You'd been away at college for the past 3 years. The night you left your hometown was full of laughter, tears, and reminiscing, but life gets in the way. You didn't have much contact with anyone, so you were unable to stay up to date when it came to your best friend Jessica. She was a sweet girl, always helping others and acting as a shining example of a good person. Truthfully, you were most excited to see her again. You wouldn't be surprised if she'd become a doctor or a teacher. You pulled into her driveway, for the first time in three years. You hadn't told a soul you were coming home, it was a surprise, but you could already imagine her face.

You walked up to the door, and after making sure you looked presentable, knocked on the front door. You already noticed some differences from the last time you'd been here. The porch was uncharacteristically dirty, and a few cigarette buds were buried in a dying house plant. You were there the day she'd bought it, so seeing the leaves turn yellow kinda hurt. A rustling pulled you out of your head, and you stood straighter to face the door. It opened slowly, but not slowly enough to prepare you.

You see Jessica, but she's different. Well, it's been three years, but that's not what this is. Her hair is unkempt and uneven, and the stench of cigarettes assaults your nostrils. Her clothes are disheveled. To put it bluntly, she looks rough. She opened the door groggily, a scowl on her face while she pinched her nose.

"What the fuck do you wa-" she stopped, immediately throwing her hands over her mouth as her eyes widened. "Guh- ah- w-what?" A cigarette fell from her mouth and onto the floor. She was surprised, just how you planned, but you were too distracted to act excited. This was definitely Jessica, but something told you this wasn't the girl you knew anymore. Her expression shifted between shock, joy, worry, and confusion.

"N-no way... when- when did you..." she stuttered, tripping over her words, and began scrambling to adjust her outfit.