t 2 months after Mel'

An offer I, Aria Thompson, a 21 year old high

ancisco Intern

n City. Me and my little nin

Aria T

one of the blue cylindrical columns supporting the terminal's roof, keep

ole 21 years of existence

h gri

grunts. My siste

the bag has wheels that squeak like it's haunted?" I lie, cause I can't tell her tha

e enhanced by her glasses. "Yo

it

pear like a composed young woman ... who has it all together ... an

't a stranger

med ... once. Emailed a lot.

now my b

s, social interactions, and eve

my throat. I swallow the searing sensation and fake a smile at the nine-year-o

urn from the pale face under the bright

frame of her glasses, conceals her bald head, her hair

.. she simply takes

I'm t

e gut a few too many times. I do

've realized that he's not my type. Quite the opposite, in fa

nally. That shou

nd this is it. Six feet of emotional unavailabilit

de. From the best medical treatment to no more worries about chil

e can I

dreams ... or at the very least knowing the person I

e my h

thing else. And all I have to do is act a little ...

in a fence? Getting squashed fr

ut quietly. Not

ess. The uncertainty. I'm not an impulsive person. I

, calculated, spreadsheet-making,

ing into. And right now I don't

this city, I don't know him, or his exes, or his friends, or what he likes, or what

am the one in chemo. "Yo

e is dressed like they're either in Vogue or lost in a P

ups, and disappointment. But a

ds wonderful, and at least Enrique is hot,"

poo that costs more than my monthly rent. And I

ictitious relationship. And for that reason, I'm getting a chance later today to sign that contract agr

apan with three boobs. Four girls claim they're his fiancées, he has three wives, t

of it

written plot. But I'm not here for him, or love.

y experience at least), if something this good happens, s

ndle another bad happenin

sco International Airport, like rivers, not even stopping for obstacles, but swirling around them. The cro

stination of their own, f

nder? Will I get out of th

n my throat. I slurp in some air and move my hand

re breathing weird again. Tha

"I don'

" Her voice is sullen, something

es. I need to get a grip. This

away in the cacophony of sounds and the loud inter

89B to Chicago. Please have your boarding pass and identification documents

of here. I'm starting to feel slightly claustrophobic. The imminent encounter

ly thrown over their broad shoulders. One - a hot black dude with Oakleys perched on his fore

expression of a person trying

irl," he mutters too loudl

enly checks me out with an egocentric, stylish grin on hi

m, and he winks, his express

he unavoidable jam about to happen, d

her arm to point out the disaste

handbag and a caramel frappuccino the size of a toddler. He bounces from her body like a tennis ball

r finishes with lau

sneers and shakes her head.

nose. His friend is not as civil, and his laughter reverberates through the bui

s down at the frat boy like a mountain goddess summo

, and then playfully punches his friend on the shoulder,

he duo makes a gawky attempt to escape. They get sucked into the meandering crowd of chaotic tra

hed, cartoon-wolf-in-love look - as if he's gonna

y raw nerves ar

ver a button-up shirt. To make the look even more official, his mouse-brown

ke hunky bloke girls woul

de, just sta

nks.

inked at by a man in Crocs. I

talk ab

n your journal?" she smir

a, I

X-ray vision, and judging by the focus point of his gaze, I'm sure he's trying to

as his girlfriend storms back, p

uses her 400-pound at

nk. "

bably from not taking enough breaths between her caustic remark

thoughts races through my mind - is she serious? What m

. No flirting. Zero flirt. I'm not even - he was -" I look from

undressing me from behind his bi

mind is still lingering on why she acts the way she does. Yes, she's obes

d she was the friendliest, most well-cared lady I know. Attractive and loved by many m

... two ...

ent skills, cause right now I feel like ripping his scrawny litt

y first day on the 'job'. If I have any common sense left, I mus

I do

to hide Leyla behind me and turn my gaze back to

boyfriend ... that's why he's with you." I try to be as polite as possible while wiping

ops, and a crowd star

breath. Her eyes bulge dangerously close to popping out. Her face is flushing

and forward as if she's grinding her teeth. Maybe I w

a real

avoid becoming a murderer, I tap her softly on

umber," I mention carefully, but it appears this lady doesn't apprec

, and now the boxy lady looks to be a real candidate for a

ace is a sign of rising blood pressure." Her specs hop up and down on her nose. "And combined wi

g again. Enough for her to shout at me and make even more

liquid cement.

a demon. "I knew it. As soon as I saw your smug little face. Thinking you're a

olet veggie. To think I worried about her for a mome

ps? And that degenerated, sicko of a boyfriend doesn't even try to intervene - instead, he sticks out his tongue as if he wants to lick me, making

too, while you're at it

first girl who tries to s

I still can't believe this lady is seriously fighting with me over tha

scandal reaches the news? Clause four - no public humiliation. I can

no one is aware that I am allegedly Enri

I pull out the words, hoping that she would

s to her peanut-sized brain. I need to exit the co

he says, raising a hand with the solemnity of a judge, "My sister ha

le

gasps be

ispers, "The acto

a dog in a sling, audibl

outs out the name, and the sound echoes through the airport to boomerang back and slap

he pulls a constipate

is very moment I really, r

xact moment that I real

and focus their eyes on me. I feel like the last peanu

reak steps forward as if he's getting ready to gr

the breath I didn't even know I was holding, and lean unladylike over the carousel, my thick-soled converses barely touching the ground, as I reac

out my back just to get the

ep, mid-eye-roll. The air itself feels frozen, thick with judgment. Only Leyla and I seem to move, and even s

ss the front - lurches forward with me, wheels squeaking like a chorus of

y throat. Throwing up right here would t

woman I've finally left behind has never met the concept. Her personal dictionary must've tossed out essentials like ju

t, except their faces are sharp, not soft - hungry for drama, desperate to soak up every ounce of humiliation bleed

tongue there. It's like being in the center of a hive, buzzing with judgment. Every squeak of my

oulders back. Pretending I'm n

offering. Another pokes my boob as if expecting it to pop. A hand touches my h

r Swift concert. Well, Enrique wanted us to go public as soon

n each step. Eyes on the brown floor tiles, I try to walk as dignified but quickly as possible to the

ng in the first place, so she'

you been together?" "What's y

nteresting thing I've seen for a very long time. The brown tiles have a wooden effect, a

re going to change him?" "Where do you come from?"

ow us, openly taking photos and asking questions th

"What's his favorite color?" "What size socks doe

Blackburn's unknown girlfriend can c

r's towering physique protruding near the exit. Enrique decided it would be

- I physically stopped breathing when Leyla named

isallow a photo of me with droopy mascara looking like a rabid

y sure center

. "What if this choice you made turns out to be a bad one? Wha

e exactly. But th

then." I try

p plan." She's right. But rig

st." A slow smile spreads on h

. We're go