Fourteen: Why are you guys so surprised?

*Chloe's POV*

Ding ding ding

I heard my alarm ringing nonstop on my bedside table. I grabbed the clock, turned it off, and continued to sleep.

Ding ding ding

"Chloe, turn it off!" Sherie whines.

Ding ding ding

"Arrgh! I really wanna throw your alarm clock," Alyssa says groggily.

"Hmm?"

Ding ding ding

"Goddammit, Chlo. Turn it off!" I groaned.

"Now!" Alyssa shouted. She sounded annoyed.

"Alright, alright. Jeez," I exhaled heavily.

I lazily open my eyes, grab the clock, and quickly shut it off. I glanced at my side and saw Evelyn and Giel sleeping on the bed with me. I slowly sit up and stretch my arms. To my right, Sherie and Alyssa are sleeping on the floor using my extra foam. Where the hell is Jessie? I groaned, not because Jessie is missing in my room, but my head hurts. I'm having a bad hangover from last night get together.

My friends arrived in the late afternoon, and we started drinking in the evening after we had our dinner. Mending your friend's broken heart is never easy, and I'm glad I have friends who are one call away. Last night was crazy. All of us were drunk and wasted. It's totally worth it. I got to spend time with my college friends for the first time in four years.

I got up, brought my phone with me, and tiptoed my way to the living room. The first thing I notice is my living room is one hell of a mess with plates on the table and bottles of vodka lying on the carpet. I found Jessie sleeping peacefully on the couch. I tap the camera on my phone and snap a photo of Jessie sleeping. I chuckled, looking pleased with the picture. I left the living room and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower.

Minutes later, I got out of the shower wearing my bathrobe, and I saw Jessie already cooking in the kitchen while Evelyn and Shere were sitting in the dining area waiting for the food. I quietly get inside my room since Alyssa and Giel are both sleeping. I quickly changed clothes and went out to help out Jessie preparing breakfast.

"Good morning," I greeted chirpily.

"Someone is in a good mood today," Eve stated while I stuck my tongue out playfully.

"What are you cooking, Jessie?"

"Bacon, Eggs, and Sausage."

"Ohh, greasy food for a hangover," I giggle. I made my way to make myself a cup of coffee, and I noticed the three of them furrowed the brows like something was troubling them. "Hangover?" The three of them groaned in unison while I chuckled, looking amused at them.

"Do you guys want pancakes?"

"Yeah, sure," Jessie says.

"You know how to make it, right?" Sherie asks.

"Of course, I do" I roll my eyes.

"Pancake it is," Eve says.

"Coffee?" I ask.

"Yes, please," Sherie says. "Me too," Eve says. I nodded and glanced at Jessie. "How about you, Jessie?"

"Sure," He says.

"Sherie, you make the coffee," I ordered.

"What? Why me?" She whines. "Well, I'm making pancakes, and you're not doing anything," I argued.

"What about Evelyn? She's also not doing anything?" She argued.

"Eve, go clean and set the table," I ordered. Eve groaned. She got up and followed what I instructed. I glance at Sherie and arch my brows, "What are you waiting for?"

"Okay, okay" she gets up and prepares the coffee.

"Do you guys remember what happened last night?" Sherie asks.

"Vaguely," Eve says.

"I remember Eve was dancing weirdly," Jessie chuckles.

"I actually do have a video of it. Wanna see it?" I grinned, teasing Evelyn more.

"Hell yeah!" Sherie says enthusiastically.

"Don't you dare!" Eve says, glaring at us, and I chuckled.

Minutes later, the pancakes I made are ready to be served.

"Food is ready. Eve, can you wake them up?" Jessie said. Evelyn went to the room and woke Alyssa and Giel. Meanwhile, Jessie and I serve the; bacon, eggs, sausage, coffee, and pancakes on the table. Sherie opens the fridge and grabs the milk, butter, and bread placed on the table.

"Chloe, where can I find the syrup?" Sherie asks. "Pantry cabinet," I said. She finds it and quickly grabs it. We three get settled down on our chairs. A few minutes later, Evelyn, along with Alyssa and Giel, showed up in the dining.

"Thank god! You guys are here. I'm starving," Sherie says.

"Chloe, do you have an aspirin?" Alyssa says in a hoarse voice.

"Eat first. I'll give everyone later," We all started digging our food.

"How many bottles of tequila did we drink last night? Giel asks.

"Two," Sherie says.

"Did you forget? You guys also drink two of my expensive wines," I whine.

"Oh, please! You can buy another one," Alyssa rolled her eyes.

"Well, I didn't buy it. My company did," I exhaled heavily.

We finished our breakfast, and as promised, I gave each of them aspirin for their hangover. Alyssa and Giel were cleaning the table and washing the dishes. Meanwhile, the rest of us were staying in the living room, relaxing.

"Do you guys remember what we talked about last night?" Eve asks.

"Well, you told us what an asshole your ex is," Sherie says.

"How are you?" Jessie asks.

"Still hurting," Eve winced. "but I know I'll be okay... in time," she smiled sadly.

"I remember something," Sherie says, changing the subject.

"What is it?" I ask.

"You," she smirks.

"Huh? Me?" The three of us were looking puzzled.

"You did say something about you and Jaco having dinner together," She stated.

*Flashback*

Some of us were already drunk and wasted. We've already finished two bottles of tequila that Jessie brought with him, and now, they almost finish the last wine my company gifted as a welcoming gift to me.

"Guys, guys. Listen up!" Eve says.

"What?" Alyssa asks. We all look at Eve.

"I want to toast something," she pours wine on her wine glass.

"Go ahead," Sherie says.

"On this day forward, I'll be focusing only on myself, I-I won't cry for my ex, I won't pity myself, I-I won't entertain any negative vibes from my past relationship and move forward with head held high, cheers to that!"

"Cheers!"

"Oh, I also want to make a toast to Chloe," Eve added.

"Hmm?"

"I hope you can finally move on from Jaco, and you can finally find your happiness. I may be drunk right now, and I― know this party is solely about mending my― broken heart, but I know you― you also need this party just much as I need it too. You've been overworking yourself for the past two weeks, maybe four years? To forget the pain you're feeling and you've put on a brave face these past few weeks. It's― it's okay to admit to yourself you're not okay― it's okay to let it out," Evelyn smiled comfortingly.

"Cheers to that!" I raised my glass and swallowed the rest of the wine in my glass with one gulp.

"Ermm, did we miss something?" Sherie asks.

"A few weeks ago, Jaco called and invited me to have dinner with him," I said.

-----

"Earth to Chloe?" Sherie slaps my shoulder.

"Ow!" I glared at her.

"Are you even listening?"

"No, what did you say again?" She rolls her eyes.

"I said, what happened to your dinner date with Jaco?" She says.

"We want details," The four of us glanced at Alyssa and Giel, who are making their way towards us. "Now, spill!" Giel said. The two of them sit comfortably across to where Jessie and I.

I told them every detail of what, when, where, and how we end up having dinner at some fancy restaurant and became friends after. I told them Jaco is planning to propose to his girlfriend, and if Evelyn didn't call that night, I might have broken down in front of him.

"Girl, move o―"

Alyssa got interrupted when the doorbell rang.

Ding dong ding

"Bloody hell! That frightened me," Jessie says as he touches his heart.

"Are you expecting someone?" Giel asks.

"Not that I know," I got up and checked on my intercom, who's in the front door. I click something in the intercom to let me see who's outside at my front door.

I froze.

Ding dong ding

"Chloe, who is it?" Eve asks.

"Why are you not moving?" Alyssa asks, starting to get annoyed.

"Holy shit!" I got startled by Giel's sudden outburst. I didn't notice she came up behind me. We both stared at each other debating, who's going to open the front door.

"What's wrong with you two?" Sherie got up on the couch and approached us curiously about what was happening. She gasps in horror.

"You guys, you might wanna see it," She gestures to the rest of them to come with us where the intercom is. Jessie, Eve and Alyssa mumbled something before they came up behind us.

Ding dong ding

"Why are you guys so surprised?" Alyssa asks, getting impatient.

Sherie pointed to the intercom, and the rest of them looked at the intercom. They all gasped. They look back and forth in the intercom to me and get tongue-tied on what they are seeing.

"You open the door," Giel says.

"No way, I'm not doing it," I whine.

"It's your apartment. You open it!" Eve says.

"I will do it," Jessie volunteered.

"Fine, I'll open it," I walked towards the front door. I stopped for a moment to compose myself and drew a quick breath before opening the door.

I open the door.

"What are you doing here, Jaco?"