James tells us about the uncertainty of some of his students and their path. Some have approached him with their worries about what life will be like after graduating. If they'll find a job quickly, or will they end up being stuck teaching. "I wasn't particularly offended by that," he says, laughing. "But I wonder what else I could have done if I didn't love teaching so much." I don't say it out loud, but I do not want to be stuck as a teacher. I want to put my Journalism and Mass Communications degree to use, but it's hard right now. It's like something has been stopping me from leaving retail. Fear of failure? I'm not sure, but it's something I'll definitely have to talk to Dr. Harrison about. I've told her a lot, but I haven't told her everything I'm feeling. I start getting ready around five o'clock. Casey didn't say where we're going for our girls night, but I'll look nice either way. I pull on my strapless navy blue jumpsuit. The flowy legs stop in the middle of my shin and I pair it with some strappy sandals. I'm so comfortable, it's like going out in pajamas. After saying goodbye to everyone, I head out the door and jump in my car. I've been to Casey's apartment twice and I easily remember which roads to take. I park in the lot near her building and I take a deep breath. Excitement rises in me and that hasn't been there for a while. As I'm walking to her apartment, which is thankfully on the first floor, I clutch my purse tighter. The maroon door displays her apartment number and I quickly knock. The door swings open revealing a grinning Casey. She instantly engulfs me in her arms and I do the same. She lets go and looks me up and down. "Look at my gorgeous best friend! Come in, come in." She practically drags me inside and shuts the door. The living room as some changes from when I was last here. The cream couches are the same, but the decoration looks more modern and mature. Levi enters my view and he looks exactly the same. Tall, blonde, and handsome. "She's finally here," Casey tells him, clasping her hands together. Levi and I hug and he gives me a serious look. "The wedding planning has now been bestowed upon you." "I guess I can forgive you for taking over our FaceTime date last week," I nudge him and smirk. "But congratulations. You're the luckiest guy alive." He takes hold of Casey and kisses the top of her head. "Oh, I know." "So, what's the plan for tonight?" I ask her. She's wearing a blush pink two-piece. The top is a cropped tank while the bottoms are a pair of flowy shorts. It's cute, but not overly dressy. "Well, I thought we'd go get something to eat, then hit my new favorite bar," she says, walking to their small dining table to grab her purse. That sounds perfect. It'll probably be a quick night since all of us are going out tomorrow night. "What about tomorrow night? What's the plan for that?" Casey has a sneaky smile. "We're keeping that a surprise. All you need to know is to meet us here again and to wear something dressy. Anthony will meet us there." She smiles at Levi before she pats his chest. "Okay, let's get out of here. I'm starving." She drives us to a large cafe-looking restaurant. It's chic with its colorful decor and succulent plants all over the place. It smells very earthy inside. Once we're sitting, she taps the table with her fingertips. "They were still building this place the last time you were here. It's become one of my favorite spots." I glance over the small menu and realize it's very plant-based. "Seems interesting." "I'm so glad you're here," she says. "And because I'm getting married to the most gorgeous human being ever." Casey is truly happy and it makes me happy. She deserves everything after all the shit that went down in high school. I hold out my hand and she gives me her left hand, already knowing I want to see the ring. She didn't send a picture of it, only because I told her I wanted to see it in person. The ring is beautiful and so Casey. The diamond is sparkling underneath the lights and it's encased by other smaller diamonds. The band has even smaller diamonds on it. "It's a marquise shape. I had no idea what that was before he asked me," she laughs. "He could not have picked a better ring." "It's beautiful," I tell her. A waiter comes and takes our drink order before disappearing. As we're glancing over the menu, Casey speaks up. "Tell me about Greenwell. I know we talk every day, but you haven't really told me how it is up there," she says. Greenwell is home away from home. It's like an escape from everything here. "I don't know. It's busier and more expensive, but it's nice. Work is fun thanks to Cora and Bee." "What about guys? Anyone catch your eye yet?" She's very intentional with her words, something she's always been good at. She's trying really hard to get information out of me. "Not really," I shrug. The waiter comes back, places our drinks in front of us, and takes our order. I go for a safe option and order a simple sandwich and salad. Casey orders some insane salad. When the waiter leaves she gives me an eye. "What?" I ask. "You're seeing someone, I know it," she says, taking a sip of her water. Shit, I knew I couldn't keep it from her. I can't even play it off because she'll definitely know I'm lying. "We're not dating. I literally met him the night you got proposed to." She smiles and hits the table. "Damn, I'm good. What's his name? Is he nice?" "His name is Ben. We've hooked up twice, but he's really sweet." I take my phone out and pull up his Instagram. He doesn't post very often, but he has one good selfie I can show her. She takes my phone and examines the photo. "He's a cutie. He's different from your usual type." "I don't have a type." "Please, you went after the brooding type in college. Hell, even Jacob was a mystery in high school. Probably still is." Now there's a name I haven't heard since high school. I didn't keep up with him. I follow Lauren on Instagram and as far as I know she's never gone back to him. "Well, I'm not sure if this one will last, but we're having fun right now," I tell her.