“Really, cause I’m feeling like a one-man show right now.”
“That’s because you push people away.”
“I don’t.”
“You do. Even when we were dating you would go MIA on me.”
“You don’t know everything.”
“You’re right, I don’t.”
“It’s not like how it was when you and I were in college. You’d think with all this money and fame shit would be easy. But it’s harder and the stakes are higher. And if I fail, I let a bunch of people down.”
“You could run away from it all and become a first-grade teacher.”
“I’d actually love that.”
“Sounds like buyer’s remorse.”
“Look, I’m the last person who has a right to complain. I’ve gotten almost everything I’ve ever wanted.”
“What’s missing?”
She was missing. Everything was bitter after she left. My success was overcast by a shadow because all I’d ever wanted to do was share my happiness with her. Sometimes love can wreck you. Shatter you into a million little pieces. I’ve tried to put myself back together, but I’ve never been the same. It’s like gluing the pieces of a broken vase, it may still function,hold water, house flowers but it’s different. Losing Danessa permanently altered how I saw myself.
I looked behind us, realizing the past few minutes all passed in a blur of twinkly lights. “You are the worst tour guide ever.”
“I’m a multitasker.”
“Less talking, more flashing lights.”
“What’s this?”Anika reached for a college brochure on my kitchen counter. I should start charging her rent. Since she lived five minutes away she was constantly over at my place stealing my food and shoes.
“Why are you always snooping through my shit?”
“If it was a secret it should be hidden like my vibrator.”
I snatched the brochure from William S. Boyd School of Law from her hand. “I’m thinking about going back to school.”
“Law school?” Anika took a bite of her everything bagel loaded with cream cheese.
“Yeah.” I don’t know why she was acting so surprised. After college the plan was to go to law school. It had been on my vision board since I was ten. I wanted to be a prosecutor or work for one of those organizations that help get wrongfully convicted individuals released.
“How exactly are you going to do that and sell homes?”
“Plenty of people work and go to law school.”
“I thought there were internships and tons of homework?”
“There is.”
She flipped through the pages of the course catalog for a school in California. “So once again, how are you going to do both?”
“I’ve been saving my money. So, I have my expenses covered for the first year.”
“Wait, you’re serious.” Anika pushed her bagel aside, no longer interested in eating.
“Yes. It’s something I’ve always wanted and being a lawyer could be beneficial for the business.”
