neighborly

twenty two - always keep makeup wipes

"Do you have any sweatshirt that." I scroll on my phone, moving the tab up to the non cracked part, "That shows I was here but also does not look like crap." I read from Alexis's list and I raise my eyebrows at the teen working the Long Island gift shop.

"The closest thing I have is a sweatshirt that says beers, bagels and Billy Joel." The guy said flaunting his freshly manicured nails that I felt the need to compliment.

"But the color would totally clash with your skin tone."

Never mind.

"Okay," I say only slightly offended, "Well it's not for me."

"How does she look?"

"Why cant you just give me the sweatshirt!" I sigh exasperated because I hadn't spoken to Roman in like four hours and I missed him and retail therapy is not curing the ache in my freaking heart.

"I consider myself a fashion specialist, and I would never sell clashing colors, like your top." He chews his gum harshly and we both look at my blue bikini top.

"I got this top from my dead mother." I smile at him.

Thats actually a lie, I just low-key got offended.

"The color clash most likely killed her." He sighs and turns around abandoning me in my time of desperation and I literally groan.

I leave the store, and sit down on the curb. If I had hit rock bottom, at least I hit surrounded by beaches and shit.

People swarmed around me, looking at the arrange of shops that made it seem like I was in Disney world. Ive never been, I just follow people on social media who have so now I feel like I had.

My phone rang, which slightly scared me because sometime my phone works and other time it just doesn't really.

I move the tab up to where I can see it, a no cracked spot in the upper right and my day becomes worse as I see it's from my dad.

I get up and dip out into the alley and pick up the call from my dad, "Hey dad, this is an awful time."

"Hey Lil! Whats wrong?"

"Just a rough day." I sigh out.

"What happened?" He asks seeming actually concerned and I slightly smile, because it was different now than his reserved phone calls when I was younger.

"Um woah." I say slightly taken back before continuing, "Im in Long Island with my..." It would be easier to explain if I just called Roman my boyfriend, plus I liked the validation it gave me.

"With my boyfriend and his family, and we had a big fight and yeah." I sigh out and I could practically feel his surprise.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend Liliana."

"You don't know a lot about me." I say, coming off more as hate than an actual point.

"Well that is unfortunately true, but I'm trying."

"Okay." I say just to say something.

"So you say you had a fight."

"Yeah and I cant help but feel it was my fault."

"Fights don't happen between two people who don't care."

"I know. You think I should apologize?"

"No matter what I say, I know you won't Liliana." I could hear a smile on his lips as he said that and I surprisingly laugh.

"You're painfully right."

—

I talked to my dad, sitting there on the curb for more than hour.