Moon Song Pack

Chapter 2

POV-Delaney Johnson

Honestly, why do I even bother?!? I think self-deprecatingly as I run my hands over my wide voluptuous hips that I struggled to squeeze into skinny jeans before putting on my favorite black floral blouse. 

At least I have a pretty face... I think, scrunching my nose while taking in my full body and outfit. The clothes that I thought would make me feel beautiful just bring attention to my round hips, large soft tummy, and voluptuous breasts. 

Oh, well...I don't want to be late meeting Sarah. I think as I make my way down the stairs, leaving my apartment. As I open the door to Sarah's car, I notice someone slowly driving by in a dark sedan, my pulse quickens, and I feel like the world is crashing in around me. I hear a buzzing in my ears that overtakes the music coming from Sarah's open car door. 

"Hey!" Sarah shouts up at me, breaking me from what is soon to become a panic attack. I lower myself into her passenger seat and gently slam the door shut. I close my eyes and take a minute to recover. My hands are still shaking, and my breath is coming in small little pants. 

"Are you okay? Are you nervous? It's just some friends from high school..." Sarah says noticing my obvious anxiety. 

"No, I mean...Yeah, I am a little nervous, but I still want to go! It'll be so nice to get out and be social, for once." I laugh at myself a little to reassure her that I am okay, and to cover the fact that I am scared to death that my ex-boyfriend may be stalking me. 

I would sound crazy!! I can hear her now, "Now, Delaney...you need to stop watching so much True Crime and Criminal Minds..." and we would joke about it...but for me...it's not a joke. I am scared to death that one day he will come back, and he will kill me for leaving. "NO ONE leaves Felix Jackson!" I can hear him screaming at me as I run to my car with just a backpack full of clothes. I never told anyone about how terrible my life was for the past 8 years. No one would believe me anyways...Felix made sure to never hit me or hurt me physically...No, what he did was much worse. He made me believe with every fiber of my being that I am crazy, emotional, and always finding fault. He convinced me time and time again that I was never good enough, that no matter what I did...I would never be enough. The mental pain I feel is real, and I am still struggling to feel safe, to feel worthy, to find myself again since I left. I am probably overreacting. Just take a deep breath and smile. Sarah is excited to finally have dragged me out of the house. She doesn't deserve mopey Delaney. 

So, I sit up, take a big breath, and smile as she backs out of the parking spot in front of my apartment. She turns the music up a little louder and we both smile as our favorite song comes on and we start to sing. 

As we head to the little bar in Eden to meet up with friends, I start to feel the anxiety lessen as we sing and dance to some of our favorite songs. 

Pulling into The Blue Note's parking lot, I find myself looking for the dark sedan that I had seen slowly passing by my apartment. Not seeing it, I let out a little sigh of relief. 

"Girl! Let's go have some fun! First round is on me!" Sarah says enthusiastically, opening her car door. 

I follow suit and find myself strangely on edge as we enter the bar. "Yes! We needed a good night out with friends." I reply to Sarah, enthusiastically.

Sarah lets out a light laugh and says, "If things get too awkward, we will make sure to grab a bottle of wine and go spend some time with my cats!"

The door chimes loudly, as I let out a giggle at the thought of us leaving a bar to go home to her 3 cats and her beautiful dog, Bear.