a tough time with their love lives.

“I noticed that whenever I was trying to meet him or I plan something for us he is always making some excuses on how he cannot make it. I think he is cheating on me but I am not sure,” she told me.

Johnny is studying in University of Southern California and Christy has been dating him since high school.

“I think he is screwing some girl,” she added.

She was smiling, actually she was smirking and I can feel the bitterness and hurt in her voice.

“How do you know that?” I asked.

“Last night, I went to his dorm to surprise him,” she started. “But he was in the shower when I got there and I saw his phone on the table so I took the chance and opened it, he hasn't changed the code on so I was able to go through his messages” she closed her eyes again, this time she is trying to keep her tears from falling. “. . . There was this girl, her name is Amanda and he was asking her if she likes the flowers and the chocolates.”

She looked down and pulled her knees into a hug. She was sobbing and I suddenly didn't want to do next.

“He never gave me flowers for the past three years that we've been together and now he is giving some girl things he never bothered to give me.” she sobs with so much pain.

I sat up and pulled her into a hug. I never saw Christy like this. When it comes to relationships, among the three of us, Christy has always been the one who was certain about Johnny. Until now I am still trying to figure out my feeling about Carter and Brooke well, she is Brooke no questions asked. But Christy and Johnny were inseparable with each other.

She pulled herself out of my embrace and wiped her tears.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to vent on you, you came here to have fun but I am ruining the day feeling miserable.”

“No, don't be like that. I am glad that you think of me as someone you can talk to about Johnny and I appreciate that,” I told her as I ran my fingers on her hair. “I know I am very inexperience when it comes to relationships, but I think you should talk to Johnny first to clear things out.” I suggest.          

She nodded.

“I'll do that, thanks Jill,”

“Anytime,” I smiled. “Wanna go swimming?”

“Yeah,”

Then I helped her get up and we ran our way to the water.

 

 

I spent the next couple of hours on the beach, soaking myself under the sun but after three cans of beer and when the sun is finally setting I said my goodbye to the group. Carter sent me an e-mail that he will