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I notice a group of guys walking up toward the shop. They look familiar as though I’ve seen them around recently.
Shit.
Finn. It’s him, again.
Leaning back, I use the tree trunk near me as a shield, hoping it blocks me from his view. I watch as he disappears into Cole’s shop with his posse trailing behind him. Of course, he’s the leader. He always was popular. I used to wonder how he kept up with so many friends.
Five minutes go by, each one feeling longer than the last. I cross and uncross my legs for the millionth time, my shorts and tank top casual and comfy for my first day. My bag of new painting supplies sits beside me, the money well spent. Taking it from Cole wasn't one of my finer moments, but I replaced all my supplies and then some. The big suitcase I keep my paintings in sits on my other side. I saved two out of the three waterlogged ones, the third one unfixable. Sometime in the near future, I'll repaint the picture of a sailboat off in the distance on the water. It's one of my favorites, and the first one I did when I arrived home.
Loud voices jar me from my thoughts, and I follow the sound with my eyes, and when they land on the source, my stomach clenches.
Finn storms out of the shop with Cole hot on his heels. The rest of the posse files out and lines up around Finn. A couple of guys I don't recognize stand next to Cole along with an older man holding back Rocky.
That must be Gramps.
My heart picks up speed. I wipe my palms on my shorts, the sweat sticky.
How do Cole and Finn know each other?
What is going on?
My two worlds collide together, and I feel as if I can't catch my breath.
Finn never told me he knew people out here, and he knew I grew up here. He asked me all about this time like he didn't know a damn thing about it. What a prick. Why? Why would he be so fake to me?
And again, how does he know Cole of all people?
Insane. There's no other word to describe it.
How small this huge world is. Unbelievable.
Cole and Finn argue back and forth. I strain to hear the words, but I can't make them out. After a few minutes, Finn takes off, his minions following right behind him. Sickening.
I have to get out of here. My two worlds feel as if they are closing in on me. Crashing together in a way that wasn’t expected.
My mind can't comprehend what's going on. It's surreal like it's not really happening. A dream or a figment of my imagination.
Cole and the others disappear into the shop, and I stand, brushing the sand off me. I grab my bags and take off, not looking back.
My life is a complete mind fuck.
* * *
Time to pull up my big girl panties. Ignore the drama and focus on my career.
You got this, girl. You so got this.
I met up with Leigh last night, needing a girl talk after a disastrous day. Not only did the shit happen with Cole and Finn plus not showing up for work on my first day, but I came home to find my mother packing up my room. She claims she's helping for when I'm ready to move into my own place. I'm sure she has different intentions underneath her fake helpfulness.
During coffee and chocolate cream pie, Leigh and I discussed living together, how she and Joe have hit it off and hang on a regular basis, and my catastrophe of a life.
Shut my feelings off and use Cole for delicious sex and to make money.
She's right. Girl power and all that.
Why can't I have my cake and eat it too?
Men do it all the time.
