Love Factually #JustWriteIt

7) Echoes of Love

Okay fine, so I may have been exaggerating just a tiny bit, but you get the gist.

Anyway, I had my second major heartbreak my freshman year of college when my supposed best friend, aka Jamie freaking O'Connor, up and left me. There I was trying my best to build up my defenses to prevent such an event, only to have him squash that fantasy. And the part that sucks the most is that I still have no idea why.

Sure, I can always ask him, but where's the fun in that? I'd much rather not know what I did to deserve the punishment of losing my best friend at the time when I needed him the most. This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that asking him might lead him to believe that I still care―because I don't.

And besides, if he had never skipped out on me, I would not have grown so close with Hailey and my life would most definitely suck without her.

Given that we've already gone over the story of my tortured romance with Brian (sorta) I won't even open that can of worms.

But in spite of everything that has transpired, I thank the ironic way that life works because maybe, just maybe all the curveballs that she throws at us actually makes us stronger―this is a strong maybe.

***

"You know you're in a shitty place when you actually believe your horoscope," I mocked while I skimmed the page of the newspaper. "Listen to this bullshit," I told Hailey.

She raised her brow but put down her phone, as if to say that I had her undivided attention―as it should be.

"You're ready to embrace new romantic experiences thanks to an alignment between Venus and Uranus today, even while a part of you looks to the Virgo Moon for a practical approach to your love life, you'll meet a handsome stranger who may simply be someone that you've met aeons ago and the wheels of love will undeniably be turning in your favor."

"What a load of crap," Hailey agreed. "You? In love? Yeah right!"

I nodded and let out a snort although it wasn't my horoscope. "It's more likely that we'll actually have gender equality in all its glory before that becomes a reality."

"Deep," Hailey nodded.

"Why do people read this crap?" I asked, shaking my head.

"It helps having at least one thing predicting that things will turn out okay," Hailey shrugged. "Even it's a fly-by-night horoscope."

"That's why I read my Bible," I stated matter-of-factly.

Hailey rolled her eyes and collected my empty coffee cup and deposited it along with hers into the sink. "You're such a contradiction," she scoffed.

I quirked my brow. "How so?"

"You just are," was her genius response.

I shook my head and pulled my knees up, almost losing my balance in the process. I held onto the kitchen counter for support and sighed. "That was close."

She laughed and shook her head. In one swift motion she pulled her fiery red locks into a ponytail and then stuck her tongue at me.

I grinned at her. "We're probably the most immature twenty-two year olds."

She nodded in agreement. "Although you're slightly more immature than I am."

I shrugged. "I care not."

"Yes, you do," Hailey laughed. "You like to pretend that you don't care but deep down I know you do."

I started to disagree but who was I tryna kid. "I like to think of it as straddling the line between not caring what anyone thinks about me and extreme self-loathing."