Until Now

      I looked around the small room, another bed pushed up against the wall opposite of me. The walls were stained and the room was cramped. I had attempted to tape some of my favorite pictures on the wall above my bed, just to add a bit of happiness to the otherwise depressing room. For the next nine months, this would be my home. Despite the dull colors, I knew I was going to be happy here. Besides, color was something I could easily fix! I yanked out the bed spread that had been neatly folded and stuffed into a large bag. As I tossed it onto the bed, the bright colors transformed the room. I moved to lie on my new bed, yawning, stretching my legs out. 

       The rest of the summer had passed somewhat uneventfully. Things were certainly going to be different away from home, but I was ready to start a new chapter in my life. This was college! As I lied in bed, I thought back to everything that had happened over the summer. 

     My mind flashed to my brother first. He was happy with Hallie, and she was happier than I'd ever seen her before. I thought about Violet next. She was constantly talking about the new guy she had started talking to. It was great to see her back in her element; she never was good at being single. I thought about my parents, and how my mom had admitted to my dad that she had been seeing someone else. I remembered hearing my father crying for a while, but I was relieved to hear that the two of them were going on a week-long vacation to try to work things out. Even if they came back separated, I was happy to know they were at least trying. 

      I thought of Jack and how we had talked earlier in the week. I just needed to clear the air. I apologized for everything I had done to him, and we had agreed to attempt to be friends at some point. He confessed it would be hard to be close when he was still in love with me, but he promised he would at least make a bit of an effort, and we'd stay in contact. 

      Things had seemed to completely work themselves out. This was never what I had expected. Up until now, I had always been perfectly content with the way things were. I had planned to spend my summer along side of Violet and Hallie, going out to meet boys, but staying single, no matter what. I wanted to focus on my job at Layla's and start to get a head-start with some of my school work and gathering up everything I'd need to move into a dorm. 

      I was determined to find myself this past summer. Up until now, the way things were had been everything I'd ever wanted. But this past summer, I realized that that kind of life would ever make me truly happy. I found that finding a place in this world often means letting everyone else go in order to uncover something beautiful: yourself.

      I was happy, now. I was happier than I'd ever been before. Every piece of my puzzle fit together perfectly, and I was so happy to have Logan by myself through it all. I knew that we'd be visiting each other all the time through the school year, and I was already looking forward to the following weekend, where he planned to spend the night with me on campus. 

     It's an amazing feeling when you realize that even if your plans change, and you end up on a different life path, you can make things work out. While I never expected the summer to end the way it did, with Logan by my side, I couldn't imagine an outcome I would have loved more. 

     Things were easy with Logan. They weren't forced. They weren't tense. He was easy to talk to, easy to laugh with, easy to love. Things in life were just easy right now, with everything.

      Let's just hope the friends I meet at school and the classes I'm signed up are just as easy. 

      It's time to start a new chapter in my life! 

                                                           Xoxo,

                                                                 Maisie