"Really, a checkered long sleeve?" Flynn is trying to help me dress up for a Karaoke night in the city with Clover and her city friends. "Do you even like this girl?"

"What am I gonna do? Change for her?" I argue back. I ignore the part of liking her because I don't want to think about tonight. It was a fun night but that doesn't mean I going to change to be more city-like. I grew up in the suburbs and I want to keep it like that. 

Her friends that came to help, seem to want to party after a few days of hard work. I wouldn't blame them they are leaving in two days. 

"You could just call it effort. These kids are from the city and so is Clover. Try a plain long sleeve and jeans."

"I am not wearing a cardigan," I protest. "I can't believe what you're wearing."

"Effort. Anyway, Taylor will be here in a few."

"Really, Taylor? Why- Never mind." I can't say I like the guy but I don't want to give my best friend a hard time. "Let's just go, Clover must be waiting for us at the place."

Arriving at the Karaoke place, everyone is over to what looks like the menu box, ordering food and drinks. I find Clover chatting with her friends over the songs for the karaoke machine. My eyes find themselves looking at her black boots with very thick soles. City Clover came back. 

I take a seat. Never felt out of place like right now at this very moment. I look around and see Arizona making herself fit in with some of the college people. A few people start singing a few songs before, Clover sits over where I am at, "Hey, Cowboy, have you picked a song?"

"I don't sing."

She scoffs, "You don't sing? As if, I know you and you, do sing. You have to pick one or I'll pick for you."

As the last person finishes, they look over everyone that has had a turn, and their look lands on us. 

Her friends start chanting her name. As if she were resisting the crowd, she embraces the attention. Grabbing the microphone, she doesn't hesitate on her choice of song. The karaoke machine displays the song and the artist: Crush by Tessa Violet.

"Uh, alright

I can't focus on what needs to get done
I'm on notice hoping that you don't run, ah"

Every starts whooing and encouraging her cocky dance moves, she looks at me as she starts singing the next few lines. 

"And I'm just tryna play it cool now

But that's not what I wanna do now

And I'm not tryna be with you now, you nowBut I could be your crush, like, throw you for a rush, like
Hoping you'd text me so I could tell you
I been thinking 'bout your touch like"

I can't break the eye contact. I feel those were the words I wanted to hear. That she feels the same. As that song finishes, everyone encourages her to sing another one. She nods to her friend to play the next song. 

Invisible by Anna Clendening

"I'm in love with someone who doesn't know I exist

I stare from afar in my hand-broken heart while I play pretend
I'm in love with someone who doesn't know I exist
And it's you, yes, it's true, you don't even know it, I can't ever win"

She finishes the song and comes over to me, "Come on, Cowboy. Will you sing with me?"

Without hesitation, she plays a song and gives me a microphone. She starts singing the song 'Secret love song' by Little mix. 

"But I'll never show it on my face

But we know this, we got a love that is hopeless"

Everyone starts dancing and singing. 

Why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dancefloor?
I wish that it could be like that"

She looks at me waiting for me to join her. I look into her eyes because I mean it.

"Why can't we be like that?

Cause I'm yours
When you're with him, do you call his name
Like you do when you're with me?" 

 This is our song.

***

The old tree with a swing is our spot, or at least it was. I miss the past when it was simple. This tree spot became my thinking spot, a rough day or the need for a peaceful place this is it. 

"Hey, Cowboy. You seem to still come to this place when you have something in your mind." She lends on the tree, "Partied too hard? I can be a little wild. I mean you know that already." 

"Do I?" The her then and the her now are different. I want to oversee it but I can't. I don't know her anymore, I can't tell what she's thinking or what she feels. I just can't swallow my pride to tell her that nor can I tell her to leave. Because I don't want her to leave. 

She looks taken aback, "If you don't or didn't, you still could. Come on, Why so serious? Do you not have the greatest time of your life?"

"For city people," I give her a blank response. She's moved on. There are other people in her life and I am just someone from her past. She was my everything and I thought I was her's too, but after last night, I don't know. 

"I thought you had fun." She mumbles, " I did."

She's become the person I don't even recognize, she growing up and the past doesn't hold her back. She changed, and that was actually what I wanted to avoid. I knew the day she moved I would be forgotten. She has other friends now. Deep inside, I simply feel left behind.