Wanderlust ✓

19. Departure

"I can't wait to see you tomorrow, girl! It's been forever. Kharis ditched me yesterday to go to the beach with her mom so now I have no one to be with!" I chuckled at Carly's dramatic tone as I folded up another short sleeve tee to be put into my suitcase. Her smile shined through the tiny iPhone screen that was propped up against the bottom of the dresser.

"It hasn't even been a week. Besides, you'll have me for the rest of the summer."

I meant what I said to my best friend but another part of me wished it wasn't true. The yearning to be with Parker, alone, for just a few more days was there and I also hoped that I wouldn't only be seeing Carly for the rest of the summer but also him. Especially him.

As Carly went on about us completing the ultimate summer bucket list before senior year, a noise came from the unlocked hotel door that was opening.

"You didn't think you could leave without saying goodbye to me, did you?"

A grin grew on my face when I saw the flamboyant girl I had just met a few days ago come erupting into the quiet room. I jumped up from my criss-cross sitting position on the floor to meet her in a huge hug.

"I wouldn't forget about you, Nat." I said pulling back from her to see the canvas bag she was holding out to me. Before she could explain to me what she was giving me, my other friend's voice interrupted.

"Who's this, Paige?" She asked curiously.

I walked back over to my original position, Natalie joining me this time and introduced the girl's to each other who exchanged pleasantries.

"Oh! Paige! I forgot about the surprise I brought for you!" She exclaimed, pulling over the bag again. "You've really gotten out of your comfort zone this weekend and I wanted to give you some things that would help you to continue your 'seek discomfort' journey."

Uh oh. What the hell does that mean?

I was nervous to open up the bag but her encouraging smile brought me to finally peel the straps apart.

All sorts of fabric stuck out to me on first glance from denim to lace and I realized she was giving me clothes. I brought out the first thing I laid my eyes on and it was the black bralette I had worn to the festival that day followed by the booty shorts I had also worn.

"Since you looked so killer in these, I thought you should keep them. Keep digging in there because I threw in a few more items that will fit you well."

Carly cheered on and gasped at the other cute clothes I kept pulling out from the bag. A colorful crop top, a black pair of distressed shorts, a white bralette and my cheeks blushed at the last item at the bottom of the bag. A skimpy black thong.

Natalie whispered, "Don't worry. It's never been worn."

I shook my head in embarrassment but looked at all the items that were now scattered out around me and felt a burst in my heart at her generosity.

"This is so nice of you, Natalie. Thank you. Are you sure you want to give me all these things? You could wear all of them yourself instead of me." I offered.

"No! I want you to have these things. I want you to go home as a confident woman and rock these clothes. So take them." She said, folding up the nearest items and laying them in my suitcase before I could refuse.

"Natalie. I'm so glad we're on the same page about her- " Carly's voice stopped when the bathroom door behind us opened and we all turned to the distracting teenage boy. Parker came strutting out in only dark jeans, holding all the hotel's free toiletries in his hands as he made his way over to his own suitcase.