Merely Existing...

4

Five facts about me;

• I love creamy Italian dressing;

• I have Arachnophobia;

• I've never ridden a horse;

• I suffer from anxiety and depression;

• I hate coconut water;

I was sitting at a bar, a couple of blocks away from my condo in downtown Atlanta. I don't want to get too personal I thought to myself. I was babysitting a shot of tequila, with salt around the rim of the glass and a single piece of lime hanging from the side. My laptop was powered on, illuminating in front of me against the dimly lit bar. I was participating in a challenge of (five facts about yourself) for my social media page. Whoever can get more than 100k comments of who can relate to their list throughout the social platform, will receive an invite to the one of the most exhilarating events BeYou was hosting. With awards for all kinds of trending things. These challenges were silly, but the goodies were always dope. Last year I won a 2021 McLaren 570S, it was sky blue, one of my least favorite colors so I gifted it to Diamond; as a token of appreciation for our friendship. I have 2 cars already so a third wasn't necessary. It's been a week since Diamond called me on the phone, and since I found the letter from my mother. I haven't opened it but I've been getting collect calls from the jail that I cannot find the bravery to answer yet. Maybe I am being a coward,  but I just don't have the time to deal with the bullshit.

"Here, compliments from the gentleman down the bar." The red-headed bartender smiles a soapy grin as she sits yet another indistinguishable shot of tequila by my laptop. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts and the task I was working on that I didn't even notice the bar was filling up rather quickly from when I first got there. The low hum of chatters of conversations began to grow familiarized by my ears as I look in the direction she pointed to. I take my reading glasses off and folded them unto my shirt realizing it was making my vision blurry. I squint my eyes a few times to conform to this poor excuse of light, maybe the owner of this establishment needs to hire people who will change the bulbs instead of being in my god damn face I consider to myself. As if he'd been staring at my movements the whole time, my eyes finally lock with the stranger. He had a milk chocolate complexion, with dreads falling past his back from what I can tell being that he was facing my direction. He was handsome as hell, but I didn't feel any fervor from under my skirt. I shift my eyes away uncomfortably because his focus was gazing in. I wanted to put my thumbs up and signal a thank you for the drink but that required too much effort. I hit submit and let my post soar through the invisible wires of the internet, I imagined it hitting every pole till it got to the social media network and found my account and jumped and spread all over the screen. It took less than 5 seconds to appear so it couldn't have traveled very far diminishing whatever thoughts I have conjured up about its journey. It was just a post, that started to send notifications to my page almost instantly. I muted them, only thing I look forward to was seeing an email of my invite to the event cause surely my post would hit for over 100k.

I gather up my belongings and throw them in my Teflar tote. Zipping up my sweater I take a shot of the last remaining glass and set it down on the bar a little rougher than intended to. Maybe the liquid courage was starting to ooze it's way through my veins already."Excuse me beautiful, but I think you dropped something." The gorgeous stranger was now standing next to me reaching down to pick up my phone. I surveyed it for scratches while he hands it to me. Thank the heavens it didn't get any marks of abrasions to it. Stupid technology! I look up and he was staring into my eyes as if anticipating a thank you. I smile courtly at him and say "Thanks, sir." He extends his hand to me. "My name is Malcolm and yours? Beautiful?" He said also very politely that it took me by surprise. His voice was deep but welcomingly. "I'm Ava, Ava Jones and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Malcolm," I speak in a rushed whisper while reaching to accept the handshake.

His hands were warm and soft and left an electrical feeling that cause me to jerk my hand away slightly. "Wait... Ava?! My daughter is practically addicted to your page. I never truly indulge in her activities but she talks about you non-stop. Saying you're her idol and she looks up to you. Wow, that's crazy I never thought I'd have such an interesting story to tell her when I get home." Daughter? Home? This man has a wife and kids and he's in a bar talking to strangers? As if reading my mind he goes on to say "My wife died 4 years ago from cancer; so now I raise my two daughters on my own. The 17-year-old, Melissa raves about you while the 7-year-old, Macy is the scholar. I apologize I know you were getting ready to leave, I hoped that shot would've made you come to talk to me but then I saw you had dropped your phone. Are you in a hurry?" He asked, offering information I wasn't expecting to hear nor could I care less about. "Excuse me, I'd like to order a drink if y'all don't mind." A short-haired, lawyer-looking woman who had her debit in hand and an exhausting look on her face made us spin around, indicating that we were both blocking her way. "Sorry ma'am," I mutter moving past her and Malcolm making my way towards the exit, Malcolm tailing my heels close by. "No goodbyes? Sorry if I seem eager to talk to you, but I must say you are breathtakingly radiant!" He beams at me all rushed from frantically following me. That makes me blush uncontrollably. He is too sweet I might as well give him my number, maybe we can be friends. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so immediate. It's just I'm kind of tired and I just finished working, so I thought a drink would help ease the stress a bit but I didn't plan on staying out for too long. Do you have a number? Maybe we can text from time to time." I asked trying to sound enthusiastic. He seemed reluctant as if I was being forced to want to give him my number but we ended up exchanging digits promising to text when we both got home. He explained he lived on the outskirts of Atlanta. The suburbs were where judges and doctors lived. I also learned he was a district attorney working on becoming a judge. He was just clearing his head from a long day before he had to relieve his elderly babysitter from her duties. He walks me to my car, a 2022 Audi A4 I use on most occasions that were local, and said our goodbyes.

It doesn't take me long before I reach the private parking lot for the condo and loft owners. It was about 5 of us that owned our suites. Most were couples or single. I was cordial to my neighbors but I didn't make any of them friends; meaning they had never been to my place and I hadn't been to theirs. It seemed better that way. I don't like most people in my business, besides the million people who made it their business to see what I was up to. I shut off the engine spraying my car with some car spray before heading upstairs. Wow, today was eventful, I usually run from people who try to talk to me but Malcolm's effect was unfamiliar almost natural. I felt comfortable talking to him. Shit! I almost forgot to text him to let him know I was home. I shoot him a quick text letting him know I got back in and was about to take it down for the night. He replied and said the same, but not without telling me how great it was to meet me today. I smile as I step into my apartment thinking that, this could be the start of a new friendship.