Somewhere, Today

84

Song for the chapter: Ride by Lana Del Rey

~~~

"Don't break me down.

I've been travelin' too long.

I've been trying too hard,

with one pretty song."

Today is the day where I begin my long string of goodbyes, where I begin dedicating days to saying goodbye to people that have shaped me in my time here. As I looked over my list this morning, I decided who exactly I wanted to say goodbye to first. It may come as a shock but Macy is on my list, and I'm leaving to meet her in town right now.

Macy and I may have been enemies at one point, but she also had my back at other times. She's the one who told me about Harry's lies, the one who took the punch and pain for it all. I've never really expressed my gratitude to her, because in the end I never thought I'd miss her.

Part of me is going to miss seeing her big red lips, and how they always used to run lies and gossip. Part of me is also going to miss her honesty, her blunt nature saving me in the end. She had my back, and now I need to thank her for it.

Macy has become a better woman for it in my opinion, even as she's been away from school. The last time I saw her she was bruised and beaten down, the reciprocal of Harry's anger and demons. She never deserved that kind of pain, and she certainly didn't deserve the broken heart he gave her.

I grab my keys and head out, ready to face someone I used to despise but now deeply respect. Kristina is chatting with the landlord, the both of us trying to get out of our lease now that we have a valid reason to leave. We still haven't figured out the living situation in New York, but Thomas is always going to be an option until we have enough money to get a place of our own.

The whole car road is filled with listening to some old favorites songs as the sun comes through the windshield. I put my sunglasses on, the dark lenses protecting my eyes from the bright light.

Macy's meeting me in the center of town, the both of us planning to get a quick lunch and talk about everything. I'm hoping her face has healed, and that she isn't still in pain over the boy who gave her so much attention at one point.

After a while I could tell that she had fallen in love with Harry, even as they both pretended it was just sex. Their relationship was something more, and I have a feeling they both knew that in the back of their minds. One girl too afraid of seeming dependent and a man too stubborn in his ways is not a good match in the end.

I pull into an empty parking space in front of the restaurant, my car fitting right in front perfectly. Macy is already sitting on a bench right outside the front doors, her deep brown hair now short as it barely touches her shoulders. The change suits her, and I think she's fond of it too.

"Hey," Macy looks up at me as I stand right in front of her, her green eyes glowing bright when she sees me. Her bright smile stretches across her face, her red lips looking as familiar as always.

"Hi," Macy stands up and wraps her arms around me, something that catches me off guard at first but then I get used to it really quickly. Macy really has changed, and it's a very good change.

"How are you?" I ask once we both fully pull away, my eyes finally getting a chance to look at her fully. Her face is healed, her skin clear and body slender as she stands in front of me in a black skirt and white blouse.