Falling | h.s

forty-seven

JANIE'S POV

For a little over a month, the early release copy of his album has been sitting in my desk drawer, collecting dust. It sat beside a bottle of Advil and a pile of bills. I did my best to forget that it was there, to ignore it, but it was like an itch I couldn't scratch. It nagged at me as I tried to sleep, interrupted my thoughts as I tried to read or cook or go on a run. 

No matter what I did, I couldn't get it out of my head. 

My graduate program had started, and I did my best to throw myself completely into my studies. I spent my weekdays on campus and my weekends back at home with Dad, and spent every free moment reading, writing, and trying to ignore the envelope attached to the album that sat in my drawer. I avoided his music at all costs, and when I got a text from Emma that the "Lights Up" video was out, I turned off my laptop for two days. I tried to pick up new hobbies, like knitting and painting, but to no avail. 

No matter what I did, I couldn't get him out of my head. 

It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and, as if the universe knew exactly what I needed, all three of my best friends were coming home for the holidays. I had returned home the weekend before, but my three best friends weren't able to return home until two days before the holiday. They all knew what happened; the fight, him coming to Tennessee, how we haven't spoken in months. They all also knew exactly what would cheer me up and insisted on coming over as soon as they landed. 

When I woke up Tuesday morning, it felt like Christmas. I spent the day tidying up the house and running errands to get us alcohol and snacks. They were due to land in Knoxville around 4pm, all within thirty minutes of each other. So when I got their message that they landed, I couldn't help but sit by the window and wait. 

A few minutes after 6, a black car pulls up in front of my house, making me shoot up from where I was sitting. I fling the door open with a giddy grin and watch as the three of them exit the car in a hurry.

"Janes!" Emma exclaims as she hurries up the sidewalk, luging her suitcase behind her. She crashes into me and wraps her arms around me tightly. I sigh into the hug and hold her close. Zoey and Bella follow right behind her and I take turns giving each of my best friends a hug. 

"I missed y'all," I confess and they hum in agreement. "I miss when we all lived a few blocks away from each other."

"I know," Zoey agrees with a nod. "But we're here now!" 

"Well, come in, let's have a drink," I say with a wide smile and move out of the way so they can file in behind me. The house is immediately filled with noise and I can't help but feel overjoyed at the excess noise. It had been too quiet recently, leaving me with nothing to distract me from my heartbreak. But they were here now, and the world was good.

"So, how has everyone been?" I ask as I grab a bottle of wine from the fridge. "Everyone give me an update."

Emma tells us about her first few months of grad school. She explains her curriculum and how much she loves her childhood development class. Zoey tiredly tells us about med school and how exhausted she is at all times, but how she loves it more than anything. Finally, Bella gushes about her interior design job and all about her newest client and how she swears that her client's husband is having an affair. 

Quickly and effortlessly, things fall into place as they always do. It only takes a few minutes for it to feel like we were never apart, and after the first glass of wine, we're all already laughing manically at a story Bella is telling. 

She had gone out the night before and happened to run into her high school crush in a bar. 

"So, then," Bella emphasizes dramatically. "I'm like, "Dude, I haven't seen you since you turned me down junior year of high school" and he's all like "That definitely wasn't me, I would never have said no to you, Isabella,'" she recounts a conversation she had the night before.