Starting Over

Chapter 72- A Night Out

Michael and I had been up working on music for several hours, but it was still early. I guess it has been a fairly productive morning for us though. There’s nothing like picking and playing with one of your best friends to beat out a gloomy, rainy Tuesday morning. We were writing as we mostly do on days like today. There was a knock on the door that interrupted our thoughts. I wasn’t expecting anyone, but the longer I sat the harder the person knocked on the door. I moved my guitar from my lap and rested it against the couch before I started towards the door as the knocking persisted. It was clear whoever it was on the other side of that door was either pissed or knew I was home. I opened the door and her back was facing me, but there was not one doubt in my mind who it was. I just didn’t know why she was here. I wasn’t expecting her for another week or so. The reason for her being here wasn’t obvious, but when she turned to look at me, I could see something in her eyes that I had never seen before. She dropped her bags and threw her arms around my neck the second our eyes connected. We stood there with the door standing wide open for a good ten minutes while she cried in my arms and Michael just watched on.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as she finally allowed me to pull away.

“I…It’s… It’s just nothing,” Bridget said as she stared at her feet and stumbled over her words through her sobs.

“This isn’t nothing, Bridge. This is something,” I told her as I gently guided her to look at me by raising her chin with my hand.

“I just can’t do it anymore. I’ve never been so lonely in my life. Transferring to UK was a mistake. Caroline is forever away and we rarely get to talk. All of my friends are in Georgia. Gavin and I split when I moved. I’ve seen him once since I started at UK. That was just a few weeks ago and only because he came up. I just can’t deal with it anymore,” Bridget explained, “Sure Kentucky will always be home, but I really think that this whole transferring thing was just one big mistake. I never dreamed I would be this lonely.”

“What about your sisters? Don’t you talk to them?” I asked her curiously.

“Sure, I talk to them, but we don’t have the bond there that we did at Georgia Southern. I pledged Alpha Delta Pi with everyone in Statesboro. We were truly sisters. I had my foot in with them because of Caroline. I feel like a stranger in the house in Lexington,” Bridget explained to me.

“If you’re not happy then leave the house,” I suggested to her.

“Luke, it’s more than that. It’s not just the house, it’s everything. I’ve never been so lonely. The only thing I look forward to is my nightly talks with you. I pretty much just sit in my room all the time do homework and listen to music,” Bridget told me as we sat down on the couch after Michael had disappeared into his room.

“I know what you mean. Don’t get me wrong Michael’s here, but he’s not at the same time. He spends a lot of time with Krisi. I just sit here. It’s lonely. I mostly just sit here and stare at the walls and think,” I told her as I pulled her into my arms again.

“Thinking. Yeah, that’s not good for anyone,” Bridget said.

We sat there all day talking about how lonely it was for both of us. By the time evening rolled around we had several beers down and desperately wanted food. The downside to not expecting anyone was that I hadn’t went to the grocery since the last time Bridget was down. Michael and I lived off of takeout when Bridget wasn’t here. Even though I could cook, I really had no interest in it and Michael, well, he could burn water.

“Hey! We’re going down to do karaoke and they have some awesome food down at this place. Do ya’ll want to come with us?” Krisi asked us before her and Michael walked out the door.