Sandcastles

Freedom. It was something that I had been craving for the past six months, and would finally be given. It had taken me weeks to convince my boss that being gone for an entire week wouldn't cause the company to collapse, and even longer to plan out the two week trip I was taking to the Bahamas with three of my closest girlfriends. I was a planner, and always had been, so sitting around after I got off work putting together things for the trip was like a dream come true. I couldn't wait to be sitting on a white sandy beach, catching come rays, and letting everything else fall to the wayside.

"Don't get into too much trouble Bailey. We'll see you in two weeks," my boss called as I started to pack my things from my cubical and head for the door.

"I'll try not to Mr. Allred," I called back, grinning from ear to ear. I began towards the door again before turning back towards him. "Mr. Allred, did you get the hall booked for the wedding on Tuesday? And have the caterers been informed about the changed in menu? And..."

Mr. Allred rose a hand to cut me off. I was an event planner, and one of the best in the business according to my boss. Details were things that never alluded me, and I always found a way to make sure everything was perfect. "Bailey, everything will be perfectly fine. Your assistants will take care of everything, and you know that I won't let anything hurt this company. Enjoy your vacation. We have it all under control."

With a nod, I was out the door and into the crisp, clean air. In a way, I couldn't believe the time for our vacation had already arrived. We had planned the trip in early May, just to keep from getting too burnt on the beaches, and as an escape from work and a calmer time. In my line of work, weddings usually began in late May and run until the end of the summer. Locations changed, people changed, flowers, colors, and themes changed, but they all stressed me out the same. So many things went into a wedding plan, and if that wasn't enough, you had people who changed their minds, or griped about everything you put together. For me, the next few months were going to absolute chaos. This was my release before that happened.

I started walking towards the parking deck that always housed my car on weekdays. It was just a short walk from the office, and was one of the best places to park if you were lucky enough to have a pass in your name. Luckily, when I was promoted to the head of event planning, I was awarded one. Just as I began my short walk, a familiar song began to play from the confides of my purse. Chelsea Dagger. The song always brought a smile to my face, partially because it reminded me of the team that I loved so much, and partially because I knew exactly who was calling when it rang. Sara. "We're Bahama bound, baby!" I rang out, ignoring the looks I was undoubtedly getting from the people who were walking past me.

"Oh trust me, I know." Sara answered. I could practically hear her smiling into the phone. "So what's the plan for tonight, Bails?"

"Here's what I'm thinking," I began, picking up my pace to reach my car faster, "I have to get dinner with David around seven, but I'm heading home now to wrap up my packing. What about after dinner we all just meet up at your place and go from there?"

"That sounds..." I didn't catch the last word of whatever it was the Sara said. Before I knew it another voice was on the phone. "Bailey! Bailey, you better make sure Sara stays out of trouble the two weeks you guys are gone."

I heard Sara's voice in the background before she got the phone back. "Phil is about to get pushed into traffic." She joked...at least I was hoping that she was joking.

Lowering my voice slightly, I looked around to make sure nobody I knew was within ear shot. It was a strange precaution I took whenever I was trying to be secretive. Then again, I doubted many people other than Sara (and Phil when he found out) would really care. "When are you going to end it?" I practically whispered into the phone.

I heard Sara get up and moving around as I finally reached my car. I figured she didn't want to discuss the matter in front of Phil. She had been getting fed up with her boyfriend of almost two years recently, and had finally decided that it was time for her to move on to bigger and better things. "When I get off the phone with you," Sara started, sighing slightly. "I can't take his constant control issues anymore. He told me about a million times last night how much he doesn't want me to go to the Bahamas with three silly girls who will, undoubtedly, be all over the sexy ass men down there."

"He does realize that I'm practically engaged, right?"

"Tequila can change things," Sara started again. "And besides, I'm not a dog. He can't train me, and that drives him crazy. How we lasted for two years is beyond a mystery to me."

"He's good in bed?" I questioned, unlocking my car door and throwing everything inside.

"You never cease to amazing me, Bailey." Sara joked, laughing into the phone. "Anyways, I need to go. I figure I've got to get this over with."

"I'll be at your place around nine. And I'll let the other know as well." I responded before I heard the click on the other end. Climbing into the driver's seat, I sent a quick text to the other two girls that would be accompanying us on our beach vacation. Before long, I had started my car and was on the way back to my little townhouse in the city.

Sara and I had known each other for longer than I could possibly remember. We had met during our freshman year of college, living a few doors away from one another. Originally, we couldn't stand one another. We had been competing for the same boy who also lived in our hall for the entire year, until he broke both of our hearts and chose some floozy sorority girl to go out with instead. So we bonded over pizza, ice cream, and chick flicks and became pretty good friends shortly after. Actually, we were roommates the next three years. That's where we had met one of the other girls who was going with us to the Bahamas. Christine was our third roommate during our junior year, and she fit in with both of us better than anyone else had. One thing had brought us together more so than any other, and that was hockey. I had been an avid Balckhawks fan for longer than I cared to even try and remember. Sara was the same way. Christine was a Penguins fan, and instantly got me hooked on the East Coast club. Not long after, all three of us were cheering for both teams. Nights were spent watching game after game, even if they weren't the teams we pulled for. Since college, the three of us had been inseparable.

When I started to work for Allred Planning, I had met the fourth member of out little tribe. Erin had heard about me before she had ever seen me, and the first time I met her, she walked right into my office, placed two Blackhawks tickets on my desk and told me that I would be attending the game with her, end of story. I was in no real position to turn down tickets, and it took just one game for us to become quick friends. Now, she was my roommate. Our apartment was extremely decked out in Blackhawks merchandise and pictures. We had both met more members of the team that we could count, and had several autographed artifacts hanging on the walls. Together, we were four peas in a pod, and loved every second of it.

Before I knew it, I had reached the driveway of my townhouse and grinned at the fact that there were two cars in the driveway instead of one. David, my boyfriend of almost three years, was early. I parked my car behind Erin's, since I didn't want to block David in. Racing out of my car, i bounded into the house, much like a child does on Christmas day. There he sat, at the bar, newspaper in hand. Erin was no where to be found, but that didn't mean much. By her door being closed, I assumed she was either napping, or avoiding David in general, since they didn't exactly see eye to eye most times. I threw my arms around him and gave him a peck on the cheek before I noticed the grin on his face and the grim look in his eye.

"We need to talk."

The four worst words you could ever put into a sentence. I felt myself swallow hard before taking a few steps back. "About?" I asked, my fingers fiddling with one another.

"About us. Sit down."

I didn't enjoy being told to sit down in my own house. Frankly, it was annoying and rude, but I did it anyways because...well...I didn't have much of a choice. I took a seat next to him at the bar and over at him curiously. "David, what's going on?"

He took a deep breath before taking my hand in his. "Bailey, I messed up," He began, not looking me in the eye, and rubbing the back of my hand lightly. "I really, really messed up." And there he went. Some story about a man's night out that occurred three months ago. How he drove some drunken girl home because her friends had abandoned her, and how he had apparently taken full advantage of the situation. He was sorry it had ever happened, and swore it would never happen again.

My heart sank. Hell, it didn't even sink. It exploded. I slapped him as quickly across the face as I could before storming off to my room, tears streaming down my face. Straight into my bedroom I went, closing the door behind me. I sunk against it, just crying. David had been one of the best things in my life, and now he was walking out, much like so many others had done before him. Although, he tried to coax me out of my bedroom before walking out. This wasn't going to work, and as soon as I heard the front door slam, I heard another open.

A light knock came at my door and I knew it wasn't David. Standing up, I wiped my eyes, and opened the door. Standing on the other side was Erin. She must had heard the entire thing, but instead of bringing it up, she held up two bathing suits, with a huge smile on her face. "Bahamas, baby."