Present Day:

"Okay, that just goes to show you that Eliza's horny as hell. What's the actual announcement? Did you meet a guy during that festival?"

Something like that.

Monica is anxious to know what's coming next as she sipped on the wine in her glass, ready to know more about my night at the festival. Her hands grip onto the cup tightly as a small smile appears on her face.

"Hold on, Monica. I'm getting there; you just have to give me some time because I'm setting the scene."

I reset myself on the couch so I can think of where to go from there. I feel unsettled from that last story. 

"You don't even have to do that, Kassie. We don't need the whole story. Just tell us what's up. It's not a movie."

Speaking of a movie, the movie theatre was a great place to chill, a great place to cuddle with your partner, cool place to laugh with your friends and kiss your first crush.

It's also a lovely place to cry silently, especially if you went to see a movie that was unexpectedly your favorite actress' last movie. Yeah, there were other things to cry about but this was what brought out the water works.

This was about three weeks after the festival and my shirt was still ruined after washing it time and time again. I had to throw it out because it couldn't withstand the cheese.

Anyway, I went to the movies by myself, right after learning that she passed away. How do you hit someone and just run away from the scene? How does somebody get away with that?

The movie is a dark romance about a couple, out on the town, gets caught up in the other side of the night life through an unexpected 'friend' they meet at a bar. The mafia gang planned that and her in-movie husband's death out. How ironic is it that she gets hit by a car and dies in the movie?

Knowing that the actual actress died like this threw me off, and it made me cry. Add my, what I considered, failed life into the mix and you get a whole waterfall. I was sitting in section D, seat 5, bawling like my best friend just passed away. I was surprised that nobody called me out.

Maybe it was because I knew I had to get out of there and release my tears of frustration and sadness in the bathroom. Even though I missed some of the movie, it wasn't worth ruining everybody else's time.

I walked into the bathroom stall and just sat there. Something made me have to go to and I didn't buy one drink or snack.

My life wasn't terrible because I had a job and worked in a field I went to college for, right? It's what I've always wanted to do...or so I thought.

In my life, I never had it easy and have worked like a dog since I was a kid. My friends were the complete opposite, making me feel like a failure. Not working anymore, living a lavish lifestyle, being in relationships where the person truly loves them, and having the time of their lives.

They wondered why we never had time to see me anymore; that's why. My life, Monday through Friday, is always busy because I stayed on the road. Hell, even some weekends, I'm on the clock. It depended on the cases. I traveled back and forth because my time was spent working with low-income families, non-English speaking families, abused children, etc.

I'd work 12 hours every day and wanted that same thrill, that surprise my friends had. After a long day at work, I wanted to come home to a companion to love on or something to look forward to. Dildos were not cutting it and I was tired of buying myself chocolates every week; that's elementary.

I've always worked for what I wanted and you can say that's a good thing all you want. It does feel good to earn things by working hard for them but it gets tiring watching others win so easily. It's like running a race and they get a shortcut to the finish while you have to take the longer way. You want what you want right now like everybody else is getting.

Unfortunately, there was never a break and my mom always preached to my sisters and I about working. She said there was never time for breaks because we'd run behind and lose money to pay bills with. Every second counted.

The whole point of this is that my life was completely occupied with my work while everyone else lived their lives. I just wanted some time to relax and breathe with a companion as well. There was barely any time to go on dates and do other things single people do when finding love. I had none of that.

My tears stopped after a knock to the wall alarmed me. "Girl, do you need some tissue over there? I feel you. That movie just gets to you. Ain't it sad how she died?"

Ain't no way there was a woman on the other side of this stall, trying to comfort me. Have I lost my mind? Was it just me?

Well, consider my thoughts proven wrong as I saw a hand giving me toilet paper from below. That was strange.

"Thanks."

I wiped my tears with the tissue and took a deep breath. This was the wrong place to do this but there were no other options.

"No problem. Now, you straighten yourself up and walk out of here like the baddest bitch you are. Make them drop dead, bitch."

Should I have thanked her or been worried? It was like I was listening to a random alter ego of mine, living in my own head. I wanted to look under the stall but it wasn't even worth it. I just wanted to leave instead.

Washing my hands, I studied my reddened eyes and wet cheeks. My mocha skin was slightly darker since I stayed out in the sun during my long trips around town. Plus, I'd spend way too much time in the sun with Monica and Eliza as if I had the same skin color they do. No need to change how much melatonin I had.

My hands moved up to fix my thick black ponytail. These baby hairs were not listening today nor doing their job. All they had to do was stay laid but they wanted to hop up like some bad ass kids that don't want to go to bed. Lay down, damn it.

Fuck it, the rest of my hair was doing what it was told. It was slicked back into a tight ponytail and it still looked good minus a few baby hairs.

Walking out of the bathroom, I accidently hit something that was on the other side of the door. A bunch of gasps and shrieks came right after and I froze in panic

There was nobody on the other side of the door, Kass. It could've just been a potted plant, a robot, a movie poster, a heavy door on the other side. Couldn't have been a person.

Lying to myself wasn't getting me out of this one. I just had to peek over on the other side of the door and see that I hit a guy...

A very good-looking man with dark chocolate skin.

Damn it, Kass! You didn't just hit anyone; you hit a handsome guy! Like come on! What you gonna do now?

Freak. Out.

"Holy shit! I am really-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get it. You couldn't have watched where you were going? Do you know who you just hit?" A woman with a medium tan complexion scrunched her face up at me as she kneeled to the victim.

I wondered what she meant by that. She spoke as if this was a famous person or something. Was she his publicist or something? Maybe she was the girlfriend with the way she was defending him like that. She could've passed for his mom for all I knew.

The guy sat up slowly and looked up at me, eyes filled with confusion at first. That changed with a quick search of me and a heavy smirk came across his face. This guy's attention was stuck on me as a small bump formed on his forehead.

"Hello? Tyler? Are you alright there, honey?"

Well, she just answered my question regarding who she was to him. Now, I see why she's riding his dick so hard. He must be good for her mind and to her body.

Damn, I was just here to see a movie.

With that bump growing slowly on his head, the Tyler guy kept watching me intrigued, like he was interested in what he was looking at. I wanted to laugh so bad.

A clearing of the throat took my attention away from him and went to the woman who appeared to be his girlfriend.

"So...are you going to apologize or what? We have a movie to see."

I was just about to do that until your quick-to-anger ass wanted to interrupt me.

Squatting down to him, I saw his smile grow bigger and I said "Look, I'm sorry. Hopefully, that bump clears up and you don't sue me for what I just did. I feel guilty enough."

By the way his girlfriend was introducing him, he probably had some lawyers lined up to take his case, taking every bit of my 73 cents in the bank.

Surprisingly, he laughed it off and said "It's cool. You're good but just...uh..."

'Uh' what? I have a movie to go finish seeing, too.

"Always watch where you're going. You never know who you might run into..."

Why is he giving lustful eyes? Was that a shot at me? Around his girl? She couldn't be another Harrison, just let her man hit on me like that?

And with that, he was helped up, by someone else, and they walked off. No, the guilt didn't go away but the mixed smell of nachos and popcorn had me standing in like for an extra 30 minutes.

I purchased almost everything on the menu, plus a glass of wine because I needed it. Stress eating; it wasn't healthy but it sure makes me feel better in the moment.

I had to see another showing because, when I got back to the last one, the credits were rolling. Plus, this gives me time to stay away from the house longer.

****

Ayyyyyeeeeee! Welcome back!

As much as I'd love to post everyday, I can't. One, because of work. Two because it does keep people wanting more sometimes.

We got another mystery man giving Kass the dark eyes. What's that all about?

Y'all ever cried in a public place before? I've done it many times. Lol

Well, thanks for reading! Y'all don't know how grateful I am to have y'all's eyes on my book! See ya on Friday!

Love ya!