In Me by Tiffany Anyel (novels to improve english .TXT) đ
- Author: Tiffany Anyel
Book online «In Me by Tiffany Anyel (novels to improve english .TXT) đ». Author Tiffany Anyel
. Physicallyâthe impact running had on me was more easily seenâI looked at it, every day in my mirror: MeâŠchanging.
I had smaller arms, tighter legs, a firmer ass. Even my face had lost its bloatedâmiserable look. It looked flusher, younger.
Emotionallyânot so clear, it wasnât as âin-your-faceâ. I had gradually started to notice a perkier attitude, waking up most mornings. And my angerâwell, was not so angry. Running had become my museâit gave me inspiration. For whatâI had no clue.
Running was a part of my past tooâbut I hadnât used two legs or a park to do it. Somewhere during âmy down-ward spiralââfailure also, reared its not-so-cute head. And teaming with âfearâ had a field day running me over.
Bending-over for fear and running-scared from failureâleft little time to actually try and change anything. And soon I had every opportunity, every decision, even every feeling: squeezed, as it made room for the âinfamous duoâ: Fear and Failure.
âWe have to stop!â Lee said, bending over trying to catch his breath. I circle back around, jogging in place, âCome on, Iâm just getting started.â
âWell, start without me,â Lee sits on a bench, and takes a gulp of water. Sitting beside him, I silently wait for him to finish.
The bench starts vibrating, and Lee reaches in his pocket. Flipping open his phone, and handing me the bottled-water, Lee says, âHey babe.â
I slowly gulp, while watching children at the playground, and listening to a one-sided conversation. âOh. Iâve been running with Kate.â I glanced at Lee, making a funny face.
I bust out laughing, covering my mouthâI stick out my tongue, making a funny face of my own. Lee stifling a laugh says irritatingly into the phone, âBabe, I am listening to you. Kateâs just being silly.â
And with a shocked look on my face, I mouthed, âYou started it!â Smiling Lee ignores me, âYea. Iâll be there. I said I would okay? What time should I be there?...â
Lee and âthe-girlfriendâ: I wish I could say they were soo cute and oh-so-adorable togetherâbut if I were being honest, like brutally honestâyou know the honest that comes out almost sounding like an insultâLee deserved better.
Lee slaps his phone shut. âSo, are we calling it a day?â I ask, turning to Lee. I wave my hand, trying to get his attention, âHello Earth-to-Lee.â
âWhat? Oh. Yea,â Lee says sounding far-away as he struggled to put his phone in his pocket.â
âSoâŠis that a âyea we are leavingâ?â
âWhat? No, no.â Lee said coming back from âwhereverâ he had just been. Not convinced he was still âhere-with-meâ I ask instead, âLee. Whatâs up? Talk to me.â
Seeing frustration in his eyes he finally lets out a chuckle saying, âOh nothing. Itâs just Jennâwell, not her. But this banquet or something she wants me to go to. Her parents are putting it on, so.â
âOh. Well, that could be fun.â âRight. Cause you know how I just love putting on a suit.â âOh, youâd look great in a suit. Shut up.â
Realizing, I had never seen him in oneâever, and I saw him almost every day, I shrug saying, âEven though I have yet to see you in one.â âExactly!â Lee said, brushing his shorts and shaking his head.
âLee, I know it canât only be the suit thatâs bugging you. So, what is it? Youâve met her parents before right?â Nodding his head, I continue, âSoâŠspill.â He sighs, âOh, itâs nothing.â And he turns to me saying with a bit more enthusiasm, âSo, you ready for one more go?â
I give him a not-buying-it look, handing him the bottled-water. Ignoring it he takes another gulp; he puts it away, and gets up to stretch, âSo you ready?â
âAre you?â I finally said sounding cocky. âFunny,â Lee said smiling before he took off running.
****
Back at home feeling so fresh and so clean I contemplate ordering out, then grab some chips, and sit down on the sofa.
Running today had been funânot the usual âpain-in-my-assâ. I ran for many reasons, most of whichâI was still figuring out. But I didnât run for fun, hadnât run for funâuntil today, with Lee. I guess it only takes once, to be forever changed by something.
Fun and Running: It was a new one for me. But I liked it.
Poor, Lee. After we raced in the park, and went for slushiesââ, he got another âphone-callâ and had to cut out early. He wasnât happy. Imaging him nowâsuited up and dancing, I let out a laugh.
Speak of the devilâI feel my phone vibrating, itâs Lee, âHey you. I was just thinking about you. Whatâs up?â
âCome with me.â âCome with you? Where? No, donât say itâto the ball? No way!â
âCome on Kate, please? You have to. Arenât you the one that said âit will be funâ?â
âWell, yea. But no-where in that statement âthat I saidâ did I include âmeâ. Lee come on, itâs me, are you serious?â
âYes! I need you there. Who else will I have fun with besides you at a ballâcome on, for me? Please. Iâm dying over here.â âHavenât you already left? And what about Jenn?â
âSheâs already there, waiting for me. I havenât gotten ready yet.â
âOh my god Lee, she is going to kill you! There is no way; I want to be around a furious âgirl-friendâ. And wonât she be even more upset if you bring me?â
For the first time, I hear static over the phone, âHello, Lee? Are you there?â
âYea, yea, Iâm here. No, she wonât. She told me earlier I could bring some one. There will be like two hundred-plus people at this thing, and the only people I know are Jenn and her parents. Please Kate? What else are you doing? Let me guess watching a movie?â
âAs a matter of factâyes, I am! Dirty Dancing if you want to know, and itâs at the good part. So, what?â âSo come out with me, do something different.â
âDifferentâIâm okay with. But what youâre talking about isâŠtorture. What would I even wear to something like that?â âAnything, itâs more a formal-casual event, at least thatâs what Jenn told me.â
âI hardly have just âcasualâ in my closet. Do you remember the day I threw out almost all my clothes? I havenât restocked.â
âKate, you must have somethingâbesides spandex, in your closet. Look Iâm on my way, if you havenât found anything by the time I get there, will find something together, okay?â
âBut LeeâââIâll see you soon. Thanks Kate, youâre the best.â He hangs up. Shit! Shit! Shit! I will never forgive Lee for making me do this. Sighingâand throwing a huge fit, I walk to my âemptyâ closet.
âYou nervous?â Lee says bumping me on the shoulder, stifling a laugh. I roll my eyes, âYou think youâre so cute, donât you? Just know, next time itâs my turn.â
We pull up to Jennâs parents âestateââanything this large did not qualify, at least in my book as a âhouseâ. It was gated and had a literal âpersonâ standing outside checking invitations, letting cars pass through. We were still about ten cars behind.
âNothing about this place screams âcasualââ I say looking out the window, at the landscaped yard.
I finally turn to Lee saying, âYouâre such a gold-digger.â Lee laughing out loud hands âthe-invitation-guyâ our invitation.
We pass through the gate and finally catching his breath Lee said, âShut up. And besides this is her parentsâ house, not hers.â And sounding smug I reply, âRight. Because the apple does fall far from the tree.â
Lee glanced at me smiling, âSometimes. Yea, it doesâat least with Jenn. She doesnât really enjoy these things either. She is here for her parentsâitâs their annual âsomethingâ, they throw every year.â
Somehow we parked and made it through the maze of cars to the front entrance. Realizing I was shaking-with-nerves Lee held my hand as we walked through the door.
âLee! Oh my god! I was so worried!â Jenn says running into Leeâs arms as I take a drink from one of the trays.
âIâm sorry babe. I was just waiting for Kate to get readyâI had asked her to come at the last minute,â Lee said giving her a light kiss.
Right, Lee. Because the reason youâre
late, is because of me. Not the fact that you waited until only twenty minutes ago to ask me.
Jenn turns facing me for the first time, with a look that could killâlike dead. And thenâpoof! It was gone and her cheeky smile was back with her saying, âI canât believe he got you to come. Accordingly to Lee you like never get out.â
I briefly glance at Lee who was getting a drink saying to Jenn, âIs that so?â Knowing she had gotten under my skin (the bitchâsorry but no Iâm not) she puts on one of her âpoor-youâ smiles nodding her head.
Returning a âfuck-youâ smile of my own I take a long sip of my drink waiting for Jenn to get bored and leave me alone. It worksâshe turns to Lee saying, âDance with me! Come on.â
Smirking at Lee I grab another drink from the tray. âMaybe, later. Okay?â Lee said, pretending not to see me.
And Jenn says pouting, âNo, now. I havenât got to dance all night, because Iâve been waiting for you.â She pulls on his arm; Lee glances at meâstifling a laugh, as he heads out on the dance floor.
My third
drink in; I had begun doing some pouting of my own. Seeing nothing but dancing people for the past fifteen minutesâhad left me âstir-crazyâ. And greeting people who looked at me like I didnât belongâguess what I didnât, had me this close
to calling a cab. Only I had no clue where I was.
Lee probably sensing my distress slides into the seat next to me, handing me another drink, âSorry about that. Are you going crazy yet?â
I roll my eyes, âWhat do you think?â Lee turns his chair facing the crowd, âOh, itâs not so bad out there.â
Looking at himânot the crowd I say, âAre you sure we are at the same party? Iâve gotten only âyouâre weirdâ stares all night.â âThatâs because you are weird.â Lee says hitting me on the shoulder.
âHa. Youâre funny.â I take another sip from my drink.
âSomeoneâs in a
Comments (0)