Chapter 4: Strange Encounter
TERESA'S POV
The weekend had been a whirlwind, and not in the sense of a wild adventure. It was more like a series of pep talks and endless cups of coffee, all courtesy of Luke. He practically moved into my apartment, bringing a small duffel bag filled with old movies, snacks, and a bag of gummy bears, which he claimed were essential to any emotional recovery process.
"So, what's the plan?" Luke asked, tossing a bag of chips on the couch.
I sighed, sinking deeper into the cushions. "I don't know, Luke. Pretend I never existed? Fake my death? Move to the Amazon and live with the monkeys?"
Luke chuckled. "Or, you could, you know, show up at work on Monday and face the music."
"Oh, come on. Can't we at least consider the monkey idea?" I groaned, grabbing a handful of chips and stuffing them into my mouth.
Luke rolled his eyes, then leaned forward, his expression turning serious. "Teresa, look, it sucks. It sucks worse than that time I tried to give myself a haircut in middle school. But you can't just hide forever. You've got to face it head-on. And you're not doing it alone. I'll help you pick out a killer outfit, and we'll get through this. Together."
I looked at him, my eyes welling up with tears. "You're like a walking motivational poster, you know that?"
Luke grinned. "Yeah, well, somebody's got to be the grown-up here."
Monday morning, the dreaded day, came too soon, and as promised, Luke was right there, rummaging through my closet like a madman. Clothes flew through the air, landing in various heaps around my bedroom.
"How about this one?" he asked, holding up a red dress that looked like it belonged in a nightclub.