Free 186 Miles by Nicole Hildreth

to deal with this “living together” thing.  Basically, I
told him that I wanted him to stay away from me; not try to sleep with
me.  And then I had gone all Slutty McSlutterson and attacked him.
     
    It
wasn’t like I could just go back to square one.  I either had to embrace my
newfound sluttiness or ignore him all together.
     
    A
conundrum.
     
    Luckily,
I had a shopping trip with Lauren today.  I could get a little distance.
     
    Vince
was serious about the clinic.  He woke up early and started making phone
calls.  I was sure that no clinic was open on a Sunday, but he found one.  Of
course he found one.   His appointment was at noon.
     
    So,
what happened when he got a clean bill of health?  Oh, God, let’s hope he
gets a clean bill of health.   Having sex without protection seemed serious . 
It was what “real” couples did.  They grocery shopped together, ate off of the
same plate, held hands in the movies, had sex without abandon.
     
    In
less than two weeks, he would be moved into his own place.  Things would slow
down.  Right?
     
    *
     
    Lauren
came to pick me up around 11:30.  Vince had left for his appointment a few
minutes before she arrived.  She wanted to spend the day getting “pampered.” 
This included shopping, nails, and an earth shattering back massage at
Majestic.
     
    We
ended up going to the mall on the north end, aimlessly walking around and
poking our heads in different boutiques.  I dragged her into Anthropologie and
ended up spending an hour trying on dress after dress.  I finally settled on a
black-and-white printed Dusen Dusen tennis dress with a deep box pleat in the
center.  It cost way more than I intended to spend, but it was crazy
awesome.  I would just eat soup this week.
     
    We
walked across the hall and settled into another store.  This one was a little
out of my price range. 
     
    “So,
how’s Vince?”  She raised her eyebrow at me, shifting through the clearance
rack.  She was trying to look disinterested.  It wasn’t working.
     
    “He’s
fine.”
     
    “You
guys hooked up yet?”
     
    I
was hiding.  Literally trying to hide from her behind a tall rack.  At 5
feet, 2 inches, it was pretty easy to camouflage myself behind a row of maxi
dresses.
     
    “Girl,
I can see you.”  She shoved the dresses and bent her head down, peering
at me through the metal.  “You slut !  You totally did it, right?”
     
    I
picked up a pair of large sunglasses and slid them on.  “Paris Hilton or Florida
housewife?”
     
    “Oh
my God.  You did .”
     
    My
face was getting more flushed by the minute.  I was caught. 
     
    Carrie
already knew.  She didn’t seem to think it was horrific, but she was my best
friend.  She had to stick by my side and all that nonsense.  “Please,
Lauren… don’t say anything.”
     
    She
grabbed my hand and said, “Cookies.  Now.”
     
    We
sat outside of the bakery.  I tore small pieces off of my Snickerdoodle and
listened to her one-sided conversation about my new “relationship.”
     
    Oh
my God. 
    Do
you know what this means? 
    I
mean, he’s living with you. 
    Oooh,
we need new lingerie!
     
    Cookies
consumed, she was obsessed with me buying some sort of lacy nightmare
for Vince.  An hour later, I walked away with a full bag of slut gear and two
bottles of perfume that I hated.  It felt comical.  I was sure that the bag
would get pushed to the back of my closet and returned next week.
     
    “Screw
the massage.  Go home, put on that green thong and get some.”
     
    “I
just want to take a nap.”  I groaned.
     
    “Nap after .”
     
    She
pretty much peeled out of the parking lot, clearly on a mission to get me laid.
 I looked out the window on the way home while she talked.
     
    I
really did just want to take a nap.  This was all getting so complicated.  I
was starting to forget Ryan; my days were filled with Vince. 
     
    Spending
the weekends together was really great, but they were