How To Love

Chapter 1

2nd January, the day after New Year's. Everyone's faces were brightly lit and filled with hope. The whole 'new year new me' crap and new resolutions which I did not believe in. To me, if one is truly keen on improving on themselves, they don't need a new year to do so. It felt like an excuse for them to brag to others about what they have done so far. Hence to me, today was pretty much like any other normal day, and as usual, my girls and I were on our weekly Starbucks date. However, today's date would be different, as it would be our very last. I glanced around to find different groups of people chatting excitedly as their eyes sparkled with life and joy, as contrasted with mine. The entire room was filled with laughter and people chatting about their 'New Year's kiss'. It was the trending topic of the day. While my friends continued discussing how amazing last night was for them, I felt myself drifting away.

Cassidy, one of my best friends, snapped her fingers in front of my face, pulling me out from my avalanche of thoughts. "Kat? Are you alright?"

"Yeah I guess, I'm just tired from all the packing. Don't mind me," I gave them the best smile I could pull off.

"Must you really leave though? What about us?" Lindsy, another one of my best friends, pouted.

"We can still text and Skype girls, I'll come back to visit when I can too. Besides, it's not like I have a choice. Dad said that his company posted him to Louisville so...." I answered them apologetically. They seemed so sad and helpless that I was leaving for some unknown reason and I assumed it's because they're going to miss me. But who knew, they might even forget about me a day after I'm gone.

"Are you sure it's because of that? Because somehow I still think it's because of Dyla-"

"LINDSY!" Cassidy gasped in astonishment and elbowed her in the stomach as I eyed them both suspiciously.

Well, that was weird.

"Anyway girls, I had the best night ever last night, Matt was so sweet and romantic. It was perfect." Cassidy changed the topic within seconds, which seemed suspicious, however the way she was smiling like a lovesick idiot was even more suspicious.

Lindsy and I turned at look at each other, clearly reading each other's mind and squealed at the same time, "You and Matt did it?" We raised our eyebrows and burst into giggles.

Seeing my friends this happy cheered me up a little. I really hoped that they would always remain this cheerful and peppy. Even though I don't exactly like the idea of sex before marriage, I was glad that Cassidy felt so blissful and that things were working out ideally between her and Matt. They were such a cute couple and I could even see them getting married and making cute babies in the future. I sighed enviously. Not at the sex part but at the fact that she had found such an amazing partner that made her look so happy all the time.

They were so engrossed about discussing how Cassidy lost her V card that they barely noticed I was on the verge of tearing up.

I musn't cry now. If I do, all three of us would end up crying and I don't want that.

Holding in my sobs, I stared at my two friends and tried my best to enjoy our very last moment together. Instead, I ended up having flashbacks. I've knew them since I was seven and we'd been friends ever since. Ten years of friendship. I really couldn't believe I had to leave them.

Oh no, I felt a warm tear drop skimmed down my left cheek and immediately wiped it away. Thankfully, none of them noticed. I could hardly contain my tears anymore and as if on cue, I received a text from my mum telling me to leave Starbucks as it's time...

I took a deep breath and calmed myself down a little.

"Ok girls, I got to get going, we're planning to reach Louisville by tonight so..." I trailed off, trying my best not to start sobbing or else it's going to be an extremely teary farewell. "I love you girls so much and I'm definitely going to miss you loads."