52stories

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Jill ducked into the little market and pretended to examine the juicy nectarines on display. Keeping her ball cap pulled down over her face, she peered over the top of her sunglasses into the flower shop next door. She could see them, Jake, her boyfriend of the past 6 months, and Sara, her supposed best friend, standing together at the counter. She could hear Sara laughing, that cute little fake laugh that guys always seemed to find irresistible. Jill leaned closer over the nectarines, trying to hear what Jake was saying, but her purse slid off her shoulder and into the bin of fruit, spilling nectarines onto the floor. Quickly, she ducked down, trying frantically to stop the cascade before it attracted the attention of the stock boy. She finished just in time to see Jake hand Sara a big bouquet as they turned the corner and disappeared down the street.

“Well, I guess that is that” thought Jill. She had thought that it would be better to know than suspect, but now that her suspicions had been confirmed, she wasn’t so sure. Maybe things would have been simpler if Jake hadn’t left his e-mail open and she accidentally happened to see the e-mail from Sara.

“Do you think she will find out?” the e-mail said. And that was 2 weeks ago. Then this morning when Jake was in the shower, his cell rang. She could see the incoming text message from Sara. “Can’t wait until tonight.” Yeah right. Tonight.

Tonight was Jill’s birthday. She didn’t have any big plans – Jake had said he had to work, but they would celebrate this weekend. She had asked Sara if she wanted to go to dinner, but Sara begged off – saying she had to study. Yeah right. Study.

It was getting close to 5pm now as Jill walked up the alley to the apartment she shared with Jake. She let herself in the front door, glancing at the mail on the table. Bills, a card from her sister, more bills. No Jake. He was working.. after all. Sure.. Working on Sara.

It was such a shame really. Things had been so good with Jake. All she had ever asked of him was one simple thing - Don’t Lie To Me. She never really expected it to last forever. All good things did come to an end, one way or another, seemed like. But Jake didn’t even have the guts to tell her to her face. Did he think she was a fool, that this could really be kept secret? Jill was a lot of thing, but a fool wasn’t one of them.

She walked into the bedroom and went to the closet. In a box in the back, she found what she wanted. Her father gave her that gun when she moved into her first apartment. And he insisted that she know how to use it. When she moved in with Jake, she had put it in the box and stuffed it back in her closet without a second thought. Now she felt the cold weight in her hand again. Such a pity, she sighed. It didn’t have to be like this.

The light was fading as Jill walked up the entrance to Sara’s apartment. Just as she expected, she had passed Jake’s truck parked halfway down the street. She looked up into the second floor window of the apartment. Nothing but shadows, but there was more than one. Her fingers brushed the barrel in her purse. “I wonder what the excuse will be this time?” she thought to herself. Jill climbed the stairs and stood at the apartment door. She could hear music coming from inside. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door, careful to hold her hand over the peephole. No use in giving away the surprise just yet. Jill could hear the fumbling of the lock and the door flew open, revealing a very flustered looking Jake.

“Uh.. Jill?? What are you doing here?” That was the ingenious greeting from her soon-to-be former boyfriend.

“Gee, how original” she commented dryly. She could hear someone else coming down the hall, then Sara’s voice “Jake, who is it?” Jill could just see Sara’s face as she rounded the corner. It was now or never.

Jill pulled the gun from her purse and pulled the trigger over and over again. So many times she lost count. And when it was over, she opened her eyes to survey the damage.

Jack stood there, a look of shock on his face as she stared at his dark blue shirt that was now soaked with the bleach from Jill’s water gun. Multiple streaks of blue ran down the front of his shirt and streaked his jeans, and still he stood there with his mouth open.

“Are you nuts?” Jake sputtered.

“Maybe, but I am definitely not stupid!” Jill shouted. “Did you really think I wouldn’t figure it out?”

“Jill” It was Sara – strangely calm.

“Figure out what?” Jake shouted back “What did you do to my shirt?

“Jill” said Sara again. Louder, but still remarkable calm for someone who has just been caught with her best friend’s guy.

“It’s the least you deserve. I can believe that you.”

“JILL !!!!” This time Sara was yelling. “Look at this!” she pointed down the hall.

Jake moved out of the doorway so Jill could see down the hallway into the apartment. There on the table was the same bouquet from the flower shop. Only there were balloons, lots of balloons. And a banner hanging over the table. “Happy Birthday.”

“Ummm” stammered Jill “What is this?”

“Just what it looks like. A surprise party. “ answered Sara. “What were you thinking?”

“Well, uh, actually.. I KNEW you were planning something, so I decided to surprise you.. So SURPRISE!!” Jill gushed brightly

Jake leaned in closer, cautiously sniffing her breath. “Have you been drinking?”

“Obviously not enough! “ she replied “So let’s get this party started!” She pushed past Jake and into the apartment, making sure to weave just a little as she toddled past him.

Jake closed the door behind her. “And just what DID you do to my shirt?”