Thick and Thin

I checked my watch as I was rushing down the street, trying not to fall flat on my face from my heels. Why had I decided to go to the busiest coffee shop in town when I only had a short break? I started to pick up the pace, half jogging, almost spilling my vanilla latte on my blouse.

"Hey Alex, I went ahead and sent her to the room," Cindy said, her blonde hair slightly curled.

"Thanks," I said out of breath. She smiled and I walked to the room in the back. Laura, a girl who I've been seeing for a few months, since I first started basically, was patiently waiting for me.

I finished my bachelors with flying colors and landed a great job with my professors close friend. I didn't know they were close until I had asked her to write a recommendation for me.

I was nervous at first, hoping I wouldn't mess with these young adults minds anymore than they felt. So far though, so good. Sara was starting on her masters, also. She had a long way to go, though, compared to me, but she loved every minute of it, and so did I.

My boyfriend, Mark, who I met in one of my general classes, has been very supportive. I have a separate phone just for these kids in case of emergency, and my personal phone. Laura has been the neediest one yet. I'm not saying that to be mean, I'm saying that because she really needs someone and her parents don't seem to help too much. I told her I would rather her call if there's any problems, than her trying to commit suicide again.

Mark at the moment was working at a hospital ten minutes away from where I lived. He works as an EMT and an ER receptionist. He's working there while he goes to school for reconstructive surgery.

Since moving to Florida my life had changed for the better. I was happier, and let alone a lot more tan. Sara has been a lot happier, also. A year after we moved Adam proposed to her when she was visiting him in Canada. The wedding was already all planned out, and it was going to be set up on the beach.

I was looking forward to the wedding, especially since I'm maid of honor. Everything we planned was going to be gorgeous. The only thing I wasn't looking forward to was seeing Eli again. I wouldn't know how to act. Should I act as if nothing happened? Or should I just act like he's satan and scold him the whole time? Anytime these thoughts came up, I decided to push them in the back of my mind and worry when the time comes.

Well that time is coming in just a few months, and time is flying fast.

After my last session of the day, I said goodbye to Cindy and headed home. I got into my car and started playing my mix CD which was still Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet for My Valentine, and I threw a little Hollywood Undead in there to mix it up.

"Sara!? You home?" I called as I opened the door with Meike greeting me. No one answered so I threw my keys on the counter and opened the fridge. Nothing. I took my phone out of my purse and called Mark to see if he wasn't busy.

"Hey baby, what's shaking?" He answered.

"Nothing, just calling to let you know I'm home."

"Good deal. Give me about ten minutes and I'll be off. Did you want to grab some dinner or something?"

"No," I breathed. "I think I'm just going to heat up some soup and call it a day."

"Alright, I love you."

"I love you too," I said before I hung up the phone. Sara walked with her phone glued to her ear, a bag of fast food, and her purse in the other arm.

"Alright I'm home baby. Yeah she's here, hold on." She set her purse down on the floor and the bag on the counter, and put Adam on speaker. "Alright say hi!"

"Hey Alex!" Adam greeted. My eyes grew wide. Adam had started testosterone a couple years ago and I hadn't heard his voice yet. He wanted to wait until it was as deep as he could get it, and man was it deep.

"Adam? Oh my god! You sound great!" I said grinning.

"Thanks. I even have to shave too."

"How's your chest healing?" I asked. He had top surgery six months ago.

"Great. Still some scarring but that's normal. The doctor said it will fade over time."

"Adam, seriously, that's amazing. I'm happy for you."

"Ok shrink, give me my Sara." I laughed at his joke and she took the phone off speaker, walking back into her room which was across the hall from mine.

I threw a pot on the stove and started to make my soup. I regretted the decision because I was itching to wear my pajamas. I kicked my heels off and turned the TV on in the living room, going back to the stove to stir.

"He's coming in next month!" Sara shrieked excitedly. I blew on my soup so it wouldn't burn my mouth.

"I thought the wedding was a couple months away?"

"He wants to see the scene. He's never seen our place yet."

"Well that's cool. It'll be nice seeing him again. I'm curious what he looks like now." Sara answered my question and held up her phone, showing a picture of Adam who no longer looked boyish. He was more chiseled and had a slight beard. His body looked more masculine too. I raised my eye brows in shock.

"Damn," I said smiling. "That's crazy, you would never know he was born a girl."

Sara took her phone back and held it to her heart. Ever since her engagement, she's been weird. Not in a bad way, just in a weird, weird way.

"Also," She started, staring at her feet. "Eli-"

"Oh great," I muttered.

"He'll be coming in with him to get their tuxes fitted."

"As long as I don't have to see his face until the wedding, I'll be fine."

"Rehearsal? Rehearsal dinner?"

"That's two days before for like what, an hour? And you know what, that was years ago. I'll be fine!" I lied. Secretly, I didn't know how I was going to handle it. I had Mark now, though. He made me happy.

"Have you told Mark?" She asked.

"There's nothing to tell," I said standing up from the couch to put my soup in the sink. "Like I said, it was years ago. We were barely even together."

"He broke your heart," She whispered.

"Yeah, it was puppy love. It happens." I reached down a little to pet Meike behind her ears. She was about 80 pounds and standing on hind legs about as tall as I was, 5'4''. She was a big girl, but the best dog ever. She licked my arm and laid in her bed that was in front of the TV.

"Are you sure you'll be ok?"

"I'll be fine!" I said, waving my hand around. "Don't worry about it. It has nothing to do with me or Eli or Mark, it's about two friends of mine who are finally getting married." She smiled and her eyes sparkled. She ran up to me and gave me a big hug.

"This is why you're my best friend!" She said. I patted her back and gagged.

"Ok, you're choking me."

"Sorry," She said, pulling away. "I'm just going to call the bridal shop and make sure they have our dresses done." She skipped off to her room and I could hear her talking.

I sat back down on the couch and slowly found myself sliding farther and farther until I was laying down completely. Next thing I knew I blinked and I was fast asleep.