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“Bye!” the ladies at my table call to her as she walks away.
I take another sip of my chunky green smoothie, trying to drown my sorrow and counting down the minutes until I can get out of here.
Chapter 7
I hug my yoga mat close to my chest as we walk down the sidewalk towards the paid parking lot.
“Oopsie.” I hear Caroline say behind me. “Tyler,” she says in a loud whisper. When I turn, she motions for me to come towards her. “You have a tear in your leggings. I can see your panties.” She says softly.
I sigh. Of course, I do. Damn, these fake ass leggings couldn’t even last for one wear. Just one more thing to ruin my day. I stop in the middle of the sidewalk and pull a long sleeve shirt from my gym bag, before tying it around my waist.
“You know, there’s a Lululemon just around the corner,” Mandy says. “You should go see if they will replace them. They look like you’ve never even worn them.”
“Oh” I pause, trying to figure out how to get myself out of this. “It’s not a big deal.” I say, in an attempt to brush it off.
“Mandy’s right.” Caroline says, “Those are way too expensive to fall apart like that. Let’s just go right now.”
SHIT. “Oh no, it’s okay. I’ll go another time.” I wave them off.
Mandy side eyes Caroline and I see it. “Isn’t that kind of out of the way for you? You should really just go now.” She says, pulling my arm, trying to lead me around the corner of the sidewalk. “If you are afraid to ask them, I will. They know me there.”
I put my hands down at my sides and take a deep breath. “I really appreciate it, but I need to get home.”
“It’ll only take a second.” Mandy says with her arms crossed.
Caroline smiles softly, “Come on, you are being kind of silly.”
I let out a deep sigh. So much for the one thing that I thought would make me fit in with them. “They’re not real, okay?” I look back and forth at the two horrified women as I make my confession. It’s almost as though I told them I’m an alien. “My mom bought them for me from some wholesale group for a Christmas gift. I have never been in a Lululemon in my life and don’t really plan to. The fanciest store I shop at is Target, and I’m okay with that.”
“Oh, okay,” says Caroline, obviously at a loss for words.
“I knew it.” Mandy mutters.
Okay, that’s all I can take for one day.
“Thank you both for your invite today.” I say, clapping my hands together a little too loudly and causing even myself to startle. “But I really need to get going.” Without another word, I turn and bolt towards the crosswalk, taking advantage of the blinking WALK signal. Don’t cry. I beg myself. All I have to do is make it to the safety of my car and then I will be free to have the breakdown I fully deserve after this terrible day.
I enter the parking lot and stop short when I spy Caroline’s dark gray Wagoneer, parked right next to my “shitty” Honda.
“And the hits keep on coming.” I mumble under my breath.
I grab the door handle and climb inside, immediately starting the engine. My tears burn as they brim in my eyes.
Don’t cry, at least not until they’re gone. I beg myself. I scroll through my phone, trying to look busy while I wait for them to get in their cars and drive away. In reality, I am just looking for the nearest Sonic. Screw hot yoga and screw nasty ass chunky green smoothies. That’s not me and it’s not who I’ll ever be. I’d rather live the rest of my life alone in this town than try to force myself to be someone I’m not.
What I need right now is a greasy breakfast burrito and a Diet Dr. Pepper with a lime wedge. I may live in the city now, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I find a familiar comfort in a Route 44 soda that nothing else in this world can provide. I can’t explain it. It just tastes like home.
Just as my yoga companions drive away in their overpriced vehicles, my car makes a dinging sound, indicating that something is wrong and my day is about to get even worse than it already was.
Perfect. My shitty Honda is going to live up to its name today.
I check the display and find that I have a flat tire. Since the coast is clear, I climb back out of the car and quickly discover the culprit. My passenger side back tire looks like it’s melting into a puddle on the pavement. Fantastic.
The tears I have been willing to stay inside my body have no other choice than to race down my face. Clutching my phone, I scroll to Elliott’s name and press the call icon. He answers on the second ring.
“Hey. What’s up?” He asks. I can hear typing in the background. He’s still at work.
I sniffle. “Elliott, I’m having the worst day of my life.” I take a breath. “I went out with Caroline and Mandy today. First, I nearly passed out at yoga. Then, I was peer pressured into drinking some nasty green smoothie. After that, my fake leggings ripped and my ass was showing to the entire world, for who knows how long. Now my shitty Honda, which I didn’t even know was shitty until today, has a flat tire in a parking lot downtown.” My words fly from my mouth without taking a breath.
