Since that night at the party, Sam has been with me wherever I go. Yesterday I went to my therapy session but Tyrone wasn't there when he normally is. He might have realized that what he did was inappropriate and got embarrassed about it, I don't know, he went silent after sending me that text. Sam has put in a lot of effort to take me out recently, taking me to an elegant restaurant I had never heard of because of the excellent food, after therapy yesterday he brought me to shopping and I ended up getting just this bag that holds everything I own. He drives me wherever I need to go and I consider it the sweetest thing. It's really nice not to have any negativity around and just be completely in love.
Today is Wednesday and I would usually head straight to the bookstore to hang out, but today is also our day off from work. Laurel planned a lunch at her apartment so she could cook for us. When I first heard about it I couldn't believe that she'll do that because I know Laurel is a lot of things including her cooking expertise, but she never really cooks for anyone. We're all seated at the round table in their living room, already having the lunch she made for us. “This is probably why Austin is so deeply in love with you.” Sam said after taking a bite of his food, which is her delicious matzo ball soup.
“Trust me, I'm the one who cooks every single time she's craving of something.” Austin's response made us all laugh.
“Shut up. You guys, don't listen to him, we cook together here.” Laurel gave him a sharp look. Our lunch was full of laughter, with the couple in front of us playfully teasing each other like kids. Laurel and Austin are ideal together, except when they argue, it’s like being caught in an endless circle of the same old arguments. They've had disagreements over what Laurel often shares on Instagram, especially the barely dressed images that Austin strongly opposes. But that doesn't surprise me anymore, from the moment her parents moved away, Laurel's been living like a free spirit doing whatever she wants. “I can’t believe you’re going to humiliate me in front of our friends like that.”
“Believe me, this gorgeous woman next to me was the one who asked me out on our first date.” Laurel’s face flushed with embarrassment when Austin revealed that.
“Are you kidding? Laurel never asks a guy out on a date.” I stared at them in utter disbelief. So that's why she didn't mention the first date to me. She never appeared to be the type who would take the initiative to ask for a guy's number, much less invite someone on a date.
“What can I say, Cari? Your best friend is so fixated on me.”
“So you're saying this lunch wouldn't even be happening without Laurel's confession to you?” Sam acted surprised just to tease Laurel for fun.
“Your words mean nothing to me. I’ve got him and that’s all that matters.” She drew closer to Austin, pulling him into a hug and planting kisses all over his face. One thing I've observed about Austin is that he dislikes being affectionate, even with his girlfriend.
It was time to clear the table with Laurel, as the guys were ready to watch a game on TV. Nothing was left of the meal and desserts she made, they were all thoroughly enjoyed. As she’s not fond of washing dishes, I had to wear an apron and handle all of them myself. I’d prefer to do something else rather than sit with the guys and watch a game I don’t even get. “Wanna go shopping after? My treat.”
“Sure—”
“I’m sorry, I couldn't wait any longer. Follow me to the bedroom.” She interrupted me, bursting with excitement. She immediately headed to her closet to search for something, leaving me to glance around the room she now shares with Austin. Her wall is clearly still covered in animal stickers, along with photos of people she's close to. She’s surrounded by many people I've never met before. “Here.”
Laurel suddenly handed me a medium-sized red envelope labeled, ‘For Cari’. I'm puzzled as to why she's giving this to me right now and I have no clue what's inside. It seems like she’s handing me some money. Without saying a word, I opened it and found two tickets for a show which confused me further. “Since you're not fond of reading, I got you a ticket to a theatre show with Sam. I got this suggestion from a friend who was thrilled with it, and I’m certain you’ll feel the same way when you check it out.”
I needed a moment to grasp the ticket in my hand, not because I’m unfamiliar with theatre shows but because I couldn’t understand why she offered it to me. And I think those kinds of shows can be quite expensive. “It's not that I don't appreciate it, but what’s the reason behind this?”
“I figured you wouldn’t remember.” She glanced at me with disappointment. At this moment, I’m racking my brain for any occasion or reason that explains why she brought this for me and Sam. At first I wondered if it was for our anniversary, but that seems too cheesy to celebrate though Sam is excited about it since he keeps track of the months we've been together. “It’s your birthday tomorrow.”
After she said that I didn’t react, just relieved to finally know why she gave this to me. You might be able to pressure me into attending parties or big events, but you’ll never persuade me to celebrate my own birthday. I don’t hate my birthday, but I consider it trivial and a misuse of time to mark the day I was born. I used to believe birthdays were dull to celebrate, possibly because I resented the way I came into the world and the burdens I’ve faced since childhood. I've made peace with the fact that my birthday won’t be a big deal. “You’re still planning to go to the mall with me, right?”
“Yeah.” As I nodded to her, I saw her mood brighten instantly. “I've never attended a show before.”
“I’ll take care of your outfit.” She exclaimed with excitement as we made our way to the living room to join Sam and Austin. Their voices were loud enough to hear from the bedroom. I finished washing the dishes as Laurel kept talking by my side the entire time. She kept seeking my opinion on what her place was missing because she thought it needed more. Even though her place is half the size of Sam's, she has more stuff than he does.
“Thanks, Laurel.” I told her as we got ready to head out while the boys continued watching the game. “For avoiding the topic of what happened between me and Sam before.”
She smiled at me and we finally headed to the mall in Austin’s car. Laurel always buys me something for my birthday, even when I ask her not to. I’ve never developed a sentimental side because I don’t enjoy receiving gifts. I felt my phone vibrate in my purse and quickly checked who the notification was from. I can't stop dwelling on how the interview with the journalists from two days ago went. Following of the phone call, they were eager to meet us hoping to ask personal questions. I said yes, and by that, I meant I responded to all their questions with full honesty with Sam at my side. There wasn't a moment of hesitation or pause. All I could think about at that moment was how much I wanted to get it over with. I'm waiting patiently for it, but I'm anxious about how it will portray me as a person. I constantly remind myself that regardless of the result, I need to accept it and not let it bother me. However, staying unaffected isn't always easy.
As soon as we arrived at the mall, Laurel and I quickly headed into different boutiques for clothes and accessories. I also insisted on returning to the boutique where I bought my first necklace, which I absolutely love and never take off. Laurel insisted that I choose anything I liked, whether it was bags, clothes, accessories, or sandals. But I made it clear to her that I would only pick one. She told me our afternoon was somewhat of a light celebration for the day to come. She also dined with me in an elegant restaurant with a lovely atmosphere. I reconsidered getting items from her selections and opted to buy these three costly comfort blankets in a single color for my new place. It's expensive because it can be set to the exact temperature you like. I was already picturing what it would be like to watch your favorite movie wrapped in a blanket like that.
“You haven't mentioned to Sam that you're moving to a new place?” Laurel asked me while we were on our way back to her place.
“I’ll bring it up with him later.” I couldn’t tell him because we had a fight about Tyrone a few days ago and I didn’t want to bring up anything new now.
“You know, Tyrone is my friend too, but I have a sense that Sam won’t like hearing about it.”
