Broken Souls

How It All Began

~Chapter One~

Terry Burk stood outside a 'Starbucks' nibbling on her lower lip. Although she wanted to feel cheery she still felt the after math of a broken heart still linger. Her date last night had not gone as planned and a wave of anger hinted to the surface as she let out a heavy dreaded breath. Joshua had been a grade A class moron and was looking for nothing serious but just a one night stand. He had had what she was looking for, great eyes, a perfect body, and a smile to kill for.

However, none of that in the end came through, he was just another jerk to add to the list. Maybe she was looking in the wrong place for a great man who could make her feel special? She wiped tears away and took a deep breath quickly trying to compose her face before heading inside. With a broken heart and hopes dead, she pushed past the door and gripped her purse tight.

"Terry, over here!" Kathy called out. She smiled brightly at her, hiding all of the sorrow welling up inside her. She knew right at this moment all she wanted to do was curl under her covers and sulk about how crappy her life was turning out to be. She spotted Eric Devine sitting next to her best friend and she felt even all the crappier as she neared the table.

"Hey, Kathy...Eric," she greeted.

"I thought you weren't going to make it, I thought to myself, if she skips out on me I swear I'll go and get back at her." Kathy chuckled. Terry offered and bright smile but she knew that her best friend was not kidding. Knowing her for the last ten years had Terry feeling on edge about her openly threats. The girl went through with them. Not that it was room for concern but waking up to a permanent marker unibrow wasn't something anyone would look forward to in the morning.

"So what was so important that you had to pull me out of my busy life?" Terry asked. She took a seat across from them trying to compose the frowns, groans of protest, and sulking that wanted to overpower her fake happy mood.

"Well, I got big news for you...we're engaged!" she squealed.

Kathy flashed an expensive diamond ring on her hand and smiled brightly as she beamed with joy. For the first time in today she felt a genuine smile etch on her face as she congratulated both of them.

Terry stood to switch places with Eric and hugged her best friend tightly. She always knew these two would end up together. Eric had always held a torch for Kathy. They sat for a while discussing wedding plans, ideas. Time seemed to fly by as they sipped on their Lattes.

Before long Terry was explaining her date last night. She felt embarrassed but she knew Kathy was always supportive. Terry lowered her head and busied herself with looking over her nails to find a distraction for a fraction of a second.

*****

Kathy had gotten everything she wanted. Luther Devine was well...very Devine indeed. He had great looking dirty blond hair that could not be tamed, grey piercing eyes that seemed like crystals at times and a great tall physique that Kathy would be enjoying for the rest of her life. Kathy had been blessed with great looks as well, not to mention the great perky breast, legs that went for miles, and slim hips. A cascade of red hair flowed down past her shoulders along with a great dashing smile and green lovely eyes.

She wasn't one to judge by looks but every man she had dated always went for that very exact thing. Part of her couldn't help but want that for herself. Terry knew deep down that it didn't matter, what always would remain would be the beauty of the heart. Which is something she longed for more than looks, but still part of her was traumatized by society. Beauty trends and standards would sometimes rear it's ugly self in.

"Is everything alright?" Eric asked. She smiled and shook her head waving his concern away.

"Another bad date?" Kathy muttered, as she eyed her.

"When am I going to catch my big break, I mean when am I going to find that great guy who will respect me, treat me like a princess and fall head over heels for me." She replied, finally unable to contain the pain, anger, and resentment of her life.

"Just try not to press the issue so much on yourself. If you do then who knows whom you might end up with." Kathy advised.

"I got a meeting with my boss in a little over an hour and I don't feel like I have the energy to do it." she sighed.

"Terry, everything will work out, don't worry about it." Garrett cut in.

"That aside I got some news that's going to cheer you up...I want you to be my maid of honor." Kathy then said.

"I'd love that." She smiled. "For the moment I need to be on my way but let me know when you want to go looking for that dress and I'll meet you there."

"You bet, and it will be pretty soon. Garrett and I are planning to get hitched in a month so we got a lot of planning to do, right honey?" she said.

Terry nodded, stood, and hugged Kathy one more time before exiting the 'Starbucks' and heading for a Taxi. She would promise herself that she would not go and jump at the next guy who came at her. This time she would try to be wittier and relaxed when going out on dates, ignoring the topics of weddings, kids, and plans for the future. She hoped that would work, from now on she would wait for them to approach her. Maybe then, she would be able to land a boyfriend.