Scar

ONE

It's crazy to say that everything I imagined would never come true has been happening just as I had dreamed of since I can remember. I came from a background with no high expectations of success but here I am, sitting in my newly leased small office in the edges of downtown Los Angeles, trying to finish a paper I decided to write last minute for one of my classes.

One more month and a half and I'll be receiving my master's degree in computer science if I pass my classes. I didn't think it'd be so hard running my startup and completing the master's program all at the same time.

"Scar, Hey! Let's go eat! Now!"

That's Esme, my roommate and best friend.

"Okay!" I answer back to her laughing, "Let me close up and we'll head out."

I lock up and both us head out to get some dinner.

"Thank you so much for picking me up today! I totally forgot to charge the car last night."

"No problem, wish I could've dropped you of at the office too, I'm so sorry I wasn't awake."

"It's okay, it was totally my fault."

We drive up to our favorite little Italian place to dine out and just talk about last night which was pretty crazy for being a sunday night. Unexpected plans to have our friends hangout at our place turned into a wild evening which explains why Esme didn't wake up in the morning.

While waiting for our food to come, Esme looks at me with curiosity, "So what are we going to do for our birthdays this year?"

"What do you mean? Our birthdays are in a couple of months." I laugh.

"Well, what I mean is..." her eyes open wide with excitement, "...here comes our food!"

I turn around and see our waitress coming with a tray with my favorite chicken parmigiana alongside Esme's favorite piccata.

The waitress places both our dishes and Esme immediately starts grubbing.

"Esme! Slow down, you're going to choke!"

"Mmm!" She takes sip of her red wine, "This is so good and I've been really hungry! Anyways, " She takes another sip, "what I was saying was that since you're going to be graduating in about a month and well our birthdays are during the summer, we should really celebrate you and I? Do you feel me?"

"Yeah but..."

"Yeah no buts, " she responds, "You've been working really hard, whether it's school or your startup, you're just nonstop and you deserve to reward yourself with a little fun. So I think you, Jacob, and I should go on a trip! And then maybe throw a little party when we come back!"

It's been a while now since I've given myself free time to have fun but, even though I'm done with my Master's at the end of May, I still have to take care of my project.

"I really like your idea and I do want to go on a trip and have the party, I'm just going to have to think of how to take care of everything while I'm away."

She claps and says "Yes! I knew you'd be down! I mean you can always let your team handle it while your away. Plus, that one guy Josh always seems to have your back." She smirks and wiggles her eyebrows at me.

"Oh come on Esme! He's a really good friend and business partner! I love him but not that way."

"Dude! He's crazy about you! Every time he looks at you, he looks like a little puppy wanting some attention."

"I know but I just can't be with him. I'd prefer he looks for someone else. I'm just not ready every since..." I pause before I can say his name but that's when Esme grabs my hands tight.

"Hey, Scar let's not go into the past. Not today, not ever! In fact, let's make a toast!" She calls over the waitress and asks for two glasses of champagne.

The waitress brings out two glasses and pours some really bubbly gold champagne. Esme grabs her glass and raises hers mid-air. I grab mine and hold it up too.

"Scar you're an amazing person and friend! I love you so much and I hope the best for us both! We're here to celebrate you and I, for the present and tomorrow. Cheers!" We clink our glasses together and sip our champagne.

Esme is a friend I can never replace. Every time I'm about to jump into a time where I was hurt, she jumps right in to make me feel better. I still feel a big hole in my chest but, like Esme said, we're here for what's to come.