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A heavy sense of worry, discomfort, and pain presses upon my chest like an unforgiving brick. The wind blows through my hair as I drive away, offering a gentle warm breeze. But it does little to ease the burden I carry.
With the sun high above the ocean, casting a beautiful glistening light upon the waves, I try to find solace in this fleeting moment of tranquility. The chaos of my life momentarily fades away, and for a moment, I forget the turmoil that plagues me.
With the radio blaring catchy, upbeat pop music, I allow myself to let go. My hair flows freely, and I sing along, hoping to release some of the sadness that’s been consuming me. Gradually, the drive to Scarlett’s feels smoother, and a glimmer of hope flickers within. Oh, how I wish I could cling to this feeling forever—this sense of liberation and being free from the shackles of my troubles.
I pull into Scarlett’s driveway and take a deep breath, hesitating for a moment before stepping out of the car. The weight on my chest seems to intensify as I approach her door.
With a knot in my stomach, I walk up to her front door and knock softly. No response. I knock again, this time a little louder. Still nothing. The silence is deafening, echoing my inner turmoil. I try calling her, hoping she’ll answer. The phone rings, and my heart pounds in my chest with every passing second. Finally, I hear a faint sound coming from inside the house. Her footsteps.
Scarlett opens the door.
“Goodness, Scar, I was worried for a minute.”
“Shhh,” she says, gesturing for me to come inside.
I raise a brow and walk inside, immediately noticing men’s clothing on the couch.
“Scar, who’d you bring home last night?”
Her eyes widen. “He hasn’t left yet!”
“Who?” I ask while letting out a laugh.
“Zack, a new guy I met recently.”
I plop myself on the couch, looking at her with a cheesy smile. I’m glad to see her forgetting about the coffee shop for a moment.
“Maybe you’d have some fun too if you let loose a little,” she jokes, sitting next to me and placing her feet over the top of my legs.
“Nah, I enjoy being alone,” I say.
Footsteps make their way down the stairs, and I look up to see Zack, dressed in only dark blue gym shorts.
“Oh, hi, Zack!” I stand up, and so does Scarlett.
“Hi, uh, Hailey, right?” he asks while reaching out his hand. I smile and nod, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Okay, so, see you later, Zack?” Scarlett asks.
“How about tomorrow? There’s a party going on at my house. You can come too, Hailey,” he offers.
“She’ll be there,” Scarlett says.
I look at her with wide eyes.
“Cool, bye, ladies,” he says as he grabs his clothes and walks out the door, closing it behind him.
I look at her for a solid minute before sitting back down.
“Oh, come on, Hailey, he might have some single friends!”
“What part of ‘I’m not ready’ do you not understand? It’s bad juju having someone in my life right now.”
“Hailey, I’m not asking you to date, just mingle a bit, make some friends!” she explains.
I sigh. “Okay… I guess I’ll go.”
She squeals and grabs my arm, then drags me up the stairs.
