Carly

I ran my hand through my dark brown hair, twirling it in between my fingers and nibbling on the ends while watching TV. It was another cold and rainy Saturday afternoon in Seattle. Another day of coffee, writing, and watching every movie of every genre possible. In other words; The Riveting Life of Carlotta Shay. Today, it was 'The First Kiss', an old movie I vaguely remembered watching. All I knew was that I had hated it, even back then, when I was high on the hopes of finding my Prince Charming. The movie was about a petite ginger named Angel, who, through twists and turns throughout her high school years, realizes she's been in love with her best friend James all along. The movie ends with her saying, 'You had me at the first kiss...' I groaned and turned off the television set, wrapping the duvet covers I had dragged out of bed that morning with me. I looked around my cold, dull apartment. The walls were baby blue...the furniture was white, the paint peeling off here and there...The coffee table filled with dust and my refridgerator empty. What's wrong with you Carly? I rubbed my face in my hands and sighed. What was wrong with me? I don't think I was depressed. No, only crazy people who have nothing in their lives are depressed! People who don't know what they're doing! But in the back of mind I knew that was me. Because, what was I doing? What did I have in my life?

In the mirror, I saw a shapeless, skinny woman. She had dark bags under her eyes, and her skin was pale as snow. Her nose red, her cheek bones gaunt, and hollow. And I remembered what I used to see. I used to see a fit, bubbly teenager. Who had bright eyes, and a fair, smooth complection. A spring in her step, and an out look on a new tomorrow. Oh, how I missed those days...The days when Sam- I shook my head and pushed the thought away. Carly Shay was not depressed, I turned away from the mirror, and threw off the covers, heading to my room. I was going out today, no matter how hard it was raining. Maybe a movie, I decided. I wasn't very up to date with new releases, and I couldn't remember the last time I had bought a soda pop and buttered corn at the theaters. The thought of a Peppy Cola while sitting in a familiar red itchy seat with others comforted me, and I smiled as I wrapped a scarf around my neck. Yep, definitely not depressed.

"I'm going out, Fat Cakes!" I grinned as my white toy poodle looked up at the sound of my voice, her ears perking up. Sam and Freddie, they had given her to me as a gift for graduation. That was 7 years ago...

Making sure there was fresh water and food, I grabbed my purse and coat, sighing with satisfactory at the jingle of my keys as they locked my apartment door. I walked out of Garden Mills, and took a deep breath, the chilling air filling my nostrils. I had moved out of Bushwell Plaza about 5 years ago. Spencer had proposed to Sky, a petite mousy brown haired girl with almost as much creativity as Spencer- it was like babysitting twins when they were dating. Well, obviously I couldn't stay, and really, I didn't want to. I felt like I'd be intruding on them. I thought about my old room, and how the purple walls were now light pink with dancing circus animals on the walls...They were expecting a baby; She was due anytime now. The thought of my brothers complete family killed me. Of course I was happy, how could I not be? I've never seen Spencer as excited about anything before in his life, but I had a longing in the back of my head. Maybe I missed the way I was Spencer's world, or maybe I was jealous that he had everything I wanted. Wasn't it supposed to work out the other way?...

I looked up, and found myself at the old Seattle Plaza, the theater the same as before. I gave a small smile, as a greeting, I suppose, and looked up at the digital screen, contemplating on what to see. I heard a voice behind me.

"Excuse me, are you in line?" I turned around to see three kids, maybe around sixteen, looking at me. Two girls, one boy. I just stared.

"Lady, do you know what you wanna watch yet or-"

The other girl elbowed her in the ribs, "Shh, don't be rude!"

I blinked and shook my head, "Sorry, go ahead, I'm still deciding."

They grinned and waltzed to the ticket line, smiling happy go lucky smiles. I rubbed my temple, and suddenly I didn't feel like sitting through a two hour movie anymore. Alas, I was already here wasn't I? A familiar title caught my attention and I couldn't help but giggle. Girly Cow VI: The Return of Boysish Pig. It's ridiculous, it's absurd- it's perfect! I paid for the ticket and mouthed a thank you to the worker, the feeling of happiness once again returning. My emotions came and went constantly, it was annoying, really. When I walked into the theater, I practically skipped to the concession stand, buying a large Peppy Cola and extra buttered popcorn, a hot dog, and nachos. I gladly paid the pimpled boy and gingerly held my purchase, carefully watching my step as I made my way into theater number 8. It was dark inside, the previews reeling for upcoming movies, and I smiled as I slowly made my way up the side aisles, searching for a seat. My head turned, I didn't watch where I was stepping and softly bumped into someone.

"Oh sorry, I"-

And right before my eyes were none other than the two people that used to be my entire world. My best friends. Sam Puckett and Freddie Benson.