Round In Circles

January First, Two-thousand and Nine. A new year means a new start, right? That’s what I was hoping for. I don’t think I could go through last year again. My life had already changed in the three months since I’d left my home of Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland. I now had a happy and paying job in Cleveland, Ohio. The internship that my best friend Dakota had gotten me at Alternative Press Magazine was one of the best things to happen in my life. Oh, right, you guys don’t know Dakota. I guess I never mentioned her before. Dakota used to live next door to me back in Maryland since we were two. However, her father got a promotion and they moved away to Cleveland when Dakota and I were fifteen. To be honest, it was quite heartbreaking. She was my best friend; we had been through everything together. Of course we kept in touch after the move. I mean, we seriously needed to. I don’t think either of us would’ve survived that move if we lost touch. So naturally when she found out that there was an internship available at her job, I was the first to know. She sent out the paperwork, I filled it out, she put in a good word, and before I knew it I was getting a phone call about joining the Alt Press team with an internship. I think you know that I accepted. After the first month of interning I was offered an actual job. Obviously I took it and little by little I made my way up the food chain. I started out with smaller assignments, like interviewing little bands and looking things up. But now I was interviewing household names and going to many, many shows. This was the life that I wanted. Nothing could bring me down. Except maybe the massive headache that came with my hangover.

--

"Really, it's okay. I forgive you," I said into the phone, my back still turned to Dakota.

"Well, again, I'm really sorry. I was a total asshole, and I really love you," he replied.

"I love you, too, Sweetie. I reall-"

"Jase, they're here," I heard Dakota say and she sounded way too nervous about it.

"John, I gotta go. The band's here, but I'll call you tonight, okay?"

"All right, have fun. I love you!" he said quickly.

"I love you, too, Johno. Bye!" I shut the phone right as Dakota introduced herself. I quickly spun around to see who we'd be working with for the next couple of months. I wish I stayed home. They could not be the band. There had to be a mistake. "Fuck this shit," I muttered before turning and storming towards the exit. This was not happening. There was no way in hell that I was going to work with them.

"Jasey-"

"Don't, man. I'll take care of it."

--

"Jase, do you remember anything from last night?" Kota asked gently as I looked up from my cereal.

"No, not really. I was way too gone to remember," I replied with a shrug.

"Oh, God. This is not good," she mumbled as she put a hand over her face.

"Why? What happened? Dakota, seriously, tell me what happened," I demanded when I saw that look on her face.

"You cheated on him, Jasey." Tears instantly reached my eyes. I promised myself and him that I would never ever cheat. Ever.

"No, n-no, I couldn't have," I choked out as a tear rolled down my face.

"Y-you did, though, Jasey. I'm sorry."

"But we just like, hooked up, right? I didn't-" But the look on her face told me that I had done more than hook up with him. Oh, God.

"I'm so sorry," Kota whispered before I threw my arms up on the island and buried my head in them. Tears were streaming down my face at this point. How could I have done this?

"Morning, guys. How's everybody's hang- Jasey, what's wrong? The man of the hour spoke.

"Never talk to me ever again. And I mean it this time," I muttered as I stood up and roughly pushed past him, going to my room.