It was late at night, and Jocelyn's room was dimly lit by the warm glow of her bedside lamp. She had spent the whole day celebrating her baby sister Madalyn's first birthday, which was filled with family, balloons, and a lot of cake. Now that everyone was asleep, she finally had some quiet time to start packing for her trip to New York. She was still full of excitement from the party, but even more so from the thought of Arvid's birthday trip coming up in two weeks.
Jocelyn stood in front of her bed, staring at the mountain of clothes she had laid out. They were staying in New York for a full week, and she was determined to bring the best outfits she could. She'd spent the last few days mentally planning, and now it was time to make some hard decisions. The goal was to narrow it down to 14 outfits, but she had pulled out at least 20.
"Alright, Jocelyn, focus," she whispered to herself, pulling her hair up into a messy bun. She started with the dresses, holding up a flirty pink one with thin straps. "Definitely bringing this one. It's cute, it's comfortable." She tossed it into the 'yes' pile, which was still pretty small compared to the 'maybe' and 'absolutely not' piles.
Next, she picked up a black crop top with a pair of high-waisted jeans. "Hmm... I do like this, but do I love it?" She thought back to how she felt wearing it the last time. "It makes my butt look great, but it's not a must-have," she decided, setting it down in the maybe pile.
Earlier that day, in between cutting cake and watching Madalyn attempt to blow out her candle, Arvid had called. "Excited for New York?" he had asked. She could still hear the smile in his voice.
"Of course, I am!" she'd said, laughing. "I mean, a whole week in New York for your birthday? What's not to love?"
He had playfully reminded her, "Just don't forget to bring that red dress you brought. You'll look... really good in that." She could tell he was trying to sound casual, but his words made her blush a little. Without hesitation, she picked up the red dress now and tossed it into the 'yes' pile.
After about an hour of picking out clothes, she finally managed to narrow down her choices. She had a mix of cute sundresses, casual fits, and a few dressier outfits just in case they decided to go somewhere fancy. Jocelyn was satisfied with the 14 outfits she'd picked, but she still felt a little anxious. What if she'd forgotten something perfect? She glanced over her choices one last time, double-checking that everything would mix and match well. Then, she moved on to her pajamas.
Jocelyn opened her dresser and pulled out her good silk pajamas, the ones she always saved for special occasions. They were soft and she knew she'd feel comfortable wearing them. She had 10 pairs, all in different colors, and she decided to bring them all. "A girl's gotta have options," she said, smiling at herself in the mirror.
Next, she reached for the hoodies that were hanging on the back of her closet door. Three of them were Arvid's. She'd "borrowed" them over the past few months and somehow never got around to returning them. "It's not like he's going to mind," she said, throwing them into her suitcase. She knew she'd be glad to have them, especially on the cooler evenings.
Jocelyn moved on to shoes, which was probably the hardest part of packing. She knew she couldn't bring all her favorites. "Okay, let's see... white sneakers, definitely. Those go with everything. Heels for when we go out... and maybe those Jordan's. " She counted six pairs, thinking it was a solid mix.
Finally, it was time for accessories. Jocelyn grabbed her jewelry box and started picking out pieces she knew would match most of her outfits: a few pairs of earrings, a couple of necklaces, and some bracelets. She also threw in her favorite hair ties, and of course, her straightener and curler. "If I'm gonna spend a whole week with Arvid, I'm gonna look my best," she said, tossing them into the suitcase.
She took a step back to admire her progress, but then remembered she still needed to pack bikinis. Jocelyn couldn't help but smile, thinking back to when they'd gone online shopping together a few days ago. They had spent a whole afternoon browsing different swimsuits, with Arvid giving his honest (and sometimes enthusiastic) opinions.
"Get this one," he'd said, pointing to a bright yellow bikini on the screen. "I like the color."
"You just like how tiny it is," she'd teased back, rolling her eyes but adding it to the cart anyway.
Now, she picked it out from her drawer, along with a few others she knew he'd picked. She also added a few of her other cute ones, because she wanted to have variety. Plus, she wanted to impress him, and she was sure he'd love seeing her in these.
Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. It was a text from Arvid: "Hey, how's the packing going? You better not forget that red dress, or I'm turning this trip around 😐."
Jocelyn laughed, texting him back quickly. "Don't worry, it's already in the bag. Along with those bikinis you made me buy, so you're welcome."
"Good, good. Also, bring those hoodies you stole from me. I might need them back."
"Ha! Yeah, that's not happening," she replied, adding a winking emoji. She could almost hear his playful groan on the other side of the phone.
After making sure she had everything, Jocelyn zipped up her suitcase, feeling a mix of relief and excitement. She couldn't wait for the trip, especially since it would be her first time in New York. Plus, it was for Arvid's birthday, and she wanted it to be special. She knew he had a few things planned, but she was most excited about just spending time together. They'd been close friends ever since she moved to North Carolina, and she couldn't believe how well they got along. She had a feeling this trip was going to be unforgettable.
As she sat down on the edge of her bed, she thought about the rest of the preparations she had to do. Maybe she should get a manicure, and she still had to decide on a birthday present. She made a mental note to do some last-minute shopping tomorrow.
Her mom peeked her head into the room, smiling when she saw the packed suitcase. "Looks like you're all set. You excited?" she asked, coming in and sitting beside Jocelyn.
"Yeah, I am," Jocelyn said, her voice soft but enthusiastic. "I've never been to New York, and I think Arvid has some cool things planned. Plus, it's his birthday week. I want to make it special."
"You're such a good friend," her mom said, giving her a side hug. "But don't forget to enjoy yourself too. It sounds like it'll be a lot of fun."
"I will, I promise," Jocelyn replied, hugging her mom back. "I just hope I don't forget anything."
"Well, if you do, there's always shopping in New York," her mom joked, standing up. "Alright, I'll leave you to it. Let me know if you need any last-minute help."
Jocelyn nodded, watching her mom leave the room. She laid back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Two more weeks felt like forever, but she knew it would fly by. For now, she was just glad she had managed to get all her packing done.
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