Present Day

Vivi—being typical annoying Vivi—sends us the longitude and latitude instead of telling us the location. She insists that since Rubies sent her them, we should all figure it out ourselves.

Clarry texted me on the side and asked me to send her the location once I figured it out because she's lazy to punch it into the GPS. On my laptop, I type the numbers and click enter.

Jefferson Diner.

I laugh because it's right in the middle of town and the most obvious place to go to. I text Clarry where and we all meet up for dinner.

At the entrance, I find all their heads sitting at a table. I went late because the hotel I am staying at is a little bit out of town. I take the empty seat at the end next to Em and greet the girls hello.

All of them are laughing, drinking their beers and talking about Ian's party.

"And she left!" Vivi shouts, shaking her head in disbelief. "I didn't think Heather had the balls to just get up in the middle of the night and walk home."

"And leave your front door unlocked." Jules chimes in and Vivi's eyes widen, nodding her head.

"Exactly. Abuela woke me up and told me this little blonde girl snuck out and she thought she was seeing a ghost." She secretly hits her vape from inside her sleeve. "And I said, abuela, no time for these ghost stories. Then boom, I remembered it was Heather!"

We all laugh and I thank the waitress who places my glass down. We all ordered the same beer in a tall, chilled glass that look like they've been sitting in the freezer for years.

"At least you got something. Brennan passed out the moment we got home." Em adds with a sexually frustrated sigh.

The girls begins talking over each other about their sex life. I sit at the end in utter silence, overhearing Jules talking about sleeping with old classmates as a religion. Penny eyes me from across the table and wiggles her brows.

"How about you, Theo?" She asks seductively. All of a sudden, four heads turn and all of them are staring at me with wide eyes.

"No. Way."

"Fucking Ian!"

"Was he good? I always wondered if he was good."

"Tell us Theo!" Clarry shook my shoulder over Em's back and I raise my hand to quiet them down.

"Okay, okay. Yes, I-I slept with Ian."

"And!" They all snap simultaneously and a group at a booth near us turn.

"It was good, I guess. I was a little drunk."

They all mutter and huff out comments of disappointment. I shrug my shoulders and begin playing with the napkin rolled around a fork and knife.

"Did he cook breakfast at least?" Jules questions and they all get quiet again.

I shake my head, "I left in the morning."

Another group of sighs and disbelief echo among their parted lips. I gaze at each and every one of them until I look at Vivi.

"I guess Heather isn't the only one who runs out on people."

"For real, you two might as well hook up." She grunts and I roll my eyes.

The waitress returns to our table and takes our orders. After handing her the menus, they go back talking about some of our classmates. Silently, I stare off into nothing and think about the morning I left Ian's.

"The stop sign." I blurt out randomly. "There wasn't a stop sign and I almost got into an accident."

They pause mid-conversation and turn to me.

"What stop sign?" Jules asks curiously.

"The one off Fentimore and Hendrickson. There wasn't a stop sign."

"Oh yeah, dumbass kids always take them." Em replies as though it's not a big deal.

I glance at them and lick my eyes, "Maybe the town hall should put a new one before someone gets hurt."

"You know this town. They never get anything done." Vivi waves off, returning to her conversation with Penny. Turning to Jules, she grabs her beer and finishes it off without taking a break. Avoiding glaring eyes and leaving mine hanging. 

Eventually, the waitress returns and places all our meals down. We all each in silence and as I eat my wrap, I forgot how good it was.

Vivi wipes her mouth, "So, when I received the email from Rubies of the ridiculous longitude and latitude of this basic diner, she wrote, 4/6." She glances at Clarry and Penny. "Does that make sense to anything?"

Most of us swallow our mouthful and the others wash down their food with some beer.

Penny shrugs, "Mine said 2/6."

"Mine was 3/6." Clarry adds.

Vivi catches our eyes suspiciously, "Who is 1/6 then?"

I pout my bottom lip, "I haven't got anything yet."

"Me either." Em agrees. Jules nods as well since the only girls that did get something are Penny, Clarry and Vivi.

"That's so weird." Vivi takes a bite of her chicken tender.

"Maybe it got lost." Clarry assumes and Vivi raises a brow.

"Well, I feel bad for who doesn't get anything." I frown at the thought of it. Knowing that it can be me because Rubies was someone who meant a lot to me. I let her down and buried her away.

"I get it but why did she even give me the diner? Is she calling me a fatass for one final round?" Vivi mutters, mostly to herself but we all hear.

Em and I giggle and Clarry rolls her eyes.

"We used to go to the diner after the movies that's why." Jules replies with a snort.

"Sorry, I barely remember." Vivi mocks in return as though she knew the reason and Jules responding ticked her off.

After a brief silence, Penny pushes her plate aside and wipes her mouth, "Would you guys like to come to my place after we eat?"

"Sure," I say quickly and they all reply with the same answer.

~*~

We all drive to Penny's house and park on the road. Entering through the fence gate, Penny begins collecting wood and stacking it inside a fire pit. Her mom comes out and greets us, her sweet eyes and smile the same as Penny's.

Penny lights a match and tosses it into the pit. As we all huddle around the fire on chairs and wait for the warmth to cast us into a haze. It is one of the warmer nights of early May and being nestled in sweatpants and a sweatshirt is warm enough.

I listen to the girls talk over the fire burning orange. How the lines around their eyes crinkle and their full lips spew curse words. I admire the way they never changed and never forget where they came from. I should be the one ashamed.

Vivi gawks, "Did you guys see Tessie at Ian's? She is gorgeous."

"I heard she got work done." Clarry says, pretending to inject her lips.

"Whatever, I wish I looked like her everyday. Her body is unreal." She replies, staring into the fire. Although I can't smell jealously coming off her, I can see it with the way her eyes glaze over the smoke.

"I'm sure all the boys are all over her." Em chimes in, crossing her arms over her chest. "I wish they noticed me like that."

"They do," Clarry tells her with a snap. "Since high school Em, all the guys wanted you."

"You're full of yourself." She snaps in disbelief. Clarry jumps in her seat and squeals. She points at me and I go rigid.

"Theo back me up."

I nod once, "Clarry isn't wrong."

Em scoffs almost, in a way that she wants us to tell her how every guy lusted over her in class and on the media.

"I bet she isn't doing much though. Probably stuck here and trying to figure out her life." Clarry announces, still talking about Tessie.

"Hey!" Vivi attacks and Clarry gives her a sorry look.

"Most of us are still here." Penny cracks her knuckles and shakes her leg. Jules pulls out her flask and quietly drinks but no one stops her.

Clarry brushes her fingers through her hair and sighs, "True, if it wasn't for my mom I'd still be here too."

Penny glares into the fire before adding a new log.

"Theo, what'd you be doing if your book never got famous?" Em questions and I am caught off guard. The logs crack and spit out splintered wood with an orange glaze.

I shrug, "I have no idea. Maybe work at a publishing house."

"Sounds like something you'd do. But now you have everything we wish we had." Vivi chimes in with distaste. I glare at her.

"It's not as pretty as you think. It's very stressful and the fact that I can't think of a new story for the past four months is terrifying."

"Like I said. You'll figure it out." Clarry adds in.

We all sit in silence and turn when Jules searches for something in her bag. Penny notices what it is first and leans back in her seat with her eyes dropping in disbelief. Jules tosses her bag to the ground and raises an envelope in her hand.

"What is—" Vivi begins but shuts her mouth when the fire grows and the words on the back are clear.

To Jules

From Rubies

1/6

Jules grip is tight and her knuckles are white. She sighs first without a word before licking her lips and answering, "I don't know what is in here and I've been terrified to open it. I didn't want to tell you guys."

"Jules, what the fuck." Penny breathes aggressively and Vivi rubs her eyes with her fingers.

"Open it!" Clarry insists and Jules eyes grow teary. I think of the night we went to the group counseling and how she sobbed in my arms. Begged me not to go.

"How could you lie?" Em sneers and Jules runs her shaking hand over her forehead. I watch as pores of sweat glisten her face.

"Because I don't know what to expect!" She shrieks in utter fear of confrontation. Em glances at me and I wonder if she's thinking of what I told her about Jules at Ian's party.

"Let me read it." I demand across from her with an extended arm.

Jules stares into my eyes and reads what she wants to know but doesn't. I glare at the envelope gripped between her fingers and keep rereading Rubies handwriting.

"Jules, let Theo read it. It's okay." Penny tells her softly—as though she is a child. Although Penny's body is also rigid with fear.

Jules shakes her head and denies access to the envelope. "I'm afraid."

And drops the envelope into the fire.

~*~