"Fuck! Fuck!" I mutter, tears stinging my eyes. "Where is it?"

I'm searching my apartment frantically trying to find it. It can't be gone. I've made it all the way to my bedroom when I see a glint of gold. I dive into the pile of clothes and sigh in relief when the cool metal touches my hand.

I flip the locket open and run my
thumb over the inscription. It's been seven years since Devin gave it to me. I push the ribbon up to see the words I think about all to often: You have my heart

I sigh. If only that was true. Devin and I were best friends for thirteen years, but then everything got complicated our Senior year of high school. Once we finally got together, our relationship lasted halfway into our first year of college.

It's been seven years and I still think about him. I still wear his locket. I close the locket and clasp it around my neck. It's pointless to think about him after all this time. Nothing's going to change.

I push off the bed and walk into the bathroom. I splash water on my face and look at my reflection. The locket sits just past my collar bone, the perfect length. Even after all of these years, the locket hasn't worn away.

I shake my head and walk out of the bathroom. I grab my phone and skim through my emails, trying to see if there's anything important from work. There isn't so I look through my text messages.

Come 2 the shopeee, it reads from TJ. I grab my bag and lock my apartment. TJ and I have an odd friendship. Back in high school, he was on the same football team as Devin. I always thought he was a stupid prick, but we became friends after the first time Devin and I broke up.

Seven years later, we're still close. He's actually getting married soon. Who would have thought?

After walking a few blocks, I turn the corner and walk into the hair salon TJ works at. He grins at me. "Hey, Riley!"

"Sup, TJ?" I ask. I take a seat next to his work station. He's working on some woman's hair.

"How's it going?" he asks. I shrug in response. TJ sighs. "Thinking about Devin again?"

"Yeah," I say softly.

"Come on, Riley," TJ tells me. "You have to move on. It's been seven years."

I nod. I look at the woman he's working on. "Ooh, that's a good color on you," I tell the woman.

She smiles at me. "Thanks! I totally love you hair by the way," she says. "I love the Cleopatra kind of thing."

I smile. My hair is dark violet and collarbone length, with side swept bangs. "Thank you. It's all done by him," I tell her, jerking my thumb at TJ. He grins and puffs out his chest.

"Well, he's certainly talented. I'll see you in six weeks, TJ," she says, getting up and handing TJ money.

"Looking forward to it, Angie," he says. Once she's gone, he sits down. "Why were you thinking about Devin?"

I sigh and play with the locket. "I thought I lost my locket."

TJ shakes his head. "You shouldn't even be wearing that," he tells me.

"I know," I sigh. I try to change the subject. "You excited for your wedding?"

A smile takes over TJ's face. "Yeah. I can't believe Ana's going to marry me."

I smile back. "I'm just glad you found someone. You deserve to be happy, TJ," I tell him honestly. TJ was always there for me when I was going through everything with Devin. And I'm always going to be there for him.

"You're coming tomorrow, right?" TJ asks. He's twirling a coloring brush.

"Uh..." I trail off.

"The engagement party? It's tomorrow." TJ raises his eyebrows.

"Oh, shit. Right. Yeah, I'll be there," I say.

TJ smiles. "Wear something nice. Maybe that gold dress...or the white one...wait! Wear the violet one."

I sigh. The violet one is somewhere between classy and slutty. "Fine, it's your party," I say. "How's Ana?"

"Good. She's nervous about her parents but it'll be fine," TJ tells me, his voice hinted with worry even though his face is confident.

Ana's parents aren't very approving of her and TJ. Ana's twenty-seven and a stone cold lawyer. And TJ, well, TJ's a dopey twenty-five year old hairdresser.

"It'll be fine," I reassure TJ. "It's about you and Ana."

He nods. "Thanks, Riley."

"No problem."

He looks at his phone. "I don't have any clients for the next half an hour. Do you wanna grab coffee?"

I nod. We both get up and walk through the salon. I smirk, shaking my head. It's a fancy, pretentious salon. It seems like TJ shouldn't work here, but it's totally fitting.

TJ doesn't say anything as we walk down the street. He's probably thinking about Ana and the wedding. We walk into the cafe.

TJ nudges me with elbow. "Hmm?" I ask.

"I figured it out," he tells me.

I frown. "Oh, God. What did you figure out?"

"You need to date someone or get laid," he tells me. "It'll help you get over Devin."

"But I've been with other people since Devin," I remind him.

TJ rolls his eyes. "No, you haven't. You've had skimpy flings. You need a relationship, a real one."

I sigh, fingering the locket. "I just need time."

"It's been seven years, Riley," TJ says. "You either need to get over Devin or find him."

"Maybe, TJ," I say.

He shrugs. "I guess fate will tell. Also, I gotta run, but I'll see you tomorrow."