Beautiful Stranger

Five

Only a money-vomiting person would buy a pair of dancing shoes when she doesn’t dance.

Only a delusional psycho would buy a pair of dancing shoes because maybe they’re from her ‘Mr. Right’.

Only a— what exactly am I doing?

Crazy and inventive as you may think, I just stood there, back and forth from the shoes to the note and back again. I’m so not trying it on.

Ok, I lied. I actually tried it and even thought of buying it. But, the sane reasonable side of me told me the smartest thing to do: leave a note.

I was at the shop to buy clothes for the 6th anniversary of Chalk. Hannah’s invitation included ‘plus two’ so it was me and her long-distance boyfriend who would try to make it. He was overseas and I don’t know how Hannah managed to keep up with all that space in between them. He goes home ever two months, stays for one before leaving again for two and so on. At least they have one month, right?

Desperate enough to be dying to meet sexy steps, I invited him. It wouldn’t be until the 28th so he’ll have five days to think about it, if he’ll be able to get the note today.

On my way home, I was shaken by the swift arrival of my ex-boyfriend in front of me. He was obviously as surprised as I was so I saved him the trouble of stumbling on brief awkward words and I crossed the street.

It was a dumb move because I caused enormous traffic problems but I know he was grateful I had the decency to avoid what could’ve happened. We both know I was the one who always do the things that has to be done. Well, except for the break-up. That was all his idea. I went home and sulked in bed until I fell asleep.

The 24th: I sulked more.

The 25th: I refused to talk to anyone and cried the whole night. I stopped when my sister, Pam, offered to eat ice cream with me. It was, like, 11:48 pm.

The 26th: I woke up with a different aura. I was excited, optimistic, and happy. I was thinking about sexy steps and was hopping around the house with the music up. Pam went to work and I got the house on my own. I tried to invite Hannah over, but she’s busy taking pictures of model wannabe’s.

So, I did what I thought would somehow connect me to him: dance.

The 27th: I was nervous as hell. I was regretting the invitation. I was thinking of not attending.

The thing about Hannah is that she’s always there when you needed her most.

“Of course you’re going. If he’ll show up, he will. If he won’t who cares? I mean, you’re with me, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, and so is Leo. I’ll be, like, an outsider. And you two will probably gross me out.”

“Who said he’ll come?” This made me sit up straight.

“Didn’t you pick him up from the airport earlier?”

“The thing with you, Janie dear, is that when you’re heartbroken you become unreachable and when you’re desperate you become crazy. See, now, you’re a mixture of both.” She let herself fall to the bed. “And that’s even worst because you become an unreachable selfish senseless little girl.”

“What happened?” I lay down beside her.

“He turned out to be a typical male figure.”

I smiled. “Oh, that explains it.”