it had been three days since Andie last spoke to Michael. She spent day one in silence. she hadn't even thought of absorbing the possibility of Michael not coming for her.
day two crying until her nose was raw and her eyes bloodshot. she did not see her future without Michael regardless of how soon they had met. Michael was the closest she's been to feeling like her mind was healthy in as long as she could remember.
day three was the wondering. did Michael really not care enough to stay? why would he even want to pretend he cared? was her judgment of men that terrible?
Andie's parents were already on another endeavor not caring about the mess they left behind. Andie was sitting at home in internal pain so far deep it was almost external. she had not eaten the dinner she made days ago. or anything at that. the lasagna still sat on the stove and the cake mix still inside a bowl.
Michael gave her so much confidence to stop having all this pity for herself. she was putting her life on stop because of one night. just because Michael was gone does not mean his message did not stay with her.
after this internal talk with herself she felt the tiniest bit better and that was enough for her. she ran upstairs and grabbed her green parka deciding to go to the drugstore. she walked outside immediately wishing she had a car. the drugstore was only a few blocks away and it wasn't too much walking for her. she briskly walked, completely emptying her mind from any thoughts of things that made her sad. no poverty or the attack on woman by the patriarchy. nothing. step after step was all she focused on.
once she got to the store she immediately regretted it. she sees a familiar big black truck in the parking lot with familiar people in the bed of the truck hollering and laughing at every person who walked in and out of the store. she used to be a part of that group. god, they were annoying, she thought. she stiffened her walk and looked down avoiding any contact with the people she once called her friends.
"Andie!" she heard john say in the most obnoxious deep voice she used to think was funny. she walked a little faster pretending that was not her name.
"I see you." Ashton jumped from the car running up to her.
"oh, hi," was all that could come out.
"did you think we couldn't recognise you from a mile away? you look good." he laughed slowly looking up and down at her. ashton could laugh knowing very well she doesn't want to talk to him and he'd still try to talk to her. ashton was a sort of complex boy Andie still never wrapped her head around.
"hey lets hang out. it'll be crazy fun like old times."
Andie knew fun like old times was not going to be fun to the new her but strangely without any real thought process she smiled and nodded and walked with Ashton to the big black truck.
