Greenery surrounds me. The birds chirping without a care in the world as I walk the streets of my new home, Cambridge University.. Thankful for this opportunity would be an understatement. With three years under my belt at Harvard Law, I applied for the Cambridge LLM program. When I will be finished at Cambridge within the year I will be allowed to practice law internationally..Something I had wanted to do since I started studying international relations in undergrad. 

And now. Here I was, walking with new linens for my apartment, or flat as the Brits call it. My keys still felt foreign to me and certainly everyones accents around me reminded me that I was indeed foreign. But I needn't worry.. Everyone has shown nothing but affection towards me. 

I live in a modest flat by myself. As a classical modernist, my flat is filled with sharp lines, whites and the least amount of things possible. While I loved it, there is only one thing I dread... My mailbox. It is so prehistoric! I have to wear my wellies and lug all the way in the back to go fetch letters. It sure deters me from online shopping. 

But the sky is blue and with the birds singing my happy tune I went and plowed through the mud in my green Hunter boots.... I hadn't expected this much mail already. Filling both my hands I had to focus on making sure none of these written letters were to be stained by the mud that was at the time desecrating my rain boots. 

Walking back up to my front door I slowly begin to go through each letter one by one..

Mom..Dad..Zara...H&M...Aldo..Mom again...

Then a foreign address... But the handwriting is clear as day to me. 

“It can't be him..” I said aloud.

Opening the envelope I was greeted with an engagement photo...

The invitation felt like a 50 ton weight in my hands. My fingers tracing the embossed letters that spelled his name couldn't seem to stop shaking. My brain failing to process the information that I was reading... Disbelief would be an insult to the emotion running through my body.

I was electrocuted. I was shocked. I was numb. 

' You are humbly requested to attend the marriage of Jake Michael Lukinridge and Jennifer Ann Madewelle”

Letting the card stock paper fall to the ground I began to read the handwritten note...

“Talia, I hope this invitation finds you well in Cambridge. I am so happy to see that you've made your dreams come true...Even though we live in different countries I couldn't imagine myself not inviting you to my wedding. I cut it close to the deadline! One more year and we would have gotten married ha! She's a great girl.. We're expecting our first child and I hope you get the chance to know her like I do.. I hope to see you at our wedding. Love, Jake.”

Jake. We formed the college love bird that couldn't seem to fly. Countless friends would whisper in our ears telling us to make a move; we were soul mates. We started to buy it. He was the guy I could drink a beer and lounge on the couch with. He was also the guy who would listen to me bitch about the countless guys who would screw me over. I was the girl he would run to when he needed girl help. And I was also the girl he relied on to look flawless for his frat's Date Night. Anyone who saw us in a room together couldn't deny that we had a special bond between man and woman..One that made marriages last. So we did the pact. Marry each other at 25.

Now, at 24, Jake is getting married and becoming a father...To some girl I've never even heard of. Granted with our busy lives, it's not that we stopped being friends. It's just that we did occasional drive-bys. I, in Cambridge, finishing my law degree and he in Connecticut working for ESPN. I almost convinced myself that on the morning of my 25th birthday Jake and I would finally realize that we were meant for each other and that was that.. 

But I knew deep down inside that I may have not have been the happiest with Jake. I wasn't sexually attracted to him but I never found another man who could communicate and connect with me at a deeper level . 

Maybe it isn't all about the passion? Maybe love is about the mutual respect of one another. Knowing that no matter what you love and respect this person...Wasn't that enough to have a family and grow old together?

Now here I stand. Laughing at myself  because I actually thought we'd fulfill the pact. Placing the invitation on my desk I look around my apartment. I had done well for myself.

Walking over to my kitchen counter I pour myself a glass of wine and begin to play my Avant Pandora station and open my EU Integration textbook. I shot a look at the wedding invite before walking over to it again and slowly took a sip of my wine before spitting it out.

“WHAT THE HELL JAKE” I yelled reading the date and realizing my impending doom, “THE WEDDING IS IN A MONTH?!”

Downing my glass of wine I stared again at the invitation. I had no date. No dress. No airplane ticket booked yet. Would my schedule even allow me to travel yet?! Why did he have to drop this bomb on me! He couldn't have given me a quick warning! This is such a typical Jake thing to do.

I looked around and noticed my move in boxes still scattered around.. Why not do something productive with my night.. I opened up the first box in my living room and of course there on top lay a picture of Jake and I..

Great. 

~

After a week in Cambridge it's safe to say that I've met my match. The academics were challenging and the bars were satisfying. It doesn't hurt that any man who approaches me has an  amazing accent- even if they all sound the same. But in the midst of all the chaos I managed to find a seemingly lost sister of mine. Adrianna. 

We met while I was walking to my ILO class and she complimented my hair. I thought it was odd seeing that I had just thrown it up into a bun but still she found the way that I made my “messy” hair still look presentable. I immediately fell in love with her when she admitted to me that she was also a sports fan and avid beer drinker. I knew she would be my go to girl. Plus it turned out that she only lived 2 blocks away from me. Do I hear wine parties anyone?

“Hey! Talia, I think we need a quick weekender,” Adrianna said in her pristine British accent as she saw me walk back to my apartment, “What do you say!”

I certainly would not be opposed to going to London, I thought in my head. “Absolutely! What did you have in mind?”

“Well see.. I've already booked us tickets and a hotel to Florence, Italy for tomorrow morning. Just for two days!” Adrianna beams to me as my mind is registering what she just said.

Italy. Two days. Can't Afford this.

“Adrianna,” I began, “While I would love to my finances just don't seem to agree with me right now” I laughed as she also began to laugh.

“Well then consider this my gift to you,” she gave me a hug, “Welcome to the United Kingdom ya Yankee!”

I smile back to Adrianna not sure as to why she has gone out of her way to express such generosity. Confusion and shock fill my mind but I still manage to utter the words “Thank you” to her. 

“I'll come over and help you pack since I've given you such short notice” Adrianna followed me towards my flat.

Silently thanking the heavens above that I had cleaned and now fully furnished my apartment, Adrianna Whitewater wouldn't think that I was some poor bum in Cambridge. Opening the door to my flat, I was taken aback when she stormed forward and turned around seemingly in shock.

“I'm a little confused as to why you're a lawyer.. You should be like an interior designer for Wills and Kate!” Adrianna gushed taking in my design.

I never thought anything of it. My mother loved colors and it was something I had inherited from her. Colors spoke to me one could say. It was like grammar for me. Certain colors were nouns, pronouns, adverbs etc and they all would make a beautiful, colorful, sentence. 

“Thank you” I shyly said back to her heading towards the cabinet pouring us glasses of wine, “You know.. I studied abroad in Florence before.”

Adrianna was too lost in appreciating my art pieces before she sweetly took the glass out of my hands and responded, “Did you!? Then you'll be our tour guide!”

I laughed and took off my shoes before venturing into my bookcase and took out the travel book I had bought years prior of my favorite city that I would find myself in a matter of hours. “There's lots to do.. I can assure you that,” I say flipping through pages and installing myself comfortably on the couch.

“Awe,” Adrianna said holding up Jake's wedding invitation, “One of your girlfriends is getting married! Congratulations!”

Mustering up a smile I corrected her, “No actually..the groom was, well is, my best friend.”

She seemed to have picked up the clue and put the invitation back down, “Maybe this vacation is just perfect for you then...Do you want to talk about it?”

I'm normally not one to expose myself so quickly but Adrianna and I just clicked. 

“Well...” I began, “I thought he was the one.. I honestly did. But you know the whole what if we break up and it's awkward for the friend group and just. I don't know  a lot of thinking about others than thinking about our happiness. And now well- he's found the love of his life and I'm as single as one can get.”

I gulped the rest of my wine and noticed Adrianna's pensive eyes looking at me, “If he was the one he would be here with you..Or I don't know.. I can't begin to imagine the pain but- I think there's something. Someone better out there for you.”

She reached out for a hug that I willingly gave her. “You know just what to do or say!” I shrieked to her walking to my bedroom, “Now let's pack!”

It took us about three hours, per suitcase, before we were ready to head to the airport. I made sure to grab my running shoes; running along the Arno was something I used to love doing and was eagerly awaiting to do again. 

Standing in line at customs was when it hit me.. I'm in the UK, traveling for a quick “weekender” as they loved to call it. I am living the life. Nothing could go wrong. Not an impromtu wedding and no potential mate in sight. No- life is all about living in the moment. Day by day. Adrianna called me out of my thoughts by pointing to others that attended Cambridge with us and proceeded to introduce me as the “Yankee”. I wasn't offended but I sure wasn't thrilled about my nickname.

Winston. Elizabeth. Catherine. Diana. 

Could their names get any more freaking English. 

I found out that Winston was the son of an important Duke and for the life of me I can't recount why or how he was related to the late Princess Diana. Elizabeth came from working stock and worked her way up to Cambridge, a feat she said was a “tale as great as the French revolution”. Catherine was born into a working family as well but was sent away to boarding school for a majority of the time, so she came across as awfully cold but I was sure I could crack her. Then there was Diana. Named after the late Diana, but the epitome of rags to hopefully riches story. She wasn't noble, working, or anything. Daughter to illegal immigrants she forged her path to where she was today- something that I greatly admired. 

“And you Talia?” they asked me as we boarded the plane.

“I grew up in the United States, New York exactly. I had a comfortable life, not rich, we were poor but my mother made sure I never wanted for anything..” I answered honestly, not the usual “i'm rich” lies I would tell people to make myself feel better.

“You seem so down to earth and well cultured- unlike other Americans,” Elizabeth proclaimed.

I stared back blankly not sure as to what to say. Thankfully we took our seats and the plane took off. We were soon headed to the Italian skies. Closing my eyes I fell asleep to the sound of Adrianna reading a loud a case she needed to present once we landed back home.. For the first time in a week, I slept without thinking of Jake.