Marathon [h.s]

two

Ellie Meyer

Pounding. Headache.

This day is already off to a horrible start. I was abruptly woken up at seven am to the sound of landscapers mowing the grass that's in front of my house. I forget that this property isn't mine, along with everybody else that lives along these houses next to me.

I'm the type of person who cannot go back to sleep once they've been woken up, so I decided to go downstairs to make myself some coffee to jumpstart me a little. Not only am I still extremely tired, but my head is throbbing.

It's most likely a side effect of my incredibly sensitive nose from bashing it on the ground yesterday afternoon. I pop two ibuprofen to try to relieve some of the pressure in my head while I hear a noise coming from the Keurig coffee maker, indicating that my coffee is almost done brewing.

I take out my Starbucks caramel macchiato creamer that I bought last night along with the other groceries in my house. Everyone always judges me for how much creamer I put in my coffee, turning it into a lighter brown color from its original black color. I don't care how anyone else makes their coffee, I refuse to drink it when it's bitter.

I take my coffee outside with me to go sit on my front porch, since it's once again too nice to be inside today. The smell of fresh cut grass invades my nose while being able to hear the occasional bird chirping, the birds probably just now waking up too since it is currently 8:30 in the morning.

I spot movement in my peripheral vision and see that it's Louis getting into his car. He's wearing a red Hawaiian themed, button-up shirt, along with navy blue swim shorts that accompany the pop of blue on his shirt. I think I can see him wearing a name tag on the right corner of his shirt, leading me to believe that he's leaving somewhere for work.

That reminds me that I need to begin mentally preparing myself for what is to come of today. I have to go to that chartering and water sports place today to see if I can apply for a job, and make a good impression of myself. So far, I don't have a good track record of doing that here.

What if I embarrass myself? What if I don't fit in like the rest of them do, or I am just not what they're looking for? Oh my god, even worse, what if I'm the only one below the age of 40 that works there?

I shake my head to rid myself of the what-ifs that usually drown me in new situations that I'm unfamiliar with. I have to tell myself that anyone would be blessed to have someone like me work for them.

After I finish my last sip of my coffee, I go back inside to get ready to head over there. It's nearing 9:30 right now and they don't open until 10, so I need to get ready now considering I'm not the fastest person at getting myself ready. I want to get there earlier than later so that I can be there before they're overloaded with customers coming in.

I decide to put on a cropped, white, crocheted top that I have, paired with some baggy, ripped jeans. It's not overbearingly hot outside today, so I'll be able to wear jeans for now. I apply some light makeup such as concealer under my eyes and on my blemishes. I finish the look off with a little blush and some mascara, since my eyelashes look like they don't exist without it.

My nose looks terrible today. It now is a dark purple color, and even looks and feels a little swollen right on the bridge of my nose. I tried putting concealer on it to hide it, but it did nothing but cause me pain by touching it.

These people are probably going to think I'm being abused at home or something. Well I mean, it wouldn't be too far off from the truth, but not right here or now.

I start to brush off any insecurities I have about my appearance or what could happen during my arrival. I have to walk in there confidently and like I know I'm good enough for this job. The energy you give off is what people will think of you, and I need to keep that in mind.