JUST LIKE HER (ANDY BARBER)

20. TAKE FOR GRANTED WHAT YOU HAVE

The rest of law school was largely uneventful. After that first year back in the swing of things, Andy had already graduated, took the bar, and entered his own legal career. There was no longer a threat of running into him again looming over you. Though, you had to admit, a part of you was curious. You wondered if he and Laurie ever had their child, if they were still in Massachusetts. Because, while you never had to worry about running into him at school again, you were terrified about running into him again in town, out in the open, when you were least expecting it.

You never did, but the fear still remained.

Even now, as the bartender presented you and Donella with a round of shots.

"We're done!" Donella cheered, handing you a shot glass. "Finally, we're free!"

"Free to work our asses off for not enough pay!" you said, clinking the shot glass with hers before drinking it. "God, I should've gone for a higher paying field."

"There's always time to work your way up," she laughed. "We got our whole lives ahead of us."

You and Donella had just finished taking the elusive bar exam. It was a two-day long beast, and it left you wanting to drop it all and run for the fucking hills. For a moment, as you looked at the questions, you seriously considered it. But you had made it too far to just give up. So, you powered through, knowing that the worst of your legal career would soon be over.

Now, you and Donella had gone out to the bar to celebrate.

"So," you asked, "where did you say you were going to work again?"

"I didn't tell you yet, dork," she teased. "But, now that we conquered the beast...I think I can tell you: I'm clerking for the Attorney General!"

You gasped. "Oh my god, that's amazing! Congratulations! Oh, we need a bigger celebration now!" You turned to the bartender, ordering another round of shots. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Thank you, thank you," Donella said. "What about you? What do you got lined up?"

"Nothing official," you said. "Not yet, anyways. I've been doing some interviews, but nothing concrete yet. Though, I'm thinking about heading out of state, actually."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I think I'm just done with the east coast for now, you know? I wanna see what else is out there." You downed another shot. "I'll probably come back eventually, you know, but I need a change of pace for a little bit."

"Well, wherever you end up, I know you're going to do amazing," Donella said.

"I hope so."

"I know so."

You and Donella continued to hang out at the bar for another hour or so before you finally parted ways. The bar was a decent ways away from your apartment, but you felt sober enough to walk. You began to regret that.

Even though the streets were well-lit, you couldn't shake the feeling that you were being followed. And yet, every time you turned, there was no one ever behind you. You were completely, and totally, alone. Which, perhaps, was more terrifying than being followed.

Part of you wondered if you weren't as sober as you thought you were. But you knew you only had a couple of shots, and that had only been at the beginning of the night. Most of your time at the bar had just been chatting and ranting about the bar exam. Very little about it had to do with actual drinking. So, by the time you left, most of the effects of the alcohol had waned.