Eleven Eleven

by Micalea Smeltzer

Maybe it’s cheesy to wish on numbers, or on shooting stars, but I’ll take all the potential luck the universe tosses my way.

In her eyes, I’m the one who failed. I didn’t give him what he wanted, so he moved on to greener pastures. You should’ve tried harder. Fix this.

I shouldn’t have been so blindsided. He’s a man, after all. But we’d been together for so long. He was my best friend. And then he went and pulled the rug out from under me.

She’ll get over it eventually. Although at this point in my life, I’m not sure I care. I’ve put my parents’ happiness above mine for way too long.

And I let them because I wanted them to be proud of me.

I’ve always been artistic, and it was my safe space when I was growing up. My dream was to go to art school, but I was constantly being told to pick a more practical career.

While this might be a wild idea, it’s the right choice for me.

This will all be worth it in the end.

Fun. I’m not sure I even know what that is anymore.

And here I am, back at the starting gate. Single and confused. I’m not even sure who I am or what I want.

“Because you were sitting there with this lonely look in your eyes.” He brushes a thumb along my jawline. “I wanted to be the reason you didn’t feel that way anymore.”

just being held by him healed some pieces inside me that had been broken for a long time.