Essence Extracted

Chapter 1

© ItalRT4u, 2012

Chapter 1

     Taking a hard look at myself in the mirror, I smacked my lips and smiled back at myself, making sure my dark blonde hair was tousled just right, my makeup was in check and my all black outfit hugged my curves in all the right places.  It had been nearly a year since I had last seen my girls.  They had all left for college while I stayed and tended to the house.  After my parents’ cruel death, I was faced with the hard reality that I simply couldn’t afford the finer things in life; well, not just yet.  Instead of heading out to some reputable university, I stuck around, working my regular nine to five at a posh bistro in the downtown core of Chatham Falls during the week days, while taking night classes to get my Public Relations degree.  Soon enough, I was overworked and highly underpaid, not to mention, my social life was non-existent.  Money was so tight I had recently taken up a weekend gig that I hoped would pay out more.  This weekend was most likely going to be the last of my free ones for some time.

     Fifteen minutes later, I entered Slicks.  The music was pumping, the patrons were having a good time and I was thankful to have beaten the rush of party-goers.  I headed to the bar, expecting to see my girls waiting for me but found none, so I ordered myself a drink as I enjoyed the thrumming of the base vibrate through my body, swaying my hips to the beat.

     “Hey Birthday Girl!”  I hear and couldn’t help the grin that spread on my face as I turned to see my oldest friend, Sahara standing there.  I squealed excitedly with her as we jumped at each other for a hug.

     “It’s been too long!”  I smiled at her.  “Where are the others?”

     “I left them in the washroom.”  She rolled her eyes.

     “So I see Beth and Brit haven’t changed.”  I laughed.  Bethany and Brittany Callem were twin sisters.  High maintenance in most ways but their hearts were in the right place.  Sahara Jones and I had known each other relatively our entire lives.  Both of us and the twins have been close since our freshman year in high school.  They were the only friends I needed.  When Mom and Dad passed, the three of them were there to help me pick up the pieces.  It was sad when the day came for all of us to go our separate ways.  It’s been a year, tomorrow, since my parents had been brutally murdered in front of me and left me alone – a story you’ll come to know about, fairly too soon, I’m afraid.

     “Happy Birthday!”  I heard the twins cheer in a sing-song way as they come and hug me from either side.

     “It’s not my birthday, yet.”  I giggled and I rushed to both and hugged them.

     “A technicality!  It will be at the stroke of twelve.”  Brit reminds me.  “By the way, I love what you’re wearing.”  She gestured to my black metallic v-neck halter, the black skinny jeans and my high-heeled boots.  I nodded my thanks.

     “You’re gonna slay some guy tonight with that outfit.”  Beth agreed which warranted a giggle.  Truth be known, I’ve only been on a handful of dates, most of them never fully measuring up.  All but one – Gage Wright.  Gage had been a total sweetheart; or so I thought.  Somewhere between my parent’s deaths, my healing, life changing, shifting on its axis, Gage’s and my relationship was left out in the cold.  I still ached to feel him present with me from time to time.  But you know how life goes – it’s quite an unfriendly foe.  It twists, turns and bends you out of shape only to do it over and over again when sometimes you haven’t managed to have straightened yourself out just yet.  That’s what changed us and ultimately, it led to our relationship’s demise.  He left Chatham Falls and never looked back.  It’s safe to say, I never thought of looking back either nor do I ever plan on it.  There wasn’t any hope, not after what he had done to me.