Fighting Hawaii

8) The Start of Something Old

That night I waited patiently for the sleep that I knew would never come. Tossing and turning seemed to be the only thing that would settle and when I did close my eyes all I could do was relive the last two days in my head. It only made it worse that his scent was still in my pillows and blankets, he was everywhere but then nowhere.

I laid restlessly in bed, looking around at the bags that I had brought home from the mall that day. The more I thought about him the more I shopped and the more the bags started to rack up.

I stared into the dark and concentrated on Karie and Nikki's breathing as they slept on either side of me. I thought about the day and how I ignored every call and text from anyone other than my mom and sister. We walked the mall for hours and when we weren't buying we ate.

My phone laid on my nightstand buzzing every few seconds to remind me, that I had to get back to reality and it took all I had to not reach over and throw it at a wall. Sleep started to call me around one in the morning. My eyes drooped shut and sprung open multiple times before I could be sure if the universe was really going to give up on my me and let it be.

The sweet release welcomed me as I dozed off curling into my safe little ball. I focused solely on sleep and the more I let go the better I felt going under, being consumed by the dark. I dreamed that things didn't end and that going to school in a few hours was just a figment of my imagination.

"Stasia! Stasia wake up, it's 6 am." A groggy voice that belonged to Karie slipped me out of my dreamless sleep. My eyes shifted over to my window where the morning sun started to rise, giving way to a beautiful dawn.

I wiped my tired eyes and smiled to myself as I felt the warmth of arms around me. Karie held me on the left and Nikki held me on the right surrounding me in the love that I needed to start my last first day of school.

If I could lay in this bed with them all day I would, but it was definitely time for me to snap back into my normal persona and let the summer be over. All three of us got up with a rush of excitement like children do on Christmas morning.

The music started playing softly in the background as we prepared for the day that could make your year or break your year. The air became filled with the scent of perfumes, hair curlers, and hair spray while my vanity became a spread that looked like it belonged in Sephora.

We transformed from beach bums to high school seniors in what seemed like an instant. It still amazes me how much a little makeup and TLC could do to a girl. My vicious hair was now tamed and curled and my summer glow radiated with the touches of makeup in all the right places.

I looked over to my clock to see that it was already 6:30 if we wanted to be on time we had to be out the door by 7. My girls looked gorgeous as always and I awkwardly gawked at them while we all made final touches on our outfits, hair, and makeup.

"How is it that we all used the same makeup style and got ready together but you guys look perfect?!" I flicked a brown ringlet over my shoulder and adjusted my boobs in the mirror.

"Easy." Karie said as she tied her combat boots looking up at me, "You don't have your contacts in right, so you can't see how gorgeous your ass is right now."

"Agreed! If we were boys...I think I'd have to smash you kid!" Nikki said with a laugh.

I laughed and found my bag hanging on my vanity chair, they are so weird but it never fails to brighten my day. "Well if we were boys it wouldn't take almost an hour to get ready, let's go ladies it's the last first day!" My smile brightened as I grabbed my phone off the speaker and checked the mirror once more before leaving.

I looked to my vanity at all three of us and we looked ready, no more preparations could get us ready for this new but old tradition. Nikki walked out of my room trailed by Karie then me. I looked back into my room and noticed one thing that wasn't normal, a leather arm band hanging from my bed post.