birds of a feather

happier without me

I had finished up the social media project. I was packing and getting ready for my flight back home. Nika and Aubrey were in my room. We had gotten food before my flight and just agreed to hang out. I was folding up the clothes I had packed.

"Do you have to leave?" Nika asked.

"Yea, why don't you stay?" Aubrey sounded like a kid.

"You know why I can't stay. I need to go back home, to Middlesbrough. Look I'll see you after Summer." I don't stop packing while I speak.

"B we know it's hard." Nika's tone was soft.

"Yeah. You do what you gotta do and we will all be here when you get back. Okay?" Aubrey put a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks guys." I smile at them.

Michael drove the car, with Luis and Kassy in the backseats. I'm reminded of times I spent with Paige in the backseat. Okay gross. Shut  up. I shake my head. Kassy flies out tomorrow and Luis tomorrow night. I needed to just get home. I get out of the car, hugging my friends at the gate.

The flight back home was slow. I slept, it was really more like a nap. Kate picked me up and said Nate's throwing a yacht party. Something about his dad?? Anyway now we're in my room, it's Thursday night.

She's helping me unpack, "So you and Paige.. what's going on with that?"

I snicker, "Real subtle."

"Look you go off and spend almost a week with a situationship you were just crying over. I'm checking in." Kate shrunk where I was trying to make a harmless joke.

"Hey I was joking." I changed my tone to a bit more serious when I spoke this time, "I told her to give me the Summer and we agreed that space is what was needed. If and if we were up for it, in the right headspace and all, we can try for real."

"So what are you two now?" Kate asked.

"Friends." I nodded.

"Alright well it is the 4th which means at midnight it js someone's birthdayyy." Kate said in a sing songy tone.

"You still wanna go to Nate's yacht party tomorrow? We can do something else." I offered her.

"No it'll be fun! Sunset swimming and all." She said. This did surprise me a bit because for as long as I've known Kate, she's always liked her birthdays intimate and spent with the people closest to her.

It hits midnight and our little tradition, because we're trying to rekindle this friendship, is a midnight cupcake. I had told Celia to bake a batch, she never fails me. So, there's a candle on top and she's making her midnight birthday wish.

It's the morning of, I'm rubbing my eyes as I check my phone. My heart sinks at the lack of messages from Paige. Then it all hit me at once, that night in Storrs, we called it quits and declared our need for space. I know I told her I needed the Summer but the truth is, I'm not even sure I'd be able to forgive her at all. Enough. I need to get ready for the day. I go into the living room where I'm met with Kate and the rest of our families eating breakfast. I'm also greeted by Jada.

"Alright birthday girl what are the plans for today?" I ask her.

"I say we go mini golfing." Kate stated.

"That's it?" I raise a brow.

"And ice cream?" Kate shrugged.