The New Normal

Chapter Thirteen

"So, you fought with your ex boyfriend and best friend, got a job, and made new friends with two girls at your school?" My therapist, Steve listed, peering over his notebook.

I nodded my head and added, "Well, I was already friends with Kimberly and Stella, but we never really talked outside of school. We were school friends."

"Right," he replied as he scribbled on his notebook. "Why all the change?"

I found myself irritated at the question. I thought my intentions were perfectly clear. Sighing, I roughly pulled a strand of hair behind my ear. "Because, Ariel and Blake went behind my back and that hurt. I wish they were honest instead of sending me on a stupid date that obviously wasn't going anywhere. It made me feel stupid."

I pulled my feet up on the couch and sat crossed legged. "And then Blake brought up Tristan and I just snapped. He had no right to bring him up, none. Honestly, I never thought I'd say this but thank God for Tyler, or else I would have punched Blake in the face myself."

Steve stopped writing and stared at me with his eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Why would Tyler punch Blake in the face if it was you and Blake having the dispute?"

"Because that's Tyler, even if it isn't his fight, he somehow intervenes," I waved my hand in dismissal. "Look, I know it's a lot of change and it probably seems a bit extreme, but it's making me happy. Kimberly and Stella are great, and they don't make me feel like I have to be my old self, I can be Juliet 2.0 without any judgments."

My therapist cocked an eyebrow. "So, who is Juliet 2.0?"

I paused. I hadn't really given much thought. All I knew was that I wasn't the same Juliet I was before Tristan's accident. After a few minutes of thinking, I said, "Honestly? I'm not sure. But I do know Kimberly and Stella are patient enough to let me figure it out. Once, when I was thirteen, I dyed my hair blue because I was going through a bit of a phase and Ariel wouldn't talk to me until I changed it back - that's how I know that even if we didn't have that fight, she wouldn't have stuck around to see me go through all this change."

Steve nodded his head thoughtfully and wrote a quick sentence down. He clicked his pen and looked at me sincerely. "Do you think you and Ariel will reconcile?"

"Maybe," I scratched my head and paused. Then I shook my head. "No, not really."

Steve gestured for me to go on, so I did. "Ariel holds grudges - big time. She's mad at me for being mad at her. Even if I forgave her, which I probably will in like a week or two, I just need time to be angry, she would still be angry with me for being mad in the first place and she will drag on the situation longer than necessary. I can't handle that right now, I need positivity and if a change in friendships is what it takes, then I guess that's what needs to happen."

"That's very intuitive, Juliet," Steve began. "It seems to me, you're very in touch with your emotions and that's a sign of maturity. Ariel, although a long time friend of yours, seems to me she caused a lot of stress and even feelings of anger in your life. Maybe a break from her and exploring other friendship opportunities is just what you need right now."

I let out a loud sigh. "I hope so, otherwise, I have no idea what I'm doing."

I left the therapist's office feeling pretty good. Steve was the only one who made me feel like I wasn't completely losing my mind. Sure, Kimberly and Stella have been really great, but we've only been hanging out for two days. It takes a bit more than bonding over our love for shopping and books to establish a solid friendship, but they did seem like the kind of friends that I needed.

I walked down the nearly abandoned street, it was only around eight but the sun went down quickly and I found myself alone as I walked home. It wasn't a big deal, I thought to myself, it's only a twenty five minute walk and I could use the exercise. I wasn't particularly scared of being harmed in any way, the area is pretty safe, I just get startled easily and the last thing I want is to be jumping like an idiot all the way home because someone decided to suddenly take their garbage out or a cat walked out of an alleyway.