Ace of Hearts - All We Are Series [NaNoWriMo 2014] [#JustWriteIt]

Chapter Eight [Edited]

Everything at work was running smoothly, which left me with a lot of extra time to think. It was too much time. Lately, I had been pondering about that fateful week and a half ago, when Shelly and I went to the gym. So far, I hadn’t gone back, and I skipped out of last Saturday’s yoga session. I gave Sheila a bogus reason, but she just let it slide. I think she was a bit disappointed with me, if I was truthful, but I tried to ignore my problems. Unfortunately, the weather had grown annoyingly cold, meaning I couldn’t run outside. I needed to go to the gym soon.

But I didn’t want to face Shelly. Everything seemed to remind me of Niles. Even though Niles and I hadn’t spoken in months, it was still painful to be reminded of him. Unfortunately, I seemed to have slipped back into that stage of dwelling. Shelly would just get annoyed with me for not moving forward with my life.

Though, if I was honest with myself, I wanted to move on.

I was a hopeless romantic, before I was a cynical spinster. I wanted love. I wanted happiness. I wanted long walks on the beach, romantically watching the sunset, kissing under the stars.

But that kind of love isn’t something for people like me. Even something as small as gossiping with friends shows just how much people value sex and the more physical side of relationships. Even looking on the Internet or reading magazines will provide you with the latest information about celebrities hooking up, or who’s pregnant, or the latest cheating drama. The whole world revolves around it.

Yet, for me, I’m an outsider. An asexual in a sexual’s world. Life seems to keep moving forward, but I’m still stuck in a pre-pubescent stage, where boys are icky and have cooties.

Okay, so I’m not quite that far back. And, it’s not like I have a hormone problem or something. I am a fully matured adult. Plus, people kept asking me if my hormone levels were wrong when I came out as asexual, so I just got them tested to prove them wrong. Guess what? My hormone levels are perfectly normal. Shame on you, haters.

Anyways. The point still stands.

My phone buzzed, bringing me back to the present.

“Anaya! We need to go out to the bar again at some point! I’m thinking this Saturday – the 8th. We missed last month’s bar date. I’m thinking you, me, Lily, Shelbie, Dave, and maybe my sister if I can get her to come down,” Margaret’s text read.

“Playing the matchmaker?” I questioned her.

“Always! Maybe Shelly can join us?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe we should just do the work friends…”

“Is something wrong with Shelly?”

“No.”

“Did you guys fight?”

“No?” I responded, though it sounded more like a question, to which she harrumphed.

“So just ask her!” She insisted, grumbling under her breath.

“Okay, okay. Will do,” I responded, sighing a little.

‘Looks like I’m going to have to face my fears that Shelly will bring up all my horribly repressed memories…’

Saturday came faster than I thought possible, not that I was complaining about the work week being over.

“Par-tayyy!” Lily cried, grabbing a shot glass from the bartender. She and Margaret weaved out onto the dance floor. I sat at a booth with Dave, Shelbie, Shelly, and Jack.