after

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// amethyst //
-
"I think we trick ourselves into thinking we're okay when we're actually hurting the most."
-

when I wake up, I don't remember much until everything flows back to me. michael cheating on me, my
parents saying I'm a mess up, I remember leaving my old life for a new one. I remember calling my aunt late last night to ask her if I could stay with her in New York. and I'm on the plane now.

I plug my headphones in, plugging the world out. before I know it, I feel a tear slide down my cheek and drip onto my sleeve. I'm officially all alone in this world with nobody.

before I left, michael was all I had this world. he was the one who kept me going every day and kept a smile on my face. he always told me that he'd never ever leave me, but he did. I guess you can say I really loved him, and there's no doubt in my mind that I still do. but he hurt me. he let me down without telling me 'I'm cheating on you.' I tried quitting smoking because I thought he actually cared about my health and my safety, but I was wrong. he'll probably be happy without me holding him back from his perfect Barbie girl toy. he's probably happy that I'm gone. and I need to learn to move on and live my life without him, even though it'll be the hardest thing to do.

"c'mon amethyst, keep your shit together." I mumble to myself, giving a small chuckle because I actually just talked to myself.

"welcome to New York everyone." the intercom says throughout the plane. I stand up and stretch my arms widely.
once I get off the plane, I cal Val instantly.

"hey I'm here. where are you?" I ask her.

"I'm at the gate. like sitting down." she chuckles, and I hang up walking out of the platform.

"Val?" I squeal. she jumps up and hugs me in a death grip.

"Ames I've missed you!" she squeals with a smile wide on her face.

"you too Val." I smile like an idiot. I'm so glad I'm here, away from my old life. in my new one now.

"c'mon we have so much to catch up on!" she says, dragging me by the hand to the exit of the airport.

-

"so tell me everything. why you're here, why you left.." she carries on, her Australian accent really showing, sipping on the red straw of the fast food place we're at now.

"well it started with my parents saying that I'm fucked up. they said they don't know where they went wrong with me and I snapped. the same day my boyfriend michael told me that he didn't want to effect his health and my health so he asked me to stop smoking and he'd come back after I stopped. a week later, I was smoke free, which is the longest I've gone, I thought I was done smoking. so I went over to his place to tell him he could come back. I walked in on him sucking face with another girl." is all I could say before I sob on the greasy table before me. "a-and he hasn't even called or e-even texted me saying he's sorry or a-anything."

"shhh." she reassures me, placing her hand on top of mine. "if he's meant to be in your life, he'll be there. I promise. and life won't suck so bad without him, we're going to make your new life so amazing you forget about that dick."

"thanks Val." I chuckle, wiping my eyes with an embarrassed chuckle escaping my lips.

"anytime hon. c'mon we've gotta go, I have something for you." she says grabbing the keys to her car and I following her.

"what is it?" I ask her, buckling my seatbelt.

"you'll see." she winks.

"ugh I hate surprises." I groan, crossing my arms playfully.

"you won't hate this one. I think you'll actually like it." she says eyes on the road.

we drive for about maybe 20 to 30 minutes through some urban, small downtown area until we park behind an alley with a brick building in front of it.

"ar you coming or not?" she asks me, placing a key through the door. I nod my head, shoving my cracked iPhone in my butt pocket.

she opens the door to reveal something that is the exact opposite of the outside. this must be her cosmetic school she owns.

"I love this place." I say, my pupils dilating from how beautiful the place is. the walls are a darker red with black furniture around the school. in front of my are the hairdresser seats and mirrors in front of them, in the back is the place where they wash their hair, and in the corner is the place where they paint all the nails. it's the perfect place to work honestly.

"it's amazing Val." I say.

"good because you'll be spending a lot of your time here." she answers.

"I will?" I say confused.

"yeah. you maybe might've for sure got a job here?" she says in a form of a question.

"are you serious? thank you so much!" I say and embrace her in a hug.

"and yes you do get payed. because you told me you aren't going to college right?" she says.

"wow this is a dream come true. I've always wanted to be one of those girls who does all of this." I say eyeing the place once more.

"well now you are." she says with a wide grin.

"hey can I ask you something really quick?" I say, my eyes trailing to the hair dye boxes by the washers.

"of course." she says, following my eyes.

"can you do my hair?" I ask biting my lip, pointing to the many boxes.

she goes over to the boxes and scans through the colors.

"want natural blonde?" she asks me.

"no. I think it's time for a change."

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