Free Illusion by Ashley Beale Page A

fumbling through all my clothing to find the right outfit for my date.
                  Harvey is going to meet me after work, and we're going to our date straight from there. He told me to dress as casual as work will let me be, because he wants me to be comfortable. That means I probably shouldn’t wear a skirt like I'd normally do for a date. Not that I normally go on dates, I haven't been on one in years, but if I would think about dating, I'd picture myself dressed in a skirt, blouse, and heels. Instead I opt for a blue cotton shirt, white dress pants, and a pair of blue flats.
                  I didn't bring all my clothing with me when I came here and its frustrating finding something to wear. Something I never lost in my depression is my love for fashion. When I was home sulking in self-misery I'd be in my sweats or pajamas, but when leaving the house, I'm always dressed to the nines. I don't think I could ever let myself go down that road of looking like death when I leave the house. I think everyone should always look beautiful when they walk out their front door.
                  Feeling good about your outside appearance helps you appreciate your inner self. Corny, I know, but it's true.
                  Work drags on so slowly, it's agonizing. I find myself incredibly joyous when I clock out and head down in the elevator. I say bye to Fred and Bob, then walk outside to meet a stunning looking Harvey, dressed in a pair of fitted black jeans, a pair of Doc Martens on his feet, and a button up emerald shirt. I never thought that green color would look so good on a male. Man, was I wrong.
                  It may help that it's my favorite color ever.
                  "Hi beautiful," he says the second he spots me.
                  Of course I end up blushing at his kind words. "Hey," I say in reply. I feel too uncomfortable calling him handsome, even though he really is.
                  He holds my hand and hails a cab. We're taking a cab, not walking. Hm, I wonder, where could we be going?
                  We stop in front of a pre-school and I turn to face Harvey, giving him a look of confusion. He just chuckles while sliding out of the taxi. I follow behind him, confused but curious. We walk hand in hand into the building. A lady smiles at me. "You must be Zoey."
                  "Yeah, I am." She looks like a teacher, the way she is dressed, and she has soft, curly hair that is pulled into a pony tail. She has kind eyes and a soft smile.
                  She starts walking, without another word. I look to Harvey and he just continues staring forward.
                  We walk into a classroom and I'm completely surprised and giddy. It's decorated in a dinosaur theme, and in the center of the room is a sand table filled with white sand. There is water next to it and a few tools. I look to who I believe is a teacher, the lady who didn't give me her name. "What is this?" I ask her instead of Harvey.
                  "This is you becoming an archeologist for the evening." She walks over to the table and I follow her. I can't help but grin at the idea of Harvey putting this together for me. It's sweet, thoughtful, and slightly geeky. I love it.
                  She shows me how everything works then leaves us alone. Harvey lets me do everything myself. He just watches with a content smile on his face. He is simply enjoying the fact I'm enjoying this all so much.
                  An hour and half later, the lady walks back in. I'm covered in a white chalky mess but I don't mind. "Did you enjoy that?" she asks me.
                  "Yes, absolutely. Thank you for allowing me to do this here."
                  She smiles, seeming happy about me being so incredibly pleased over something so insanely simple. "You're more than