Page 193 of A Solid Guide to Surviving a Situationship

“OH MY GOD!” Andi screamed the moment she saw me sprinting toward them.

I launched myself straight into the booth dramatically, nearly crashing into all of them at once.

Everyone shrieked in surprise.

“JAMES!” Honey yelled, nearly spilling her drink on her high-fashion outfit.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Mel shouted through laughter.

Andre looked genuinely ready to fight someone for half a second before realizing it was me.

And then their shocked faces melted into instant relief.

Into happiness.

Into home.

“You’re alive!” Andi cried dramatically before grabbing my face with both hands and kissing my cheek repeatedly.

“Girl, my no-foundation foundation!” I complained.

Honey immediately wrapped her arms around me from the side. Mel laughed while pulling me into hers too.

And Andre—he looked away like he was about to cry.

“You asshole,” he muttered, voice thick with emotion before pulling me into a crushing embrace.

I laughed so hard I almost cried again.

“I’m sorry,” I said breathlessly.

“No, because why did you enter like a divorced father trying to win custody?” Honey snapped.

“That was terrifying,” Mel added.

“You literally ran at us like a horror movie creature,” Andi said.

Andre still hadn’t fully let go of me.

I was his forever baby.

Then he suddenly looked around at all of us and shook his head emotionally.

“I love all of you so much,” he said, already tearing up.

And immediately everyone groaned.

“Oh my God, Andre’s crying,” Andi said, as though teasing a child.

“Shut up,” Andre rolled his eyes.

“Disgusting!” Honey muttered affectionately.

“Group hug!” Mel said immediately.

And just like that, all of us collapsed into each other, laughing while the music roared around us.

Because maybe heartbreak changes a city forever.