To The People I Needed, Thank You For Leaving by DaniLeigh, Phora
Scottsdale, AZ
Friday January 23rd
Mindy Manor | MM
"Are you hungry, M?" Mindy's cousin asked walking into her bedroom as Mindy sat on the spinning chair by her desk.
"No thank you." Mindy said politely.
"Okay I'm going to go to the gas station then I'll drop you back home, Anika and Oceania are downstairs." Ari said referring to her two bestfriends.
Last night Mindy's brother had decided to throw a party whilst she was studying for an upcoming exam, she was unable to focused and her exam was extremely important so she had to run away to her cousins — Ari.
Ari lived in an apartment downtown that she shared with her two bestfriends Oceania and Anika.
Ari was a very loud outspoken person and her friends were no different which is why Mindy didn't fit in well.
Mindy was what you may deem as a shy introverted person: she didn't do well with others and wasn't the best at actually speaking up. She was currently enrolled in University on her way to become a children's nurse. Growing up Mindy was always the extra child nobody wanted nor prepared for. This being said she was always treated as just extra baggage.
Mindy would do anything to be noticed by her parents, nothing worked though, no matter how many A+ she brought home, no matter how many gold stars or certificates she received.
She would just never come anywhere near to anybody else, she would never be good enough.
She didn't stop though, she just stopped seeking her family's approval: she stopped caring about whether or not they cared and began doing everything for herself.
She brought home A+'s for herself so she could look at them and smile at how brilliant and academically intelligent she was. She won award after award so that she could be proud of herself. She joined the cheer team and gymnastic team so she could do good for herself.
She stopped caring whether they noticed her however secretly she didn't. She still wanted a congratulation or a well done and she didn't understand why she didn't ever receive any.
She blamed herself and hated them for making her feel like such an anchor.
Going to the gym was a way for her to find a new hobby, find something new to push herself for.
Anika felt the need to point out her increasing weight a couple months back, Mindy had never felt self-conscience before however Anika's comment did something to her and Oceania agreeing was the cherry on the cupcake. She felt hurt, but instead of wallowing in her pity she went to the gym.
She could only make herself better, she'd never let them see the affect they had on her and the thoughts they flooded her mind with. The diets they made her want and the body she wished she had.
"Can I come with you then please? I don't wanna stay here alone." Mindy said standing to her feet.
"Oh Anika and Oceania are downstairs but if you'd prefer then yeah sure." Mindy nodded and shoved on her uggs before following her cousin out.
"We're going to the gas station we'll be back soon." Anika and Oceania nodded not paying them any attention, "we're walking, okay?" Mindy nodded having no issue with that as Ari locked the door behind them.
"Who was at the party last night?" Mindy and Ari hadn't really spoken about what went down, Mindy was focused on her studies and Ari let her be.
"There was just a bunch of his friends he does this often so it wasn't anything new but the music was blasting and I just really couldn't focus."
"Did you ask him to turn it down?" Mindy shook her head as they turned a corner.
"He doesn't like when I disturb him and his friends I wasn't about to irritate him, so I just asked for you to pick me up. Thank you again for that."
"It's nothing, you need to move out though."
"I know but I haven't got the money for that at the moment, I'm juggling school and working at Wendy's. I can't put more on my plate, honestly."
"If you need help just let me know." Mindy shook her head that was something she wouldn't be doing, she didn't like her cousin doing stuff for her or buying stuff for her because she always brought it up later or around people making her seem broke or irresponsible.
"It's fine don't worry, I only have this semester left then I'm done."
"Why did you attend uni so late anyways?"
"What do you mean? I've been in university since I was 19." Mindy said confused as the gas station came into sight.
"Oh my bad I thought you only just started going." Ari didn't ever go to university, she didn't actually have the academics to attend it but she never told anyone that she only said that wasn't something she wanted to do.
Instead she opted for starting her own business: she began selling lashes, hair and clothes and she done modelling gigs for big companies like fashionnova, balenciaga and revolve.
Ari had a gorgeous dark complexion, along with brown plump full lips, she had wide brown eyes overall a sight for sore eyes.
She was perfection in a person, you wouldn't ever think the cousins were related since they looked nothing alike, dressed nothing alike and acted nothing alike.
Ari was proud of her body and loved to show it off due to her self-confidence and self-love, two things Mindy lacked which made her so easy to break down.
Ari loved wearing dresses or skirts and crop tops and it was uncommon for her to be in tracksuits however it wasn't rare, Mindy on the other hand didn't possess that courage or assertiveness.
She'd rather be in oversized sweaters and jeans, tracksuits were an always and she didn't have her stomach on show often. She wasn't proud of her stomach although there was nothing wrong with it.
As they approached the gas station Mindy immediately headed for the fridges and got a fruit-punch gatorade, she then went to the candy section by the cashier and picked up the fruitella gummies she got the berry flavour and peaches and mango.
"I thought you said you didn't want anything." Ari said looking at her cousins hand as she put her airheads and skittles in front of the cashier.
"Changed my mind." Mindy said with a shrug as she went back for another gatorade.
"Are you going back home tonight?" Mindy didn't like how Ari chose now to discuss this.
"Sure." Mindy responded as the cashier placed Ari's stuff in a black paper bag and then began ringing up Mindy's items.
"Should I call your brother to collect you?" Mindy shook her head.
"I'll get an uber or get on the subway." Ari nodded her head leaving out the store.
Mindy pressed her credit card to the reader and the clerk handed her the plastic bag, Ari left out the shop and Mindy followed closely behind her.
Samir
You wanna catch a bite?
