Forced to Marry My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter 4

Jenni could not believe that she was standing there looking at Phoebe Granger. This woman and her brother had made her life a living hell after her parents died. She had transferred to a new school that was closer to the O'Connors and the kids at that school were awful. She never told them about it because she already felt like they had been doing so much for her and her brother and she didn't want to seem like she was complaining. Teasing was a normal part of school, right? Phoebe and her brother had tormented her from the time she transferred there in sixth grade until they got sent to some boarding school in Europe in eleventh grade. They made fun of her for losing her parents, for having a monster for a brother, for being an orphan who was a charity case. One time, Phoebe even had her brother hold her down while she cut her hair off.

"Hi I'm Phoebe, I've heard so much about you and your brother." Was this b***h really going to act like she didn't know who Jenni was? Maybe she didn't recognize her but there was no way that she wouldn't have known James. Unless, maybe James had never actually met her and right now, she looked back at her brother who had shoved himself into the corner of the table so the darkness concealed his face. Maybe she hadn't seen him before tonight.

Either way, there was absolutely no way she was going to make nice with this woman. If it had just been her that would be one thing but she said awful stuff about her parents and her brother and that, she would never let go. She stood there staring at her hand a little longer before Shawn cleared his throat, "Um Jenni you gonna say hi or what, you're being kind of weird there kid."

She scoffed at him, she wasn't a f*****g kid. "Actually, Phoebe we've met before. You must just not recognize me, I'm Jennifer Gray, we went to school together."

"Oh s**t, is this Phoebe from Clearview Prep, thee Phoebe?" Bianca asked with a slight bite to her words.

"Sure is." Jenni replied.

Phoebe c****d her head and looked at her for another moment before her eyes widened in disbelief and she looked over her shoulder at her brother. "Don't f*****g look at him" Jenni snarled at her.

"Ok, will someone please tell me what the hell is going on? Jenni you're being a brat just because what? You met Phoebe before and she doesn't remember you. It's no reason to act like a bitch."

"Hey" James called from the corner, "Cool it Shawn, it's her birthday and she's had a bit to drink. Jenni, don't be rude."

"She has every right to be rude to this bitch." Bianca said. She had told Bianca about Phoebe once when they were trading high school stories. And being the best friend that she is, Bianca hated her before she ever even knew her.

"And why the f**k is that?" Shawn asked rounding on Bianca and moving Phoebe slightly behind him. She still just stood there shocked at the development and Jenni couldn't help but wonder how she hadn't put this together. Phoebe knew she had lived with the O'Connors after her parents had passed. How did she not realize that would mean Shawn was a part of her life?

"Hey, leave her out of this she's just being a good friend which is more than I can say for you." Jenni practically yelled at Shawn. She was feeling the affects of the wine swimming through her veins. "Your little girlfriend back there made my life a living hell when we were at school together, so I don't care how rude I'm being I don't want her here. I don't want her anywhere near me for my birthday night."

"What the f**k are you talking about, Phoebe went to boarding school in Europe."

"Yeah for two years of high school, the most glorious two years of my life. Before that, she was at Clearview Prep and she was the f*****g queen b***h that made this poor little orphan girl's life miserable."

"Look" Phoebe said moving from behind Shawn just a little bit, "I was a different person back then and I'm really sorry if I was mean to you. You know how high school can be, eat or be eaten, I was just trying to make sure my brother and I were safe there from everyone else and I'm sorry that you got caught in the crossfire." Was she kidding her with this lame ass apology? Shawn looked down at her and smiled like the sun shone out of her ass, she was going to be sick.

"See kiddo, she's being the bigger person and apologizing. Now can we go on with our night please?"

Jenni laughed out loud, she laughed so hard tears were streaming down her face. She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or if she had finally cracked meeting Shawn's new girlfriend and finding out exactly who she was. "No, we cannot just go on with our night. I do not accept her apology and I do not have to. That half-assed apology in no way makes up for five years of tormenting me. For the physical and mental abuse her and her brother put me through. Do you know that she once had her brother hold me down while she cut all my hair off, or that she used to tease me about losing my parents and being a charity case orphan." She wouldn't bring up the s**t she had said about James because it wasn't true and he didn't need to hear that right now.

"What the f**k" James yelled coming to stand next to her, "Was this why you said you suddenly decided to chop off all your hair your freshman year?"

"Yes" Jenni whispered out.

"Jenni" Phoebe began only to be cut off.

"Do not call me that, you have no right to call me that. My name is Jennifer to you."

"I'm sorry, Jennifer, I know I was a huge b***h back then but I swear to you I have changed. I'm not that mean girl I was in high school. Please just give me another chance and I'll prove it to you." She must be crazy, there was no way she was doing that.

"Jenni" Shawn said softly pulling on her hand to get her attention. "I'm really sorry you had to go through that and didn't think you could tell us. But I know Phoebe now and she is the sweetest, nicest, most down to Earth person I know. It sounds like she was a major prick in high school, but I can guarantee you she isn't that kind of person anymore. Will you give her a chance for me kid please."

She couldn't believe Shawn was asking her to just move past this. The boy who, when she was 10, took care of her bullies for her, along with James, was taking this horrible woman's side. Maybe she could believe she had changed if Phoebe hadn't enjoyed tormenting her so much. But she loved it. She would laugh at her tears and pain with a gleeful look in her eyes every time. "No Shawn I won't and I can't believe you're asking me to just let this go. If you feel like I need to forgive her and act like we're besties tonight then I'm sorry to disappoint you. Maybe you should just leave. Both of you." She said with a pointed look at Phoebe.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Jenni. I hope you can grow up enough to put this behind you one day." With that Shawn took Phoebe's hand, turned, and left. But not before Phoebe threw a gleeful smirk her way. Yeah, she hadn't changed at all. And this looked like the end of the road for her and Shawn, even for their friendship.