Not So Simple Life

There wasn’t a sound to be heard through the night. Not even the scurrying of the creatures that hid in the trees and bushes. It was as though someone had pressed the mute button over the small town. Haley laid in her hammock hanging in her backyard and stared at the stars. It was something she’d treasured for years about her town. It wasn’t surrounded by big city lights that stopped the human eye from seeing the beauty of the universe. Every now and then you could even see a shooting star. The small girl had never believed in wishing on a star. Her life was usually so full of despair and disaster; that she’d long since given up on anything revolving around hope. She only found peace in her music and the night sky. The two were like her own little paradise. She wasn’t even aware of the world around her most of the time. Her phone buzzed next to her, she picked it up and smiled at the name that flashed on her screen.

“Hey Andy.” Her voice sounded tired, but there was joy in it.
“Were you sleeping?” The deep voice of her boyfriend sounded softly in her ears.
“No, I was just in my own world.”
“I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You’re never an interruption.” She let out a small giggle.
“Well, I’m outside of your house. Thought I’d surprise you tonight.”
“I’ll be out soon. Let me just throw on some jeans and shoes.”

The two hung up and Haley headed up to her room. Andy and Haley had been dating for nine months now. He was among a small few of good people in Haley’s life. Aside from her little sanctuary, she had a small group of friends that she let into her life. Andy and Claire were the two luckiest ones to have known her for her entire life basically. There was also Luke, Michael and Cody, but she met them later in life. After middle school, Haley matured and cut down her circle of friends before falling into high school drama. She was thankful she did or she wouldn’t be who she was today. Once in her room, Haley change out of her shorts and put on a pair of black skinny jeans and teal high top converse to match the lettering on her hoodie. She grabbed her keys and walked to Andy’s car sitting in the driveway.

“Hey handsome.” She leaned over and kissed his lips softly.
“No troubles tonight?”
“They’re sleeping. Besides, I’ll be twenty in a few days and hopefully in an apartment with you in a few weeks. I dare them to give me shit for going out.”
“Fair enough.” Andy smiled and drove off.

Haley still lived with her parents, unfortunately. All the three of them did was fight. She never got why they were so worried about where she was all the time. Most of her time was spent working or at school, if she was lucky she’d spend the night at Andy’s, or Claire’s place. Haley and her parents never really saw eye to eye, even when she was younger. They wanted to put her on a leash that she’d always refused to be attached to. They spent the better half of her childhood punishing her for breaking petty rules, and keeping her away from her friends. Now that Haley was older, she pushed for her freedom. Something that she deserved. She was paying her own phone bill as well as anything she needed for school. Her parents had long since stopped supporting her in any decision she made.

Especially when it came to Andy and Claire. For a time her parents loved and adored Claire, but then high school hit and Claire started getting piercings and dying her hair and Haley’s parents thought she was becoming up to no good. As for Andy they had never liked him. Haley never understood why. He respected them for as long as she could remember. She understood that she was their little girl, but they didn’t understand that she wouldn’t be little forever. They just didn’t want to let go. Two months ago Haley and Andy made a plan to get an apartment together. Haley had already been saving up to move out of her parents’ place and now she had someone to help make that happen faster.

Andy pulled into the parking lot of the local pub and parked. He got out and opened Haley’s door for her. He took her in his arms hugging her tightly. Haley couldn’t help but grin and wrap her arms around him returning the embrace. She’d missed being in his arms, being close to him. His smell the way his touch felt. With her hectic work and school schedule she hadn’t spent much time with him in weeks. It was nice being together for a little while.

“So, what are we doing here?” She asked smiling up at him.
“Supporting our friends.” He gave her a cheeky smile.

It had taken a moment to for Haley to process what he said, but she her eyes flashed with excitement as she recalled a text from Claire about having a gig of some sort. Her closest friend had always been so inspired by music that she, Michael and Luke formed a band with some other guy that Haley had yet to meet.

“That’s tonight?! How could I have forgotten?” Haley was truly upset for forgetting something so important to her friends.

“It’s okay, I remembered for you. You get a pass for being busy,” Andy planted a kiss on her forehead before wrapping his arm around her waist and leading her inside.

Once the two made it inside they had to shuffle through a few people to get to the front. There weren’t a lot of people there, but there were enough to make Haley slightly uncomfortable. She had always had a phobia of people. It wasn’t just someone walking up to her, but being surrounded by a lot of them. It wasn’t claustrophobia, though. She loved going to concerts and festivals, it was just like high school messed up her liking for people. They finally made it to the front and Haley smiled brightly at Andy as the lights went dimmed and she could make out the silhouettes of her friends. Andy’s grip tightened around her waist when the spotlight shined on Claire and the guys. Haley could see the excitement in her friends’ faces as they began playing their music. The bass vibrated through the small venue, Haley rocked to the beat of the music feeling the energy of the music flow through her. This is what she needed the most. A night out. Some time with people she actually wanted to be around. This wasn’t just her friends’ night, but her night. It was a great night.