The Hardest Part of Today is a Hangover.

It was one of the few nights the three of us had decided to stay in—usually we’d be out partying, but since I was out of a job my stepmom was mad at me, so I didn’t want to go home, and Christian and Caitlin couldn’t hold the tab for both them and me, considering Christian’s just a bartender and…well…Caitlin has her fair share of odd jobs streaming about.

“So,” Christian began, popping a Doritos in his mouth, “You didn’t even see him?”

I shook my head. “No. I couldn’t do it, Christian. I just knew—“

“What? That he’d fix you?” he mumbled, popping another chip in his mouth.

Caitlin groaned and threw a pillow at him. “You idiot, she doesn’t need fixing! She’s fine just how she is!” she protested, rolling her eyes.

He laughed. “I know, dimwit, but I was perfectly content with the Anna that I knew before Oli went back on tour—the one that didn’t drink like a shower drain. You remember her, right?” he asked, looking at me.

It was a joke, but it hurt a little. Of course I remembered. It was me we were talking about, but, when I started thinking about it, I realized that no—I didn’t know who he was talking about. I didn’t remember her in the least bit.

“She’s in the past, Christian. Leave it alone,” I sighed, pressing ‘play’ on the movie and snuggling into Caitlin’s nice, soft couch that had become my bed. My eyes slowly slid closed and I found myself dreaming of the night before Oli left—the night that we confessed our love for each other.

[--]

I was walking up the path to my house when Taylor ran out of the front door. She had tears streaming down her face and her hair was strewn about. I almost thought someone had died when she yelled, “They’re kicking you out, Anna!”

I dropped my bag, which I had been searching through for my keys, onto the sidewalk and fumed, “What?!”

“T-The college found out that y-you had a record and D-Daddy got mad! He’s calling the movers right now!” she yelled, wrapping her arms around me and sobbing into my shoulder uncontrollably.

I didn’t really know what to say about it. I mean, I didn’t really spend much time here, so that wasn’t my issue, but the fact that I could attend the college I moved here for irked me slightly.

There’s no way in Hell I’ve gone through all of this shit for nothing! I moaned in my head, trying to calm Taylor down.

“Shh, it’s okay. We’ll figure something out,” I cooed, doubting every word I said.

My life was going to be total shit after this. Caitlin’s going to have to lend me her stilettos and hose for the next few nights. I’m jobless, homeless, and boyfriend less. I fucking suck.

My head snapped up when I heard someone clear their throat. My dad was standing there, his arms crossed across his chest tightly. “Taylor, come here,” he ordered my sister, his voice stern.

She ducked away from me, her eyes pleading with me that I stay, but I knew that I had already lost this battle—I was out of here as soon as the movers arrived.

“Anna, you’ve disappointed me. This record of yours,” he cursed, rubbing his forehead, “It’s killing you, Anna, and now you’re partying all of the time and you’re jobless! I don’t know what to do with you! You never acted like this when you lived with you mother!”

I snorted. “Maybe because Mom treated me like a human being, not a weird adopted child from Pluto,” I shouted, throwing my arms in the air. “Your damned wife,” I cursed just as she stepped out the door, “That- That woman is a total bitch! And if Taylor weren’t here—oh, God. I cannot stand you people and thinking you’re better than me! I just can’t stand it anymore! Please kick me out, Dad! Please!” I shouted, on the edge of hysterics.

I’ve fucked everything up ran through my head countless times, trying to track back to the beginning of my mistakes, but I couldn’t find when, exactly, that would’ve been. I think, actually, it was when I was born. My parents were obviously not meant to mate with each other.

“You’re all assholes!” I shouted one more time before turning around, grabbing my bag off of the ground, and stomping down the street. I didn’t even care about my stuff anymore—I just wanted to get away from my problems.

[--]

That night I found myself walking up to the place Oli and I had sat at for countless hours those past two weeks—just sitting on his car, watching the stars. What an amazing time I had…too bad I’m fucking that up, too.

I sighed, sitting down in the grass and looking up at the stars. They were exactly where I remembered them.

Apparently I was the only thing that had changed.