so far it's alright

One

My alarm wakes me up at 8 on the weekends. Giving me enough time to run before the rest of the people I know are alive for the day. Today's no different, even after staying out past 3. I drag myself to my kitchen chugging a glass of water while I check my phone. Shit. 7 missed calls from my best friend, along with 25 texts. All different varieties of I'll kill you if you're with that asshole and please don't be dead in a ditch somewhere.
Met someone last night after we talked I'm running now meet me at mine for lunch
After texting her I stretch my legs that are quite stiff from a night in my heels. Putting in my headphones I scroll through my playlist until I find the perfect motivation song to begin running, Red Hot Moon by Rancid.

3.5 miles and a 20 minute yoga flow later and I'm hoping out of the shower. I hear my doorbell quickly followed by the voice of my best friend Caroline.
"Jace this had better be good I'm starting the kettle get down here." I laughed getting dressed quickly forgoing makeup for the time being. When I get down stairs she's already got her tea in hand opening my fridge to see what we can eat. She pulls out the leftover taco dish I have and hands it to me. I take the hint putting together a plate of nachos to share.
"So after I hung up with you I realized I wasn't alone," Caroline was clearly intrigued as she dipped a chip into the salad Id taken out, "His names Matty. I don't know what it is about him but last night might have been the best night I've had in years." I gave her a run down of the entire night the invite outside the pub to the walk home.
"Well did you get his Instagram what does this boy look like?"
"I didn't but he looks like an angel. He's got the sides of his head shaved but his hair is as long as yours at least with curls that you would kill for." I can tell I'm smiling now as I fade off telling her about Matty, "he's about as pale as I am, and he's got a few tattoos. I'm pretty sure we're almost the same pants size but he's a lot more shoulders than I am, and his eyes. They're hazel almost greenish blue when the light hits them, but when it's dark they look almost black it's amazing." I'm swooning now.
"Sounds like you're in too deep already."
We laugh as I tell her about his friends finishing our lunch and heading upstairs to my room. Caroline laughs with me saying now she wishes even more that she had come out last night.
"I'm an ass I didn't even ask you how the final went this morning do you think you passed?" Caroline was in school to be a social worker, she grew up in a big house and her parents had a flow of foster children live with them some had such horrible backgrounds that it made her sick, so she decided to get an education that could help kids like that.
"It went really well actually, I left feeling confident the results won't be up until Monday though."
I look over at her in the mirror from my vanity congratulating her and assuring that she did well while I put my face on for the day. The summer weather was so nice while it lasted but it's going back to chilly nights and only a few hours of sun through the clouds so after my makeup I grab a cropped black sweatshirt to go over my shorts and tank top before we leave the house. Today we already had plans to go to the shops to celebrate her final ending.
We spend the next several hours trying on clothes we know we won't buy and picking up a few trinkets here and there. I'm sat outside of a shoe store laughing at her about one of the idiots in her final that got up and ran out screaming in the first half hour of the test when my phone buzzes. I finish lacing up my new pastel pink monochrome vans and reach for my phone, but not before Caroline snatches it and answers the call swatting my hands away.
"Yes this is Jace's phone what would you like?" She's laughing at me while I pout and then looks surprised and starts turning around glancing in all directions. My eyes land on Matty and George a few shops down and wave them over laughing.
"How is it that we never met before now, and here I am running into you for the second time in half as many days? Are you secretly stalking me Matty?"
Caroline hands back my phone introducing herself to the boys. Matty asks if we want to grab something to eat with them and before I can agree Caroline is already following George to a pretzel shop at the end of the strip.
"I swear I'm not stalking you love, maybe I just wanted to hear you say my name again." Matty half whispers to me putting an arm around my shoulders pulling me against him. "I like the new trainers by the way, that pinks one of my favorite colors." He smiles again following behind our friends.
We grab pretzels and head over to the small picnic area and dig into our snacks.
"Thank you for taking care of my girl last night, that boy she was with is garbage she's the only one that couldn't see it."
"We didn't mind, plus it's fun to watch Matty swoon like a school girl, it doesn't happen often." He laughed and Matty just sneered at him tossing a chunk of soft pretzel across the table.
"I'm having an end of summer party tonight if you guys are interested, from what Jace told me about last night you and your friends know how to have a good time you're welcome to come by." Caroline was watching her parents house this week so naturally we had planned to have a party there since they have a huge backyard with a fire pit. It was something we had been doing since we were probably 14, every year they'd go away the last week before school and we would have parties that lasted half a week. Now we usually just throw one to keep it simple.
"Anything we can bring? Booze? Drugs? Party supplies?" George asked.
"Anything you'd like hun." Caroline smiled at him.
Matty and I were still sat at the table, discussing what our tattoos meant, while George and Caroline cleared up the table. The tattoo that intrigued Matty the most was just words on my thigh.
So far it's alright
"What does it mean?" He asked rough fingers tracing the lines of the script.
"It's to remind me that I'm okay, that I've made it this far."
His eyes locked into mine and I knew he understood. A smirk slid its way across his mouth as our friends came back to the table.
"We've got to go set up but I gave George the address so anytime after 10 you're welcome to head over."
At that we said goodbye to the boys a hug from George and another kiss on the top of my head from Matty before I practically floated back to the car.