Page 2 of Own Me

“Great, sounds like a plan,” she says. “And Yana?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t spend your evening trying to eat your feelings. Chris is a jerk who doesn’t deserve your sorrow. The sooner you understand him, the sooner you’ll get the person you deserve.”

I look down at my shopping cart filled with comfort foods and exhale. It’s too late to stop my comfort food binge, but I say, “Thanks for your encouragement, friend. Talk to you tomorrow.”

I disconnect the call and drop my cell into my handbag before placing my items on the conveyor belt. The cashier greets me with a smile, and before long, I’m out of the store and driving toward my one-bedroom apartment.

I pull into my complex, a gated community filled with barely middle-class workers trying to climb their respective corporate ladders. It’s a nice community with great neighbors. I’m lucky to be able to afford a place here to lay my head. I don’t see myself living here forever, but I’m content with my circumstances.

I park in a stall in front of my building and turn off the engine.

CHAPTER 2

Ayana

Friday Night

Itake a sip of my strawberry lemonade vodka and sway to the beat of the music. The strong vodka cuts through the drink’s sweetness, slightly burning my throat as it goes down. I take another smaller sip. I don’t want to finish it alone. Shayla texted a few minutes earlier about running late, so I ordered, promising myself to enjoy tonight and not worry about Chris.

I got a call last week from the H.R. department at Mid-Tech Corporation, informing me I’m transferring to their newmain headquarters within a week. The company has been taken over and the new name is NexGen West. The owner of NexGen West is in need of an executive assistant, and I have been recommended for the job.

Shayla’s words helped me to acknowledge what I already knew about Chris, but this transfer gives me the incentive to break it off with him when he returns from his business trip. He’s no good for me. I will tell him I think we should go our separate ways. Life is too short to remain unhappy and unsure of the person you’re in a relationship with. Besides, I have my future to worry about and the beginning of my new position at NexGen West Software Corporation.

Shayla will be able to remain as a team leader at Mid-Tech Corporation for her division in finance. Some of the older employees near retirement had received hefty severance packages. But thank God, whoever the new boss is has been fair, and no one has been left out.

I fan my face, noting how the air gets warmer with each sip of my drink. The overhead strobe lights color the floor in dim lighting as I watch the dancers on the dance floor. The music slows, and the couples’ bodies move in fluid rhythm against one another.

I jump slightly when I feel a hand on my shoulder. Shayla breezes up behind me before taking a seat at the table. “Yana, I’m so sorry I’m late, and I didn’t mean to startle you!”

"No problem. I was just sipping on my drink and enjoying the atmosphere,” I reply as my friend sits across from me with anxiety written all over her face. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, but my mom came into town unexpectedly, and I wanted to get her settled for the night. She stormed out on Dad after an argument. She’s upset.”

"I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me Mama Darlene came for a visit? We could have canceled our plans.”

“Mama wouldn’t hear of it. You know how she is, Ayana. But she sends her love and wants us to live it up and have fun while we we’re still young and free. I tried to ask her why she and dad argued, but she wouldn’t tell me.”

“Maybe she’ll be ready to talk about it after a good night’s sleep.”

"I hope so,” Shayla replies. Then her eyes fall to the glass in my hand. "Mm, strawberry lemonade vodka. I think I’ll have three or four of those.”

“Great!” I empty my glass and look around. The crowd has thinned out since I first arrived. “Let’s go to the bar. There are two empty seats over there. Let’s grab those and drink the night away."

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Shayla says as we stand to our feet and make our way to the bar. Several disco lights, laser beams, and the flashing lights give the atmosphere a sultry glow. People are smiling and having a good time as the DJ mixes the loud music on turn tables. Lots of people line up at the bar to order their favorite drinks.

“Excuse me,” a man mutters as he stumbles past me.

“Whew! It’s crowded tonight,” Shayla says after she gets her first drink, she takes a pull from her glass through the tiny straw. Her eyes roll to the back of her head in delight. “Mm, this is good. I needed this,” she says in a more relaxed tone. “We have a big week coming up. Are you nervous about starting at NexGen Monday?”

The mention of changing to a new place and company management gives me jitters. “I really am, but I’m also sad we won’t be working at the same place anymore. I’m going to miss our days at Mid-Tech and getting to eat lunch together. Are you going to miss me?” I ask.

Shayla’s gaze peers into mine under the dim lighting. "You know I am. We’ve been working together since we left university.That’s longer than some people have been married. But I also feel blessed that both of our jobs are secure."

I smile. “You’re right about that, and it’s not like we’ll be living in different cities. We’ll have the weekends to catch up.”

“Bish, I’ll drink to that,” Shayla says after we order our second round of drinks.

---