Something about you

Two: The farewell

Madison arrived at my house around nine minutes to nine. Knowing her extravagant nature, it didn't surprise me when she pulled up in a vibrant pink limousine that matched her lively persona perfectly.

"Wow! You look absolutely stunning, like someone's little s*x kitten," Mady exclaimed as Dave and I entered the limo. Her eyes sparkled with excitement at the sight of my figure-hugging red dress that accentuated all the right curves.

"Dave, you better hold onto your girl before someone else snatches her away," Mady teased.

"Well, you told me to dress up, so I'm just following instructions," I smirked. "Meanwhile, you're all dolled up like you're ready to find yourself a husband or something."

"Let's hope I get lucky enough for that to happen," Mady giggled.

"Let's hope we all get lucky tonight," Lucas, my other best friend, chimed in from the other side of the limo.

"Hey! I didn't see you there!" I smiled, sliding over to Lucas to give him a warm hug while complimenting his dashing appearance.

Lucas has always been incredibly attractive—a charming and entertaining person. Mady and I have known him for years since our college days, and he currently works as a sales executive at Mady's Fashion House.

I can't help but wonder what I'll do without my friends once I leave for New York. I know it's for the best, but the thought of being without them makes me feel a bit lost.

"Hey, babe. What time are your friends coming?" I asked Dave as I made my way back to him.

"You did give Jeremy and Isaac the right directions, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but you know how those guys are," he laughed. "They probably won't be on time."

"I bet Lily won't be either," I muttered.

My sister Lily would also be joining us tonight. The only people not invited to my farewell party with Dave were my parents. This wasn't their scene, and I had already discussed my plans with them, receiving their well wishes.

"Wow, Mads, what kind of place is this?" Lucas exclaimed as we pulled up to a flashy club that seemed completely out of our league.

"It's one of the hottest clubs in town," Mady smiled, glancing at me. "Only the best for my best girl."

I blew her a kiss before we exited the limo. Shortly after, I spotted Lily and Dave's friends waiting for us in front of the club.

"You look incredible, sis!"

"Not as incredible as you," I smiled, pulling my little sister into a hug, bending down slightly due to my heels and her petite stature.

"Do you like my new hair color?" She shook her hair, grinning widely.

"Are you kidding? I love it! You should definitely keep this color for a while. Red suits you."

"It's striking, isn't it?" Lily beamed.

"Yes, my love, it's absolutely gorgeous," Lucas chimed in. "You look like a little firecracker just waiting to explode. And your dress!" He playfully hissed as he reached out to touch it.

"You better keep an eye on her tonight, Kathy. Both men and women will be vying for her attention," Lucas teased, making Lily blush. "Even though I'm gay, she can't help but have a little crush on me. And I must admit, Lucas is a real catch. Whoever manages to win him over will be incredibly lucky."

While everyone engaged in their own conversations, Mady handled the bouncer with her usual flair. Within minutes, we were granted access into the club.

Mady takes the lead, guiding us towards an exclusive section tucked away at the back, distanced from the dance floor and intoxicated partygoers. I assume it must be the VIP area, although I'm not accustomed to these settings. In this area, there's a spacious, C-shaped table that easily accommodates all seven of us.

"Ladies and gents, let's get some drinks, shall we?" Mady exclaims, waving her hand to attract attention. Within seconds, a young man arrives to take our orders. "I have quite a long list for you, and I'll only say it once..."

Mady rapidly recites the drink order to the young man, speaking so quickly that I wonder how he manages to keep up. To my surprise, he impressively repeats everything back to her before disappearing into the bustling crowd to fetch our drinks.

"Hey, are you alright?" Dave whispers to me.

I shake my head, lying, and he resumes chatting with his friends. Meanwhile, Lucas, Lily, and Madison continue their lively conversation, laughing about something that happened at the fashion house recently.

I wish I could join in their laughter, but suddenly my nerves get the best of me. My knee trembles uncontrollably underneath the table, and my anxiety intensifies. I'm eager to share my news with them, but I'm unsure when the right moment will present itself.

"Babe, are you sure you're okay?" Dave whispers in my ear, placing his hand over my trembling knee. "Why are you so on edge? What's on your mind, babe? You know you can tell me anything."

Damn it. He's right. I shouldn't be afraid to share my news. If I rip the Band-Aid off quickly, the pain will be fleeting. I need to stop being scared and just get it over with.

"Well, there's something..." I begin, but the server returns with our drinks, reading off the list while pointing to each one. I swiftly grab my drink.

Once everyone has their drinks, I stand up and tap my glass, capturing their attention. "I have something to say, and if I could have everyone's attention, that would be great."

"What's up, hun?" Mady asks, looking confused.

"Well, I know this may not be the ideal place for something like this, but..." I nervously laugh.

"As you all know, Dave and I will be moving to New York soon, and not only are we ready for a fresh start, but I recently received a significant opportunity that could be life-changing. Once I arrive in New York, I have an interview scheduled with Alliance Enterprise, and the chances of them hiring me are quite high. I'm sure many of you have heard of the company, so I won't go into too much detail, but they're impressed with my work and essentially want me to be part of their team if the interview goes well!"

A sense of relief washes over me as my friends break into applause. Everyone except Dave.

"Wow, congratulations!" Mady exclaims. "I'm so proud of you, Babes. It's thrilling to see you pursue your dreams."

"It's about time," Lucas smirks. "I'm happy for you, love."

"Congratulations, sis," Lily raises her glass to me and smiles. "You deserve the world and more."

Everyone shows me support except the one person whose opinion matters most. Dave remains unusually quiet, and as I turn to look at him, his expression is impassive. It doesn't sit well with me at all.

"Dave," I start. "I..."

"Can I have a moment alone with you?" I'm unsure why I even ask, because before I can respond, he takes my hand and leads me to a more secluded area of the club. "How could you do this to me, Katherine?" he says with anger in a hushed tone. "Please don't be upset that I kept this from you," I plead, starting to make my case. "I swear it wasn't intentional. I wanted it to be a surprise-" "No! You should have informed me earlier!" he whispers angrily. "Now all I can think about is that this job is the reason we're moving to New York, not because you want to start a 'new life' like you preached to me before. It feels like you lied to me, Katherine. I had no clue that you were doing this to advance your career. It's incredibly selfish. What about my career? I'm doing fine here, so why should I drop everything and leave it behind now that I know the truth about this move?" s**t. His reaction is worse than I expected. Still, I thought he would be more supportive. He has the right to feel this way, but he doesn't have to be dismissive of my dreams and aspirations. "Dave, we are embarking on a new life together. Everything I said about wanting to leave this town and start fresh somewhere better, I meant it. New York is that place, baby. It's beautiful, and the opportunities are endless. I thought we could have the best of both worlds if we moved there: I would have my new job, and you would have yours, which offers better pay than what you're currently earning, remember? We could both start fresh, living an even better life. We can make this work, Dave. But only if you believe in it as much as I do." He remains silent for a while, but when he pulls me close and embraces me, I feel relieved. "I do believe in us, babe. And please know that I am genuinely happy for you," he says. "I truly am. I'm glad you're finally getting the chance to pursue your dreams, but right now, I can't help feeling like you orchestrated this entire thing to get me to come with you to New York." I stiffen in his arms. Is that what I've done? Have I been so self-absorbed that I neglected to consider his needs, his desires? "Otherwise, you know I probably would never have agreed to go to New York. You know how I feel about it. I like it, but I don't love it." That's true, I can't deny it. Initially, he strongly opposed our move, not just to New York but leaving the state altogether. However, I never schemed against him or us. If Alliance Enterprises were located in California or somewhere else, I'd like to think he would have reacted similarly because he has never left the state and is probably afraid of starting anew. But I'm not. And as long as we have each other, he has nothing to fear. I wish he understood that. "How can you say that?" I pull back to look up at him. "I would never force or deceive you into doing or going anywhere if I knew it would make you uncomfortable. We've discussed this multiple times, and eventually, you came around and accepted the decision to move. You saw things from my perspective and agreed, but now... it seems like you're changing your mind again, and I don't know why. You know how much this job means to me, Dave. I can't turn it down. I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I do.

So if you want to back out..." It pains me to say this, but he needs to hear it. He needs to understand that I love him deeply, but I refuse to put my life on hold, to not experience the world, explore new things, and strive for greatness because he's afraid to step outside his comfort zone. Taking this risk and leaving my friends and family hasn't been easy for me either, but I'm doing it. I'm doing it to better myself, and the same can happen for him if only he allows it. "If you don't want to come with me, you don't have to. You can stay here if it'll make you happy, but I... I can't pass up this job. You and I both know I'll never get another opportunity like this," I explain, my heart on the verge of breaking. "So it's now or never for me, David. And I'm choosing now, whether that makes me a selfish person or not." "Oh, it definitely does, but I love you too much to let you go off to a place like New York City all by yourself. I won't have you surrounded by fancy men trying to lure you away from me," he teases, his demeanor softening. "Your announcement caught me off guard, but I don't care what I have to sacrifice, babe. I just ask that from now on, when big things happen, you tell me right then and there. Nevertheless, I'll follow you wherever you go. We're a package deal." I relax and thank God as I lean into him again, holding back the tears. "Yes, a package deal," I say, pushing up on my toes to kiss him. "I love you so much." "I love you more, babes," he whispers, holding me tightly. "Always."

I embrace Dave, relieved and grateful for his understanding, a sense of unity washes over me. I realize that while this conversation was difficult, it brought us both closer together. I feel reassured that he's willing to support me and embark on this new chapter of our lives together.

With our arms wrapped around each other, we return to your friends, who are still celebrating and enjoying their drinks. As we approach the table, Mady notices the change in our expressions and asks, "Everything okay?"

I exchange a glance with Dave before replying, "Everything's great now. We had a little talk and sorted things out. Thank you all for the congratulations earlier. It means a lot to us."

Mady grins and raises her glass. "To new beginnings and following our dreams!"

The others raise their glasses in agreement, and we clink your drinks together, toasting to the future. The evening continues with laughter, joy, and a renewed sense of excitement. I’m filled with anticipation for what lies ahead in New York, knowing that i have the support of the people you love.

As the night unfolds, I can't help but feel grateful for the strength of our relationship and the resilience Dave and I have shown. Together, we’re ready to face the challenges and embrace the opportunities that await us in the bustling city.