Chapter 1

As the day neared to an end, I climbed the stairs to my room. Boxes remained stacked in a corner, the space was still barren. The only decor in the area was my blanketed mattress on the floor, no frame yet. I rolled onto my bed and reached for my phone which was on the floor beside me. The device now in my grasp, I opened Instagram and began scrolling. I stopped to like a picture of my friend, Jamie. It had just been uploaded about ten minutes ago. She already looked slightly different. Jamie was really beautiful; her beauty seemed to increase by the day. Her long ginger hair hung, loosely curled. Her eyebrows were flawless, teeth almost blindingly white. The orange lipstick she wore complimented those features and brought out her mysterious dark blue eyes. A black choker hugged her neck. It matched the black top she wore with a couple stripped, white accents in different sizes, as well as the black and white skirt that followed. Black boots. The background was filled with greenery; which was definitely Jamie.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed. 'Speak of the devil', I thought. I tapped on my messages and onto our chat.

The message read:

"Hey girly! How's it going in the new place? Almost a month in, right?"

I don't know why, but I was almost surprised she had messaged me. I mean, she is my best friend, but we're no longer as close as we were. Literally. I moved almost half way across the country to a small town, whereas she remained urban. We were both sort of well known, but I can't help thinking that I was holding her back. As soon as I left, her personality seemed to explode ten fold. She was more bubbly and cheerful, not as reserved as she was when I was there. Although she definitively checks up on me every chance she gets, I don't know.. I can't help but feel this way. I hope she doesn't end up resenting me for essentially deteriorating her chances at her new found luxuries since my departure.

I soon responded: "It's alright. I've already made a couple friends. I'm still unpacking though, so.. there's that.."

"Seems like nothing has changed too much. Is your bed actually a bed yet, at least?"

"Nope. Bed's still the floor. Room is still just a room. I haven't yet found the time to make this house a home."

"Sorry to hear that."

"It's fine. Enough about me; any plans?"

"Actually I was planning to hit up this new club with a bunch of our friends."

"Sounds fun..!"

"Yeah, it would be even more so if you were here with us. You were always a good time."

"I suppose."

"It's about 8:30 in the city and we're just about to head out."

"Right.. Well, bye!.. Oh, and have fun."

"Bye Kayla, love you!"

"Love you too."

I turned off my phone and decided to call it a night. It was already 10:30 anyway, and I had to be up early at 6:00 am, like a schoolgirl all over again. My alarm was set, phone was charged, and off to sleep I went.

***

My alarm rang, echoing in the near empty room. I reached a hand out trying to turn off the annoyingly repetitive sound; my face still buried in my pillows. I wasn't ready to start off the third week. I wasn't ready to hear the mouth of Jonathan, always nagging me about a new project that needed finishing or some paperwork. Jonathan was an overachiever. A deadline could be months from now and he'd need to have it done in a week, two weeks max. Being in such a small town, there are only about four large corporations in which most people work. If someone didn't work at one, it was safe to assume, almost one hundred percent guaranteed, they worked at one of the other three. Of course not everyone worked at the corporations, but most did. That's how small the town is.

I finally found the 'STOP' button on my alarm, and dragged myself out of 'bed'. I waltzed over to the door on the far right side of the room. My bathroom. The bathroom that was in the room is one of the reasons I was sold on this particular house. It's a nice house all together, don't get me wrong, however, the bathrooms are just breath-taking. The closets and the kitchen are close seconds. The house itself wasn't extremely lavish, but it was definitely a great option for the price. The bathrooms and the kitchen are the only things that feel like me. The only things that feel like home.

As I enter, I pause to look in the mirror. I look like shit. My mid length, bob styled jet black hair, was in a frenzy. My heavily relaxed hazel green eyes stared back at me in the mirror, threatening to shut and not reopen until about 11 am. I turn to open the sliding door to my shower and put on the hot water. While the water is warming up, I decide to go look for a clean towel in one of the many boxes stacked in the far left corner of my room. It must've been my lucky day as when I pulled out the first box it only took some slight digging to find one.

"Mission success." I spoke to no one but me, myself, and I.

Making my way back to the bathroom, the removal of the shirt I wore to bed commenced. I jumped in the shower, a wash cloth already waiting for me. As soon as the water tattered on and off my bare skin, a sense of ease and relief washed over me. As badly as I would've wanted to stay there all day-- I quickly washed up and wrapped myself in the fresh towel I had prepared. I rushed to the sink and began brushing my teeth, flossing, and the use of mouthwash. Walking back into my room, I bent down to check the time. 6:45 am, it reads. Not too bad; a new record. I go to the mountain of boxes in the corner. Now to look for something presentable. Soon deciding on an almost pastel, lavender colored blouse, a black mid length skirt, along with some black wedged heels; I throw on a clear gloss and sloppily create a side-part in my hair with my almond shaped nails. I grab my purse, phone, and keys while heading out the door.

Time for work.