A smile stretched across my face as I drove down the familiar LA road. The sun reflected off the road and I moved my sunglasses from the top of my head to cover my eyes

Birds in the sky
You know how I feel
Sun in the sky
You know how I feel

I couldn’t help myself from pressing my foot a bit harder against the gas pedal. The road was clear in front of me and the wind whipping through my hair from the open window felt amazing. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been in such a good mood.

It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good

The long windy road up the hill was so familiar that I felt like I could drive it with my eyes closed. I had definitely missed this.

I slowed my car down to a stop when I reached the large iron gate blocking my path. I punched a code into the keypad and was prepared to drive through but the gate never opened. A small laughed escaped my lips.

“That loser changed his codes on me.”

Leaning out the window, I pushed the intercom button and then waited impatiently for an answer. Finally Justin’s voice came through the speaker.

“Hello?”

“You changed your codes. Let me in.”

There was a pause. Finally, “Chief?”

I smiled. “Who else?”

A laugh came over the speaker and a second later the gate was opening. I stepped on the gas and drove up the long driveway. I had just parked my car in front of the garage when I saw the front door open and Justin stepped out of the front door. A smile stretched across my face when I saw him and I quickly turned off my car and jumped out.

“Where the hell have you been, Chief?” Justin laughed and leaned down to hug me. I laughed as he straightened and spun me in a circle. “What are you doing here?”

“Visiting you?” I laughed. “What’s up?”

He set me back down on the ground and shook his head. “You can’t disappear for a month and then just show up like it’s nothing.”

I smiled and put my hands on my hips. “Why not?”

“Because we all get home from snowboarding and we get a text from you saying you were going on vacation and then that’s the last we see of you for a month. And then you just show up out of nowhere?”

I grinned and slid my arm around his waist. “Let’s get out of the hot sun and you can get me a cold drink and I’ll tell you all about it, okay?”

He laughed and threw his arm around my shoulders. “You got it.”

The smile stayed on my face as he went inside his house. I loved this place and it felt like forever since I had walked through the halls.

“Well I know you didn’t go anywhere hot,” Justin said as he tossed me a bottle of juice from the fridge, “cause your tan sucks.”

I scoffed. “You’re one to talk. You’re looking a little pasty.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I’ve been busy. So where were you?”

I took a long drink of juice before speaking. “Ohio.”

“Ohio? You mean with your parents?”

“Yeah. I became a farmgirl again for a month.”

He gave me a look. “And there’s no phone or email in Ohio?”

“My parents don’t have the Internet.”

“Phone?”

I gave him an apologetic look. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. I should have called but I just needed to escape for a while, you know? I just needed to get away from everything in LA.”

“We were really worried about you.”

“I’m sorry. I should have called.”

He eventually relented. “Well I’m just glad you’re back. You’ve been gone forever.”

“A month.”

“Feels like forever.”

“I know.”

“So what about your job?”

“I quit.”

His eyebrows rose. “Quit?”

“I hated that job, Justin. And my life’s ambition isn’t to be a retail manager. So I quit.”

“And your apartment?”

“Lola was still there so I just paid my half of the rent before I left.”

“I went over there when we got back and Lo didn’t know where you were.”

“I kind of didn’t tell anyone. She was all annoyed at me when I got home last night. She’s making me cook her dinner for a week to make up for it.”

“I should make you do the same.”

“You guys are all so sensitive,” I replied, taking another drink of juice. “So what’s been going on here? What’s the gossip?”

“Dickie got a boob job.”

“What?” I gasped. “No! You’re shitting me.”

Justin began to laugh. “You should see your face. Why would she get a boob job?”

I rolled my eyes. “Well I don’t know. Becca can be unpredictable.” I threw the cap of my bottle at him. “Seriously, what’s been going on?”

He shrugged. “Nothing really. I’ve actually probably had the least productive month of the year. I’ve improved my golf game though.”

I stared at him for a moment. “Well that’s sure exciting. Highlight of my day actually.”

Justin began to laugh. “I’ve missed your sarcasm, Chief.” He leaned back against the counter. “So you quit your job. What are you going to do now?”

“Lola’s boyfriend’s sister words at this modeling agency and they’re looking for a makeup artists. She told me to come in and show her what I can do.”

“So your unnatural obsession with makeup might actually come in useful for once.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not unnatural. And I didn’t go to cosmetology school for nothing. I eventually planned to use it.”

“So is the job a for sure thing?”

“Pretty much. On Monday I’m going in the check it out. If all goes well though, I won’t have to go back to retail ever again.” I finished off the juice and drummed my fingers against the counter a little restlessly. “So what are you doing this afternoon? Wanna do something?”

“Of course. What do you feel like doing?”

I gave him a once over and a smile began to spread across my face.

“It is so much hotter out here than Ohio,” I said ten minutes later as Justin and I laid on lounge chairs out by his pool. “It was so rainy while I was out there.”

“What did you do for the whole month?”

I adjusted the strap of my bikini that I had left at his house months ago. “Helped my parents out at the farm, babysat for the neighbors. A couple friends from high school still live out there so I hung out with them.”

Justin stretched his arms out over his head. “A month is a long time for a vacation,” he commented.

I closed my eyes and tilted my head up to the sun. “I needed a break.” I added dryly, “Especially since my last vacation didn’t turn out so hot.”

There was a slight pause. “How’re you really doing, Em?”

I turned my head to glance at him. “I’m fine.”

“The past month must have been pretty rough.”

My face turned back to the sun, I sighed slightly. “It was. But I’m okay now. I’m over it.”

“Have you talked to Ben since Banff?”

I snorted. “No. Why would I?”

“I don’t know. Maybe there was something more to say. Maybe something changed.”

“Nothing changed and I haven’t talked to him. I could care less about him. And I’m fine.”

“You’re such a liar.”

I smirked a bit and shook my head. “No I’m not.”

“Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

I sat up and looked over at him. “What exactly am I lying about?”

He pushed up his sunglasses so his eyes met mine. He never said a word but I could read his look perfectly. He thought I was still upset about Ben and I was putting on a front that I was fine. Well…maybe I was. Just a little. But I didn’t need to wear every single emotion on my sleeve.

“Damn, it’s hot out here,” I said, pulling the conversation away from my feelings about Ben. “It’s like a sweat party over here.”

A snort of laughter escaped Justin. “So jump in the pool.”

“Too hot to move.” I laid there for another minute before lolling my head towards him. “So what are your plans for tonight? Wanna do something?”

“I would but I already have plans for later.”

“Doing what?”

“Watching the game with some people.”

“You know I’m always up for basketball.”

“Yeah, but…well it’s cause-you know that-”

“Quit blubbering. What’s your issue?”

“Well Ben’s coming.”

That stopped me. “Oh. Nevermind then.”

“I mean, I’m still friends with him.”

“Well why wouldn’t you be. He’s such a stand up guy.”

“Em, he was a shitty boyfriend for you but me and him have been friends for a couple years.”

“I know.”

“So tonight isn’t good but I’m free all day tomorrow. We can do something then.”

“Alright. But you better plan something good since you’re ditching me tonight. Me, your best friend, who you haven’t seen in a month.”

“Yeah, I’ll get my top event coordinator on it.”

I smirked. “You may have missed my sarcasm, but I sure didn’t miss yours.”

He laughed. “Chief, you missed everything about me.”

* * *

“Hey,” I said later that day to my roommate, Lola, as I entered our apartment.

Lola looked up from the computer. “Hey. How’s Justin?”

“Good.”

“I hope he kicked your ass for leaving for a month.”

I dropped my things on the couch and sat down. “He was pissed but at least he isn’t making me cook him dinner for a week.”

Lola smiled brightly. “Speaking of that, what are you making? Mitch is coming over to eat.”

“So now I’m making dinner for you AND your boyfriend?”

“Yeah, remember when you left me for a month?”

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. “What do you want?”

“Mmm…spaghetti, Caesar salad, garlic bread.”

“Do we have everything for that?”

“Yeah, I got groceries yesterday morning. So did you ask Justin if he wants to come camping with us next week?”

“He’s totally up for it. I told him to tell Trace too.”

“Cool. Mitch can’t come because of work but he said we could borrow his tent.”

“Is it big enough for all of us?”

“It holds eight so it should be fine.” Lola turned back to the computer. “Have you unpacked everything?”

“Most of it. I still have to wash my clothes. I’m going to do it tonight.”

“Didn’t you say you were wanting to hang out with Justin tonight? Whatever happened with that?”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s busy hanging out with Ben.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah.” I leaned back against the couch. “I guess it was stupid of me to think maybe they wouldn’t be friends anymore.”

“It’s not like Ben cheated on Justin.”

“No, I know.” I rubbed my hands over my face. “Ugh, I just better not have to see him anytime soon.”

“LA’s big. You can avoid him.” It was quiet for a minute before Lola rolled her head back to me. “I’m getting mighty hungry, Em…”

Sighing, I stood. “Yeah, yeah. You’re aware you completely suck, right?”

Sleep in peace when the day is done
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me

Feeling Good-Michael Buble