Life learning to be a Luna

Today was a rough day. I finished my third semester of college, and it was one of the toughest ones (even though I haven’t been going long, I don’t care about college). I was supposed to go out with my boyfriend to celebrate that the semester was over, but Drew canceled our celebration. So I’m going out with my girls, and we’re going to our favorite club!! That should cheer me up. I call up my girls, Group call:Andrea, Cathy, Maggie. Andrea: “What’s up?” Cathy: “How did classes go for y’all?” Me: “Well ya know C’s get degrees haha. Y’all want to go hit Mangolia’s tonight? Celebration??” Maggie: “I’m down I need an outing” Cathy: “Only if Jackson can come! I think it is getting series.” Andrea: “Noooo ha, I can’t tell. He’s only been all over you for months now.” Me: “Why don’t we meet at 6 at the park and carpool?” Maggie: “That works.” Andrea: “Yea sounds like a plan” Cathy: “I’ll text Jackson! We will be there.” **call ends ** I needed to get ready with it being 4:30, I hopped in the shower to destess from the day. Then look for a nice outfit. I finally settled for my baby-blue belle bottoms, my clean chocolate-brown cowboy boots with a red spaghetti-strap tank. I put some makeup on, more of a nude and natural touch, but added a red lip to match my top. I decided to tie up my dirty blond hair in a high ponytail since it had some loose curls from my braid this morning. I put my ponytail in and make a little bump on top, and tie a red ribbon over the pony. By the time, I was satisfied with the appearance, it was 5:40, so I rushed to my truck to leave. I decided to text Drew and tell him we were going out. I got no reply, which was odd, but I figured he was working late at the office. I can't help but wonder what’s going on with him. I pushed that to the back of my mind for the moment, telling myself it was nothing. After the stress of finals, I was just over thinking there was nothing to worry about. I headed to the park to start my night. Maggie is there talking to Andrea. It was almost 6 while we waited for Cathy and Jackson. Jackson offered to be our driver for the night, so when they pulled up, we piled in the truck and headed to Magnolia’s. On the way, Cathy speaks up in the passenger seat. “So I was thinking, I have some summer plans for us !!” Maggie:""That can’t be good, *sarcasm* kidding!!!"” I was curious what her big idea was. Cathy has always taken us on crazy adventures that we always have a blast on! Me: “OK, we can talk when we get there. I need to blow off some steam before we get into anything.” Andrea: “Well, we can grab some drinks and dance and when we are breaking we can chat.” We all just agree to do that and in no time we are there. We pulled up to Mongolia and walked in, ordered our drinks. We all turned 22 this year, so we have been having so much fun! We found a table in the corner untaken so we chose to set our stuff down there. With the strobe lights everywhere on the dance floor, and the music bumping, we were ready for the night. Each girl went all out for tonight; Cathy, trying to be flashy, wore a peasant-style white blouse with her bright coarse coal-black hair. She had black skinny jeans, with popping red heels that made her 5’3 height look not so short. Don’t let her small stature fool you, though she may be small and curvy, but she will kick your a**, our small but mighty. Andrea wore a strapless, mid-thigh, midnight blue dress with her decorative black and white flashy cowboy boots. Her ginger hair hanging loose and freely added to her face done up in party makeup made the whole outfit look smoking. Maggie had on her signature turquoise v-neck crop top, dark blue belle bottoms and dressy short ankle boots. With her long platinum blond hair, she was a showstopper at any time. We got to the table, sat down and started chatting about the finals. Jackson didn’t seem to be interested in our 'girl talk', so he pulled Cathy to the dance floor for a slow song. The other two and I stayed at the table, sneaking pictures of the cute couple and chatting away until they came back. When they returned, they brought drinks and wore smiles. We all get up for some dancing and get lost in the songs. After we get a little tired and need to catch our breath, we make our way back to the table. One thing I love about bringing Jackson is that he watches over us girls. I never have to be worried about strangers with him around. We sit and Cathy starts off the conversation. Cathy: “So the summer plans, I have got a week-long girls' trip that y’all are going to LOVE!!!” Maggie: “OK, hit us with it” Me: “Yeah, what have you got girly?” Cathy: “Well, my dad had some frequent flyer points that were going to expire, and he offered for us to use them. "I was thinking we could fly to Colorado and go camping for a week, and then we could get a rental cat to drive back and see a few sights along the way!” Andrea: “Might be my drinks talking, but that sounds fun!” Andrea is reserved and very uncertain about everything, Me: “Well, Andrea is cut off. Haha, well I think it sounds fun! We would work out the details, of course.” Maggie: “I’m not good at camping, but if Kimmy is going I know we’re safe. Haha, being the hick of the group.” Me: “Do what?! Haha, I mean I don’t think I’m a hick?” Cathy: “You just know more about those things, hahah, but I don’t know we can look at prices tomorrow and plan then!” Andrea: “Again, I’m in that will be cool!” Maggie: “Yeah, we can set everything up! Plan for, like, next week?” Me: “Yeah, that sounds good.” I pause and look at the dance floor and all the people having fun, when someone familiar catches my eye. I stood up trying to focus on who I thought I saw. After searching, I saw who it was. I found the face I knew I saw. Everyone at my table is looking confused at me. I don't see the questionable looks or the chatter “What are you looking at?” But I’m frozen by the face I found… is it Drew? And he’s here with Lori?!?! I turned to the table and sat down without a word. I am trying to figure out why he'd be here with her... They are all searching the crowd, clueless why I am quiet. I can’t speak as soon as I do, I will break. I don't know if I want to cry or scream. Finally, Cathy noticed Drew. She was shocked and knew exactly what to do. It was written all over her face if looks could kill, he'd be stone. She then looks at me and sees I am trying not to look. She grabs my hand, then turns to the table, saying “It’s time to go.” It’s only 8, but I really wanted to go home after seeing that. I never would have imagined to find Drew here with Lori of all nights. Andrea asks if I’m OK, my voice is hoarse, and I can’t think of what to even say. Everyone looks at Cathy, quietly tells them Drew is there, and who he is with. All I could think while standing there listening to them was, after 5 years of my life, he ditched me for another girl. Lori has been competitive with me in all the classes since I started at university. I never understood why. I guess I have my answer. Jackson paid the bill while we talked outside in the cool air. He then comes to get the truck to get us home. Drew came outside with his arm around Lori and I saw his face when he noticed us getting in the truck. I broke. I started crying while Maggie screamed at them through the window. Drew looked shocked and confused. Once we were out of sight, he tried calling my cell. Jackson took the phone saying I wasn’t ready to deal with his excuses yet. He said we could figure it out in the morning. I honestly didn’t put up a fight. The image of Drew looking at Lori with so much love was destroying me. I didn’t want to talk to him. He took us all to his house for the night. Being childhood friends with Jackson has always been fun. He lives in a small off-the-road village, no one knows about it except the ones who live there. My parents were from here, and I hadn’t been back here since my grandmother died. It has always felt like home in the woods. Jackson told us in the morning he would take us to our vehicles. So we all crashed in the basement on the queen bed and a jumbo futon. This had become a normal occurrence when Jackson drove us around his place was bigger than any of ours. Jackson had just met Cathy a few months ago. I don’t know why I didn’t introduce them sooner. Cathy and I met in my first year, becoming quick friends. Jackson stayed in the village working, until a few months ago, when he transferred to school. It was an instant spark when they met in the hallway one day. When we got back, Cathy and Jackson went to his room while Maggie, Andrea, and I went to our basement. I laid down, sleep was not on my mind. All I could think was these girls are all I have now. My parents were hit by a drunk driver when I was 17. Since then, I have been on my own. Before that, we had everything, we were all so happy. We had a small farm off some dirt roads, animals and a good quiet life. I was a senior in high school, everything was just normal. Afterward, I had no family to go to. Being almost 18, I just took care of myself. I couldn’t make the payments or take care of it all like we had before. I ended up renting out the land and selling the stock. I didn’t have the heart to rent my home. I still have the farm house I try to visit on weekends. But with it being in the middle of nowhere, I don't go like I would like. It is my paradise from the city where I go to university. I only had Drew from that point in life. Thinking of everything Drew and I have been through in those 5years, makes me realize things have changed so much. I have best friends, a career I'm striving for. I am happy with how my life is. Thinking of all the warning signs lately, and I didn't say anything. Maybe I should have? Was there a way I could have stopped this? I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. But I do know, in the end, it is about being strong and doing what is best for me.