Perfectly Imperfect

2

The next morning, I woke up feeling like a stranger in my parents' house. Which was weird, considering I didn't feel at home living in California with Aunt Sophie either. She'd been the main reason I loved Berkeley. When I was a little girl, she took me to the campus for different activities. She was my favorite person in the world, with her love for the arts and eclectic tastes, never caring where she was or who to impress. The coolest aunt ever.

She owned a duplex house and offered to move her art studio from the basement, so I could have a space of my own. It was fair to say that my tiny loft was colorful and filled with abstract art, and despite being independent from her house, it still didn't feel like mine. It was my aunt's house. That was as clear as the air we breathe.

Yet, my old room wasn't mine anymore. As soon as I left for college, Haley, one of the twins, had moved to it. Mom had kicked her out for the time I was staying back home, something that my tempestuous little sister didn't appreciate much.

Trying to ignore the uneasiness in my stomach, I made my way towards the kitchen, where a whole batch of burnt microwave brownies were laying on the counter. Don't ask me how my sisters had managed to burn them, and it was a nice gesture, even though they were hardly edible. I swear I heard my teeth crack last night when I tasted one.

The house felt too quiet. I seized the opportunity to grab half of the tray and hide them inside the trash can. Everyone, including my sisters, would thank me for that later. Mom had left a sweet note on the counter for me since the whole family had to leave early in the morning. Dad worked in a construction company and he'd finally gotten the raise he'd always deserved but that meant more work hours, too. Mom was a nurse and was scheduled to do an internship at Boston's Children Hospital for the summer, starting today. Since I had to get ready for the wedding, she'd taken my sisters to work, so I could have the house to myself.

Last night, while we had dinner, I offered to help them out during the week. I was set to drive my sisters to summer school before going to the summer class Mom had signed me up. She'd found out about a photography class and signed me up, knowing that I always wanted to learn more about it. Both my parents expressed their gratitude and it felt nice to do something for them.

After my coffee and toast breakfast, I washed my dishes and went to my parent's room to get the dress Mom was lending me for the wedding, feeling all queasy inside, knowing too well that I couldn't blame the brownies for that one.

Despite it all, I was really excited to see Cassie. Especially since her text this morning. I smiled. We'd been best friends ever since I moved from Colorado to Boston two years ago. I'd been the new girl, and she was the shy, mysterious one. We didn't click immediately, but our friendship was a result of my stubbornness.

For real.

I met her in my first day of school. She was next to the only free seat in English class. I remember taking out my notebook, like the usual geek I've always been, when I glanced at my left, and found this beautiful brown-haired girl who looked like she was more lost than me. She seemed so sad, so lonely, that I decided to befriend her immediately. Granted, it hadn't been easy. I followed after her like a lost puppy for the first two weeks, every day talking about my life to no end, but she eventually warmed up to me.

To this day, I was glad I did. Cassie was one of the sweetest and bravest girls I'd ever met. She went by such a difficult time, but she pulled through and she wasn't scared to share her story with others. Okay. She was. Terrified. She confessed it once, but that just proved how brave she really is.

Today, her father was getting married to one of her Mom's best friends. Which is as hard as it sounds. They started to date a few months after her Mom died, something that took a lot of understanding from her, and everyone else around her, me included. However, Marie was great, they got along pretty well now. Though, Cassie had moved to New York to live with her boyfriend, making it easier for everyone.