AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 1
Cassidy
Miserable, dehydrated and hungover. I stirred my turmeric and ginger juice with the straw, idly in a daze as I sat across from my two best friends in one of our favourite Manhattan cafés for breakfast. I was painfully hungover and the sunglasses I still wore even inside did nothing to prevent the light from penetrating my pounding headache.
I’d naturally gone to a friend’s New Year’s Eve countdown party and under usual circumstances, I would’ve flirted the night away and probably taken someone home. But instead, because of my sworn celibacy from my serial-dating life over the last three months, I didn’t even have a New Year’s Eve countdown kiss.
And although that should’ve been the least of my worries, all the tequila I drank felt like it’d been for nothing. It would also be the last night I’d be partying in Manhattan anytime soon. The moment my parents sent through the text message a month ago saying they’d be meeting me in New York in the New Year, I quit my job, packed my apartment, and hired the first rental car I could find to escape. I’d intended to spend the next few months with a friend in her ski lodge in Canada until my parents gave up and went back home. Because I knew exactly why they were coming to town and I wouldn’t have any place in their scheme.
Clover and Issobelle were both eating their meals; both of them seemed in far better condition than me. Especially Issobelle, who could drink her weight in booze and still walk in a straight line. She looked polished as ever. And Clover apparently had a quiet one with her boyfriend, Damon. A heavy silence fell over us. I hated the silence.
“It’s not like I’ll be gone forever,” I reiterated. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
Issobelle chewed around her meal, speaking unapologetically with her mouth full. “If I didn’t have so many damn projects coming up, I’d join you.” Being one of the most famous photographers in New York, she was running a tight schedule. One that even she didn’t appreciate nowadays that she was exclusively contracted to Candice Magazine for twelve months. The only form of change she could make recently was coloring her lopsided sharp bob from blue to pink and even that didn’t seem to satisfy her.
“No, I wouldn’t want you to come anyway. It’ll probably be super boring at my friends.” Because the mini vacay I told everyone I was leaving on didn’t actually have an expiry date. Not until I knew it was safe to come back to Manhattan.
“Sounds like you don’t want me there,” Issobelle mumbled skeptically. I scoffed, giving her a deranged expression. Well yes and no. My other friend circles outside of Manhattan were very different to the friendships I’d formed here and I never wanted those two worlds touching.
Clover politely dabbed a napkin at her lips as she spoke. “I doubt anywhere you go would be boring.” She pushed back the sleeve of her blouse and looked at the watch on her wrist. It was right before the hustle of everyone’s day starting. And now that she was working at Be True magazine as their travel columnist, she had a flight to catch shortly. “But it still seems kind of risky to me, Cassidy. You just up and quit your job at Candice Magazine and are now randomly going to Canada for… how long did you say? Are you sure everything’s okay?”
No. “Yea of course it is. I just need a change of scenery.” I giggled throwing back my blonde curls with a bright smile. A motion that gave me a head spin—I was officially swearing off tequila. “I’m so sick of the New York men, and work’s drab, and yea you know, I just feel like I need a fresh start.”
“But you are coming back, aren’t you? Because you’re making it sound like you’re never returning,” Issobelle said with a skeptical stare.
“Of course. You know what I mean, just a little vacation,” I said, tapping her lightly on the hand.
“Without an end date?” Clover clarified.
“Mhmm,” I nodded with a beaming smile.
Sitting on the same side in the booth, the two looked at one another with a worrisome glance. Why was this starting to feel like some sort of intervention? It’s not like I could tell them that I came from a completely different world and was running away from my parents as my past catches up to me. And I wanted anything else but to live that life again or even talk about it—as if the mere whispers of it would manifest it into being right in front of me.
“Do you have enough money saved?” Issobelle queried. We’d gone over this so many times already. And yet I found it endearing that they cared so much. Genuinely. It wasn’t superficial like all the other friendships I’d had before and even then, we didn’t speak about money, we just showed it off with flashy materialistic items.
“I’ll be fine.” I rolled my eyes. Did I save money? No. Was I dependant on the credit card I’d received since I was ten? Yes. Was it hypocritical of me to use it since I was running away from the very same parents that didn’t look at those expenses twice? Probably. But my infatuation with beautiful clothes and accessories was never going to change. Even if I did change my life and identity.
Clover and Issobelle didn’t seem convinced.
“Promise us if anything happens and you need help with anything, you’ll call us,” Clover pressed.
“And the moment you arrive in Canada send us a text,” Issobelle insisted.
“Yes, guys, okay.” I laughed, taking a second sip of the juice.
“I still find it weird you’re driving up to Canada. I didn’t even know you could drive,” Issobelle teased.
I rolled my eyes. “I told you, change of scenery.” The truth being I didn’t want to purchase a flight ticket with the credit card in case my parents tracked where I landed. I also couldn’t afford it on my own because I was still waiting on my final pay check for another month. Was I a confident driver? No. Had I considered taking public transport on a bus? Absolutely not.
“Alright, well, I have to go so I don’t miss my flight,” Clover chimed as she stood up to give me a hug. Clover, although only a few years older, always felt like a mentor of sorts. Saying goodbye to her was the complete opposite of comfort. I didn’t want to leave them or my fun life in New York. But I didn’t want to confront my parents either. I held back a tear.
“Make sure you tell us if you need anything,” Clover insisted.
Issobelle, not much of a hugger, stood up as well with hands in pockets. “And remember no fuckboys. You swore to celibacy from them. But make sure to have a hella time.”
I laughed. Yea, I was over all the flings and boys in New York anyway. They were all the same and it took me a while to realize maybe I deserved better. That’s why I came to New York in the first place. Hoping to find my Prince Charming but it turned out most of them were either toads or secretly married.
But, gratefully, I’d discovered incredible friends along the way.
