Awakened

Thirty

When my alarm went off this morning the last thing I had wanted to do was get out of my bed. The events of the night before had drained me both physically and emotionally. 

"Katherine, Sam should be here any minute. Are you up?" Shelly called from downstairs. Sam was picking me up so we could get our nails done for tonight. I was looking forward to spending time with her, but I wasn't sure whether or not I could tell her about what happened with Beau. 

"Yes, I'm up." I said after cracking open the bedroom door. I glanced at my phone, a message from Sam saying she was on the way and a notification from my email. 

It was from my high school adviser wanting to know if I had made any final decisions. I let out a groan and fell backwards onto the bed. I had no intention of making any important future-related decisions today, that was for sure. 

Once in the car with Sam she blasted music and sang at the top of her lungs... badly. I couldn't help but laugh, so I joined in with her. This completely stress and worry free time with my best friend was much needed. 

"Soooo, I can't wait to see this amazing dress. Thomas couldn't stop drooling over it." she raised her dark eyebrows up and down as she teased me. 

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." I shook my head. "I mean, it is a great dress though. I'm going to feel like I just stepped out of Fitzgerald's world."

Getting our nails done was great, and they placed us side by side in the fancy pedicure chairs that massaged our backs. 

"So, I wanted to talk to you about something." I said quietly, and Sam looked at me with concern. 

"Is everything alright?" 

"Yes, but you know Beau is back. He was there last night. I had no clue he was coming, but I guess Cynthia asked him to pick up their clothes. He knows I am kind of... seeing Thomas." My voice sounded so meek.

"And that upsets you?" There is no judgement in her tone, and I am grateful. After our last talk involving my confusing relationship with him she had tried to be more supportive.

"Well, it was uncomfortable. The way he looked at me was- well, it was uncomfortable." I responded.

I explained what happened at the store, the date with Thomas, and of course the talk with Beau on the Balcony. I almost stopped myself from telling her that he showed up in my room, but I needed to get this out of my system. 

"What the fuck? He came to your house?" Sam couldn't hide the utter disbelief in her eyes. 

Once I'd replayed the events that took place in my bedroom with Beau, Sam was silent for a few moments. "That doesn't sound like him, like at all. I don't know, girl. This whole thing is just- well it's weird. I don't know what you are going to do." 

On that we agreed. 

____

"You look beautiful!" Shelly beamed as she pinned my hair at the nape of my neck. She had curled and styled it into a flattering up-do, and I did a turn in front of the mirror. 

I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. A regular girl charading as more with the handsome, wealthy gentleman.

When Thomas had picked me up his eyes grew wide, and he showered me with compliments the whole drive to the venue. Sam was meeting us there, and I was ready for her to act as a buffer between the two of us. I wasn't quite ready for him to make our relationship so public, and I knew he would waste no time doing just that. I shouldn't be so weary of it, but at this point I was honestly just so confused.