The Lake

Hope

YEAR 2013

August 22, 2003.

The day that changed my life, exactly ten years ago today. The day I met my best friend. Luke. Today is our Ten Year Anniversary of being Best Friends. Today is a really big day for me & Luke. We've been talking about this day since our nine year anniversary last year, & I'm so excited for this.

I roll off the bed to get ready for the day. For the plans that we have set.

I go into the bathroom & use the toilet, wash my face, & brush my teeth. I walk out of the bathroom & get dressed. It's a nice 80 degree day according to the Weather App on my iPhone. I grab my hot pink jean shorts & slip them over my legs. I pair it with my black Jack Daniels' Whiskey tank top that Luke got me for my 17th birthday last year, making me laugh of the memory of our first time drinking that one New Year's Eve when we made out. I complete the look with my black sandals, which have a lace design thong on it, & I grab my brand new light brown Aviator sunglasses.

I leave my chocolate brown hair down in loose beach waves, & I do my makeup, doing a smoky eye to make my emerald green eyes pop. I look in the mirror one more time & put on my nude lipstick before heading downstairs. I hear my mom in the kitchen, humming along to the music on the radio.

"Hey mom," I come up behind her & give her a kiss on the cheek. I wrap my arms around her thin body & she laughs as I hum along with her. She looks beautiful with her brown hair up in a sleek ponytail & wearing her purple scrubs. I've always had a close relationship with my mother, no matter how much her career takes her away from me. I love her, so much.

"Hi, sweetie." She kisses my cheek as well, before placing the breaded chicken she was fixing up in the frying pan. I look at the stove, & she has fried chicken, mashed potatoes, & corn cooking up. Yum.

"Have you signed the consent form yet... you know for the tattoo?" I ask, a little scared. Today, Luke & I are getting matching tattoos to celebrate our ten years of friendship. My parents were on the fence about it, but once I showed them the tattoo & where I wanted it, they finally agreed. Plus, they love Luke. Here in Michigan, you are not allowed to get a tattoo without your parents' consent until you're 18. Luke turned 18 last month, but my birthday isn't till next month.

"Ye-yeah, it's there on the counter." I turn around to the see the white paper, with my mom & dad's signature on it in black ink.

"Thank you, thank you, you're the best." I hug her again & she laughs & pushes me away to finish the food. She tells me to invite Luke over for lunch since she's going to be leaving to work soon. So I get my phone out of my pocket & send him a quick text: "Come over, now. My mom made us lunch! :D" It's already a little passed one in the afternoon, & our appointment to get our tattoos is at three. I need to start waking up earlier, especially since school is starting in four days.

My phone buzzes. "Be there in 30. I'm out with Nicole, xx." I put my phone down, already pissed off at him. Today is our day; he shouldn't be out with his bitch of a girlfriend, Nicole. Luke & Nicole started dating almost a month ago; they met during the Summer when us & the football players were practicing on the field together. To say I don't like her, is a fucking understatement. I can't stand her, none of us can on the squad. She's an annoying, whiny Sophomore. She's two years younger than us, & she tries to act like she runs the team, but no, bitch, I'm the captain. I run the squad.

I want to tell Luke, so bad, how much I can't stand her. But this is his longest relationship, & I don't want to come off as the jealous best friend. Nicole is as fake as her bleached blonde hair, even her "blue eyes" are colored contacts, but Luke needs to figure that out for himself. I grab my phone again & decide to text him back, "She better not come along. This is OUR day, dude." My blood is boiling already just thinking about her. Thinking back on the arguments her & I have had.