Fake It - OP

Chapter 1

I never in a thousand years would have imagined myself attending the Formula One 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. 

Let alone with a paddock pass.

Months ago, when tickets went on sale, my best friend Ange and I bought them without a second thought, both of us being fans for years. The lights, the sounds, the people, I loved it all. Free practice two had just ended and the sounds of engines had ceased to none. Leaving just background music to mesh with muffled crowds. Although my bank account is now under what I wish it was, I take some comfort in knowing I have splurged large amounts of money on things before and recovered, and I was checking another thing off my bucket list. Ange and I frequently made expensive decisions during our pizza and wine nights. But I did not regret this one in the slightest.

My best friend and I go on trips whenever we can together. We met in high school, and both had no idea what we wanted to do with our lives so when we graduated we started working. Mostly serving jobs, hosting, or bartending. The jobs where if you wear a short skirt and low-cut neckline you can make bank on a Friday or Saturday night, and so far, it had worked out for the both of us.

Every few months after working our asses off, we throw all our money together, order pizza, open a bottle of wine, of three, and plan our next adventure. We have been mostly to warm or tropical places, having both grown up in Canada and wanting to escape the seemingly never-ending cold. We have travelled to places like Greece, Mexico, Thailand and Hawaii. And we backpack, stay in hostels and for the most part, make our own food. Stuff like that so we save as much as we can but see so much. 

On our very first trip, a few months after we graduated high school Ange and I went to Hawaii as our celebratory grad trip.  We made it two days and my walking romance novel of a best friend met hot-boy surfer rich-kid investor supergenius, Caleb. Love at first sight and all that sappy, boring relationship stuff that you see in movies. I'm unbelievably happy for her of course. They have a kind of love most people could only dream of having for three years now. 

Admittedly, I was selfish and decided not to like Caleb for the entire first six months Ange and him were dating. But Caleb thankfully accepted me in their relationship as Ange's second half and when I finally gave in and decided Ange's happiness was all I cared about we continued travelling the world together. 

The only problem is this trip is our last together for a while. When Ange moved part-time to Hawaii last year to be with him, the two lovebirds decided to settle down. And this is our last trip together because Ange is pregnant and moving to Hawaii permanently. 

As much as I am happy for my best friend and the fact she is making her perfect family and settling down somewhere beautiful, warm, and tropical. I have absolutely no idea what's next for me now. For going on eight years now Ange and I's lives have revolved around each other. and I selfishly thought that would never end so I never really made other plans for myself. I always assumed we'd end up as two old ladies on a beach somewhere in Greece together. 

I've tried to now show my best friend that her moving away is making me question everything about my life, but when Caleb suggested that I move to Hawaii and live in their basement suite I felt terrible. The poor woman is pregnant and worrying about her twenty-two-year-old best friend like I'm a child she has to take care of. 

Plus, settling down at my age doesn't sit well with me. I want stories to tell my grandchildren one day. And yeah, sure I've traveled to a few places, but travel isn't all I want. I want a life, to live rich but not necessarily be rich. Have embarrassing moments, and fell in love, which I'm pretty sure I've never done. And all the other things life brings. And I just don't think I can have that living in a basement suite. Whether it's in Ange and Caleb's house, or my parents.