At the end of the tunnel

Chapter 1

I wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. I haven't had that dream in such a long time. And time has turned it into a nightmare. I can still conjure his face in my mind, and his voice, the way he could make me fall in love with him a thousand times just with a few words. There had never been anyone to understand me the way he did. But that was...then. It's already been almost five years. I know I should already move on, and to a certain degree I have. He's just a beautiful memory now. A sad, yet beautiful memory.

 "Again?" I hear Sarah's sleepy voice and I look to find her standing by my bed.

"You told me they had ended last summer”

"I...I don't know why “tears start forming in my eyes.”I thought so too ..."

"Oh honey” she says as she hugs me gently. Sarah has been my best friend since coming here to college and I had confided in her of him. She's tried every time to set me up with different guys just to keep my mind off him, considering that at that time I was quite the emotional wreck.

"Hush, hush, stop crying, I have the perfect plan to get your mind off things” she smiles at me. Her plans of course included almost always booze and guys. That made me smiles a little. "And what would that be?”A friend of my brother's is hosting a party and Brad said I should bring some girlfriends and since it's just you.... "God no, Sarah's brother Brad was alright, don't get me wrong, he was actually very nice and outgoing, but they belong to a totally different crowd. Their father is some hot shot lawyer that earns more in a year than some do in a lifetime. They are not spoiled but their friends...let's just say that I don’t wish to see Barbie nor Ken in real life.

 "Sarah... I can’t, you know that I don’t really like his friends... "

 "Come on Kate, I promise you it’s going to be alright. Besides, don't worry, it is not Andrew here that we are talking about, I don't even think he will come. It's the birthday of one of Brad's team mates. I can't really recall his name now but a change of scenery will do you good.”

I am prepared to refuse her but she's pouting. How can anyone refuse her when she's pouting?

 "Fine! But don't you dare call Gregory! Promise me!"

 "Kate, the boy is smitten, you should give him a chance...fine, I won't call him!” I begin to drift back to sleep and I think I hear Sarah whispering a thank you.

 The next few days pass in a haze. I don't dream about him again and everything seems to return to normal. But the more I dwell in it, the more I realize that I have never done everything to actually change myself. The party is in two days. I should go shopping and maybe get a haircut. He is not going to control my life any longer. Unfortunately Sarah can't accompany me so I am forced to go to the mall alone. After walking for about thirty minutes I spot a hair salon and a crazy thought crosses my mind. I enter the salon and give the hairstylist the indications and after about three and a half hours I am walking out, arm in arm with my new blue haired self. Yes, that is correct, and I have to say that I love the color. It takes me a few more hours to decide on a dress, the perfect dress actually. It is a gorgeous silver strapless dress that hugs my every curve. Seriously, this is really my lucky day, or let’s just say the day that marks my self rediscovery. I mean why not? I am a twenty year old female that has never done anything in the least daring or scandalous. Like Sarah said, a change of scenery would do me perfect.