who I thought you were // pickdaisy

2.

   Time came as soon as it went. Today was yesterday's tomorrow, and I didn't really know what it entailed for me, mentally and emotionally. On a lighter note, however, today was dedicated to my friends, as well as some family in the area. My schedule was wide open seeing as we got everything done yesterday. This meant fun, and who better to do fun than my people.

    My boyfriend, Caleb, had asked me out to lunch last night. Of course agreeing, I was hesitant to have to talk about him about leaving. He and I had been dating for almost two years, our anniversary being in October, and I didn't want to do a long distance relationship. We met through our mutual friends, mainly my best friend, Kacie. He has been nothing but a sweetheart to me and my family, as well as equally funny and good looking. He was pretty close to my dream guy.

   When we first met, he was very reserved and quiet, but over the coarse of a couple months, I ended up worming my way into his life. He talks about this period often, saying if I hadn't persevered and fought his distant nature, we would have never gotten together. Shortly after, we started dating. 

   Caleb and I have near noting in common besides our love for the beach, and the occasional urge to binge watch all of Wes Anderson's movies. He was much more like Kacie, with all things skating, rock music, and their favorite food being ice cream. I was much more of a frozen yogurt type of girl. Although we didn't see eye to eye on some- well most things, we made up for it in laughs and fun. He was, and always will be, my go to guy for late night talks and dates to the adjoining ice cream and fro-yo shops. A very convenient placement indeed.

After lunch, my mom had planned a party in honor of my departure. The event is set to start at 2 and last until I leave. Actually, I'd like to believe that everyone would still be together mourning the loss of the funniest, most adorable person in all of California. I found that I am extremely humble, too.

Caleb and I arrived holding hands a little after 2:30. When we did, we noticed something was a bit off.

"Mom, where is everyone? I thought Uncle Luke and Ashley were coming. What about Kacie? Or Bennie, Haylie, Carter, James, or um... Kacie?" I said upset, putting emphasis on Kacie. I wanted everyone to be here since I had to leave soon. A couple more days here would have been sufficient, I guess.

"Honey, they should've been here by now. I'm sorry, maybe try calling some of them, my contact book is on the table inside." My mom looked at me with some hope.

   As I ventured inside, I wandered all around the main level before spotting it on the coffee table in the living room. I picked it up, only to not see the landline anywhere. As I went back out to ask where it was, I was hit with-

"SURPRISE!" I had neighbors from two blocks down and some of mom's friends from work all coming to wish me luck on a new chapter in my life. Then, I saw all of my friends with kazoos and party hats. I teared up, trying to not to make it too obvious how sad I was to be leaving such a cool place. However, I failed miserably as all my friends, Kacie, Caleb, and the rest of the group, came to my rescue. They have always picked me up when I'm feeling down, and they're doing it again now. 

Kacie wiped my eyes dry of any stray tears before squeezing me tight and shouting: "Tiny! Please don't cry, because I'll cry. You're sister will cry, hell Sasha will cry too." I giggled a little at her use of my sister's nickname for me.

"Tyler, I wouldn't dream of doing such a useless thing. Crying is for losers and I'm not a-" I cut myself off with a sniffle. Kacie had been there way longer than Caleb, trumping him by almost 10 years. We had been bus buddies since elementary school, and homies since however long before that. Our nicknames for each other, Morgan and Tyler, were originally from imitating Caleb and his friends, calling each other by their last name. It became a running joke that never ceased to make us crack up, becoming a staple of our friendship. Also, a reminder of how funny we were, and still are, no matter who said otherwise.

After our long hug, I finally pushed the crazy girl off of me and at arms length. Shortly following, the same long winded hug came from all of my friends and family. Each and every. single. one.

I then grabbed a tiny spoon, alongside an equally tiny glass, and made a little toast to, well, myself: 

"My gosh there are so many things I am going to miss about this place, and the special people in it." Hearing a couple aw's in the crowd, I continued: "I'll miss our surfing and attempted skating in the fall, I'll miss the early morning swim practice in the winter, and the surfing and skating again in the spring. I know it seems we need to find more things to do," a sea of laughter took over the group in front of me. "Thanks for the laughs, I need them right about now," I let out a heavy sigh, just shy of tears falling yet again. 

They engulfed me into a hug I didn't know I needed, and murmured incoherent "I love you"s and "it'll be okay"s. I even heard my friend Rohan say that "we can always switch it up and skate in the winter too". I laughed long and hard at that.

The concept of time escaped me, as we all ended up talking for another 3-4 hours before I really had to hit the road. At this rate, I wouldn't be at my dad's until midnight, possibly one a.m. Just like that, I packed up the rest of my travel essentials, and climbed into the big ass moving van parked on the curb of my childhood home. April needed my car there, and I had a crap load of items related to pottery and art that I couldn't be without, so a van worked in fitting everything perfectly.

April hands me her iPod, and says, "I know this thing is pretty ancient, but I checked out the van earlier and noticed that the only aux cord we have, doesn't fit your phone. Don't be turned completely off by this until you hear my playlists for you."

Caleb had helped me up into the high seat, with a kiss before I was out of reach.

"Text me when you're there, okay?" He asked. I confirmed with another kiss before I strapped in and closed the heavy, silver door. He and April then joined my mother on the porch. 

"Bye, my love" My mom waved, blowing me hundreds and thousands of air kisses.

Bye guys. I motioned as if I were catching the kisses and holding them against my heart, then throwing them out the passenger window. They laughed at my effort to break the tension, but it stayed. 

I wish that I could too.