Page 80 - Interior_SPRING SUMMER FALLING_2021

80 | FRANCESCA PE NN

I pause. Henry, not fully dressed, sits next to me and listens. “Continue.”
“Well, the only good thing out of it was I focused more and finished college.
I’d already started a little later at twenty-three. I put in more work and effort to get
where I am now. The more I accomplished, the less he liked me, and the more I’d
realized that he wasn’t right for me. He made fun of me flipping houses. He joked

about me being HR because I was the most inappropriate person he knew. I started
to stress eat. I’d only gained 25 pounds, but it was a lot on my five-foot two inches
frame.”
Henry scowls but doesn’t say anything.
“He’d tried to force cohabitation when I finished the house. I stood my
ground. I told him I need moments away, and my new house was my thinking
space, my sanctuary.”
Henry’s face softens, and he grabs my hand. “Thank you for letting me in.”
“No problem.” I look at the ground, then back to him. “You’re welcome to
stay as long as you like. I don’t think I told you that.”
His smile deepens and warms up his face. He nods his acceptance and waits for
me to continue.
“He broke up with me over the phone. He said I was selfish. I was fat and ugly

and will be remembered as nothing more than a worthless party girl.”
Henry’s grip tightens on my hand before he let it go. “None of that is true. You
know that, right?”
I nod. “Yes, his main goal in life is to kill my self-esteem, and it pisses him off
that he hasn’t. I’d changed so many things for him because I thought that’s what
adults did in relationships. I was wrong. He was trying to control me.”
“Well, I’m here now, and he’s not getting away with the shit he pulls.”
I perk up with an idea. “Hey? Wanna be my Fat Man Scoop? My Lil Jon?”
“What?” Henry asks with a laugh.
“You know, my hype man. I say, if he wants to believe I’m a one-dimensional
party girl, we should take this weekend and party our asses off -since you and I have
had some tough luck with relationships.”
I do a fist pump because I’m suddenly excited. “Imma dance until I can’t dance
anymore.”
Henry pops up and does some stretches, shakes his head from side to side, and
jumps in place while swinging his arms like he’s trying to warm up for a big game.