She's Glitter and Gold

I sprint down the trail, my feet pounding all of my anger out of my body and into the pavement. I try to keep my heavy breaths even, but that's a little hard since I haven't gone running since senior year of high school. Man, I was out of shape. I slow to a walk, then stop altogether, and hunch forward, pressing my palms onto my knees for support. I take in some shaky breaths of cold air that stings my nose, then straighten and wipe the sweat off my forehead.
I look around the unfamiliar part of the woods and frown. I was pretty far from where I'd started. I pull a headphone out of my ear and start walking slowly back the way I'd come.
I pass by a few walkers and bikers who all give me strange looks. Probably because I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of winter.
Once I figure out where I am I turn off of the path and start picking my way through the trees. The lack of snow and grey skies makes everything look sort of haunted. The trees are bare, their leaves all littered across the ground, soggy and brown. The only animals I see are the occasional squirrel.
I finally escape the haunted forest, and walk down my street until I come to the old, brick apartment building that I dreaded entering. I pull the key out of my pocket and slide it into the lock, then push the door open with a creak. I wipe off my muddy shoes onto the ancient welcome mat that probably hadn't been cleaned once in its lifetime, then slowly walk up the staircase.
I walk down the hall and stop in front of the door with a 7 painted onto the brown wood in black paint. With a bit of hesitation I open the door and walk in.
Jim glances up from the TV, but almost immediately looks back to the hockey game. "Hey..." I mumble as I slide my sneakers off and start walking in the direction of the bathroom.
I hear the sound of the screen turn off. "Rihanna, can we talk?" he asks, his voice shockingly calm compared to earlier.
I pause in the doorway, frowning at him using my full name. I continue into the bathroom and start stripping out of my sweat drenched clothes. "Sure."
I look over and he's now standing just outside the bathroom, arms crossed over his chest. His eyebrows are knit together, and his blue eyes seem to be looking everywhere but at me. He coughs awkwardly, then runs his fingers through his short blonde hair. "I think we should break up," he cuts right to the chase.
I freeze in the middle of pulling my shirt up. "What?" I ask slowly, pulling the shirt back down as I stare wide eyed at him.
He purses his lips, then lets out a sigh and finally looks at me. He doesn't look sad or mad. Just confused. "All we do is fight." He leans against the doorframe and his frown deepens. "I just... I think we should see other people for a little while."
I stay silent for a long while, processing what he's saying. "You're... breaking up with me?" I ask, not believing it even as I'm speaking it. He nods once. He was breaking up with me. After five years. "Can't we just try to work things out? I was being stupid this morning," I start to walk over to him, but he shakes his head.
"We've been trying to work things out for the past year," he reminds me. "It's over, Rihanna. I'm sorry." He backs out of the room, then turns and walks to the front door. "I packed your stuff for you. I'll see you around."
My shock quickly turns into anger and I hurry after him. "You're kicking me out?" I spit at him as he puts on his shoes.
"My name's on the lease," he reminds me. He opens the door and steps out, glancing back at me. He looks a little apologetic, but I know he's not. "I'm sorry, Ri. Good luck, I'll see you around."
I roll my eyes and slam the door behind him, yelling a 'burn in Hell' at his retreating body.
I lean against the closed door and slowly slide down to the ground.
He broke up with me. I'm not even sad. The anger and shock left me and I just feel... confused.
After sitting there for a while, I stand up and walk into our- his room. My dresser drawers are all open and empty, their contents transferred into the three suitcases on the bed.
I open the first, then the other two. Everything that was mine was in them. I sigh and zip them back up and start lugging them towards the door, ignoring the pain in my shoulder from the weight. I set two down so I can open the door, then pick them back up and leave the apartment that had been my home for the past three years. I leave the door open, the immature side of me hoping someone would decide to go in and steal his precious TV or something. I stomp out of the building, into the freezing cold. I was still in my shorts, and the adrenaline from the run had left my body, leaving me a shivering mess as I hurried to turn the heat on in my car.
I start driving, realizing after about five minutes that I have no idea where I'm going. There is nowhere to go. I have friends, but none I'm really close with. They're all Jim's friends girlfriends , I realize. All of my friends were back home in Baltimore. Baltimore . I frown just thinking about it. I take a deep breath and stare down the long road in front of me. "Oh, why not," I mutter to myself as I turn onto the highway.

~~~~~~~~~

The two hour drive seems excruciatingly long. I reach over to change the radio station for the millionth time. It seems like every single DJ is set on playing happy love songs. Finally, I settle on a familiar P!nk song. I smile a little and turn the dial up so the car practically shakes from the volume.
" So, so what, I'm still a rockstar ," I sing along as I turn onto a more populated road.
The city lights are bright and familiar against the night sky. I can't help but feel a little happy to be here after so long. I think back to the last time I'd visited. Freshman year of college. Four years. " Holy shit ," I murmur. Was it really that long?
I drive around until I finally find a hotel. I'm not ready to see my mom. Or anyone for that matter.
I park and get out of my car. I pull the suitcase with the most necessities out of the trunk and drag it behind me into the warm building. The lady at the front desk looks me up and down, taking in my summer attire, raises an eyebrow, then shrugs it off.
"How may I help you?" she asks as she looks back up to my eyes, plastering a red-lipstick smile on her heavily made up face.
"Room for one, one night," I say as I fish my card out of my wallet.
She types stuff into her computer, takes my card, then hands it back along with a key. "Room 227, second floor," she says, then continues to type stuff into the computer. "Have a nice stay."
"Thanks." I walk over to the elevator and press the button. The doors open immediately and I step in and press another button.
My room is small and crowded, but clean. I set my suitcase down and, without bothering to shower or change, I crawl into the large, cold bed and turn off the light.
It hits me almost as soon as I shut my eyes. It's over . I think as the tears I hadn't known I wanted to shed escape my eyelids. Five of the best years of my life. Gone . I sniffle and bury myself deeper under the covers. He's gone and it's all my fault .