All In My Head

Chapter two: Just A Board Game

"I'm off to meet my match!" My mom excitedly announced. For weeks now, they have been messaging each other back and forth, and they've planned to finally meet each other in person at this newly built, but nice Italian restaurant. "How do I look?" She asked. She smiled beamingly as she gave me a three-hundred-sixty-degree spin.

"Beautiful." I told her, eyeing her through the mirror. I quickly finished putting my hair up into a fishtail braid with a clear elastic, I hurriedly thought it was a stupid idea and undid the entire braid.

"I'm assuming you're going to Kylie's," She stated, mentioning my best friend. She turned the knob to the front door and walked outside. The sun was long gone, and the night was illuminated by the streetlights.

"Correct." I answered. I then followed her outside, once we were both out of the house, I locked the door behind me.

"Okay, drive safe."

"You too. Have fun with 'Caden.'" A grin formed on my face as I teased her, the grin formed into a wide smile when I realized I struck a nerve.

"Shut up!"

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After a short ten minute drive, I arrived at Kylie's house. I parked in her driveway where an unfamiliar Jeep Grand Cherokee was parked and approached her front door. She didn't even wait for me to knock before eagerly swinging the door open.

"Vanessa! Come in, it's freezing!" Kylie pulled me inside and gave me a suffocating hug. "Have some pizza, I know you're hungry."

My eyes wandered around the room, it hasn't changed a bit since the first time I came over nine years ago. Well, except for the couch. We were ten when we decided to play with the small set of matches her father left behind on the island table.

One thing led to another, and we ended up setting the couch on fire. The fire department and a team of firefighters came by, the couch was replaced with a different one shortly after. Lauren, my second mother wasn't all too mad about it. In fact, she was actually relieved. I remember hearing her mutter that day, "I've always hated that couch, it was such an eyesore..."

A wise man once said that 'you aren't real friends if you haven't almost died together.' It's kind of funny to think that it took something as simple as a couch for my best friend, to become my best friend.

None of Kylie's parents were to be seen. Not that I was complaining, though. I've been trying to avoid Lauren until I got her the birthday gift I promised to give her once I came over. Since she's my second mom, I wanted to go all out and make it special. You only turn forty once...

My best friend came running to my aid with a plate of pepperoni pizza, my all-time favorite. Gratefully taking the paper plate, I asked her out of curiosity, "Where are your parents?"

"They're out of town for their twentieth wedding anniversary. So I have the whole house to myself!" She explained with a devilish smirk. I knew right then and there she was up to something, but only time could tell what it was. "But Jasmine, Christine and Blair are here. It's just the five of us, just like old times! Guys, Vanessa's here!"

A stampede of footsteps raced up the stairs from the basement. Anticipation resided from my face as I finally saw my three friends, Jasmine, Christine and Blair for the first time since we graduated. The three scurried up to me with hugs and hellos.

"It's so good to see you!" Christine was the first to speak. She chopped off her dark brown hair to a shoulder-length since the last I saw her. I always told her short hair suited her.