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Ollie

The doorbell rings, and I internally groan I’m not even sure why I ordered food, I’m too sick to my stomach to eat And I don’t want to see anyone Not even the delivery guy Closing nore hih, he’ll just leave the food by the door

I’ and probably would be better off in the trash: A t-shirt that’s so worn it’s falling off my shoulders and ratty sweatpants that would never be decent in public because they havenicer Not after tonight These are the only clothes worth wearing in my state of mind

The doorbell rings again

Just go away, I silently beg him Leave the mozzarella sticks and s the doorbell again, and thenthe phone is even worse than answering the door I know it’s the just the unfortunate person who’s trying to deliver e

“Hello?”

“Delivery”

“Yeah,” I say,“Can you just leave the food by the door?”

There’s an uncon the receipt”

“Oh,” I say “Okay, I’ll be right there”

Let’s get this fucking over with I keep my blanket wrapped around o to the door The guy is just standing there withhi his eyes I give hi oal was no ht Missed that shot for a mile

I suppose it’s o on that date In fact, Lorraine told me that it was a bad idea But he was cute and I hadn’t been on a date in a really long ti tiain

Sinking back into the couch and my cocoon of pillows, I take a sip of the vanilla milkshake Sweet bliss I know that I shouldn’t drown o back to being healthy tomorrow

I’ one of my favorite TV series—an overly polite British reality show about aet paid for their baking but you better believe they’re experts I’m the amateur I can’t make a cake that doesn’t coh

Stupidto ardless I try to losethe perfect identical little cakes, but the eh my head like my brain has the track on repeat

I thought it had been going well enough We went to a little Mexican place on the Lower East Side, and it was nice He eet and char He works for one of the larger law firn, enough of them did In my mind, it was one of the better first dates that I’ve ever had Until alked to the subway

With an effort, I freeze the tape in h I know it’s only a matter of time

A text buzzes on lance at the screen It’s Lorraine

How did it go?

I rollto want to know But she can know later

A couple of ain

Ollie…

I turn the phone upside down on the other end of the couch It vibrates a coupletiainst the orange cardamom Even if I already know the answer

There’s a knock on the door and I ju?

Then a loud, brassy voice “Ollie, it’s me Let me in”

Fuck Lorraine “Go away!” I want tointo let me do that

There’s the sound of a key in the lock and I groan The door opens and her heels—Lorraine alears heels—click on iven you that key,” I say

“Yes, you should have,” she says as she co room She sees me in my nest of blankets and my comfort food “What the hell happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it”

“Too bad”

I defiantly dip anotherhere?”

She flops down onto the couch next to lare and my personal space “I was on my way home When you didn’t answer my texts, I wanted to see if you were still out or if you were home And here you are”

“Here I a a sip of milkshake