Eat Street has some of the best restaurants in downtown Minneapolis, and I’m obsessed with The Ramen Bowl. Honestly, you can’t go wrong at any of the restaurants on Nicollet Avenue.
Me
Yes! I’m in. I’ll leave in five.
Lexi
Yay! See you soon.
Humming, I put my computer to sleep, run a brush through my hair, throw on some mascara, slip into my Converse, then head down to the parking garage. Artax, my old silver Toyota, looks sad and clunky compared to the sleek, expensive vehicles parked in the surrounding spots. I feel a momentary pang of self-consciousness but brush it off. Who cares what kind of car I drive, as long as it gets me from one place to another? I give the hood a little pat before unlocking the door, sliding in, and putting the key in the ignition.
“Don’t let these fancy cars make you feel bad, boy. It’s what’s inside that counts.”
I turn the key, and Artax splutters.
“Come on,” I growl, turning the key again. The engine tries to turn over, makes an ominous clunking sound, then sputters before dying. Because of course. Ofcoursethis would happen. “Apparently, what’s inside you is crap, huh?”
Groaning, I bang my head on the steering wheel lightly before pulling my phone out and texting Lexi.
Me
My stupid car just died. Gonna call a rideshare, so I’ll be a little late. Sorry, girl.
Her response is almost instant.
Lexi
Don’t do that! You know I’m not that far away. I’ll come pick you up. Meet you out front of your building?
Me
You sure?
Duh. Don’t be ridiculous.
Okay. Thanks, Lexi. See you soon.
With a dirty look in Artax’s direction and a kick to the front tire, I don’t even bother locking the stupid thing before heading toward the front of the building. If I’m lucky, someone will steal it so I can get at least a few hundred dollars from my insurance.
But I won’t be that lucky.
My fingers itch to text Griffin so I can tell him what happened, but I restrain myself. I don’t need to involve him in every little thing. I can’t deny that I want to, though. Which is something I try not to look at too closely, because I’m scared of what it means that he’s the first person I think about going to with my problems.
I’m still mulling that over a few minutes later when Lexi pulls up. I don’t know why I’m relieved to see that she doesn’t have some fancy car either, but I am. Despite my annoyance at my stupid Toyota, I give my friend a big smile as I slide into the passenger seat.
“Hey, Lexi. Thanks for picking me up.”
My blonde friend smiles brightly, her green eyes sparkling in the noonday sun. “Anytime. I seriously don’t mind at all. Sorry about your car, though. Did you call a tow?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’ll deal with it when I get back. It’s an old car, and I know it won’t last much longer, but I can’t afford to replace it, you know?”
Lexi hums a sound of understanding as she pulls out into traffic and starts making her way to the restaurant. “Totally. I plan to drive this thing until it dies too.”
She gets me. It’s so nice having friends who get me.
“So,” she says, drawing the word out in a sing-song tone, “how’s living with Griffin?”
Side-eyeing her, I try not to act suspicious. It’s an innocent question. She doesn’t know we got drunkenly married. No one does. She’s making conversation because that’s what friends do. “It’s good.”
