I had just gotten out of the shower when my iPhone bleeped and told me I had a missed call. Two, actually, but I only count my mother's call. The other one, to my chagrin, was of an ex-boyfriend who was adamant in seeing me.

What a dumbass. I had already told him I was over him months ago.

Shaking my head, I called my mom back as I pulled on some panties and hunted around for some matching bras in my luggage. Deciding that I needed both hands for the task, I clicked on "Speaker" and threw the phone on my pillows.

I was staying at a cheap hotel in my hometown fairly near my mom's house just so I wouldn't take up the guest room. Not that it was saved for anyone, but I just hated home and having the burden of laundry, dishes, and being an overall good daughter there. I was a college graduate, not a lazy good-for-nothing teenaged girl. Not anymore.

After the third ring, my mom picked up the phone and spoke cheerfully into it, but not before I heard the loud chattering and laughing in the background. And was that music, too? Since when did my mother throw parties?

"Hey, mom! How's it going? What's that I hear in the back?" I shouted after she greeted me. I was afraid she wouldn't hear me if I didn't raise my voice.

"What do you hear? Oh, the people? My God, Jane, am I that much of a hermit that you'd be surprised if I invited family and friends over? You're back from graduating college! It's time to celebrate! What time-" Someone in the background sounded muffled as they interrupted my mom. I think they wanted to talk to me.

"Hey, babe! Glad to see you... erm hear from you! God, when was the last time we saw each other?!" A familiar voice replaced my mother's voice and I nearly choked with laughter. Giddy laughter.

"Erica?" I swooped down on my phone and disabled the speakerphone. "Oh my Goooood! I haven't seen you in ages! What are you doing visiting my mom?!"

Typical girly squeals were exchanged. Hey, we are girls, right? Friends are forever, boys are whatever. I was hopping with joy, though! My bestest friends since 8th grade were there, too, as Erica blabbed on, and I chimed in with an occasional enthusiastic comment.

"Okay," I said, when she was done talking, "I'm totally going to be there! Are you kidding me? Aunt Beth, my grandma, you guys... you're all there! How could I not want to go? Especially when you're all there for me!"

"Love ya too, babe! So we're going to see you in a few minutes? Great! Oops, someone's at the door." I heard a doorbell and Erica said her goodbyes.

"Oh, yeah. See you soon! Bye!" I hung up and danced around the hotel room.

I'm not much of a family girl, but having all my relatives in one place in my honor was excellent! I could finally hang out with my friends from high school once again and we could catch up on each other's lives! It was definitely going the be the best day I've had in a while. And to think I was regretting coming back home for a short visit...

I finished getting dressed and did my hair and makeup. I decided that if I was going to meet my family and friends after not seeing them for years, I would have to dress to impress, and my overall appearance should be better than average.

I didn't want to be the Plain Jane I was before. Who cares if I overdressed? The party was thrown for me, so it should be expected.

After I threw on a cropped leather jacket, I grabbed my purse and phone, and my room key. I stuffed all of these in my purse as I strode down the hall. At this time of the evening, people were either in the swimming pool downstairs or out grabbing a bite to eat, so the halls (and quite possibly the most of the rooms) were empty. I only heard laughing and music from one room as I passed it to go to the elevators. Smiling, I knew I was going to have as good of a time as the people in there were.

I pushed the button to the elevator and waited.