Awkward Assumptions

I’ve been taking my hula hooping classes for a month now and I’m really liking them. I decided to pay for another month’s worth of classes. I can’t keep the hoop on my waist for very long but I’ve definitely made progress since I could never keep it on my waist for more than a few seconds before. Also: hula hooping hurts. I have SO MANY bruises. The hoops aren’t the ones you buy from a store, they’re made for dancing and they’re made from a heavier material and when you drop it or hit yourself with it, it leaves a bruise. Hula hooping also works a ton of muscles. After my first class I could barely move the next day. I really like it as a form of exercise and I even cleared out a corner of my apartment so I could have room to do it more regularly at home. It really gets your heart pumping and you don’t have to just do it on your waste, doing stuff with it off your waist can really work your arm muscles!

Anyway, the whole reason I’m telling you this is because something awkward happened at work today. I was eating lunch with my normal crew (Suzy, Dina, Steve, and Stormy) and when I was done Stormy pulled me aside.

“Faith, can I talk to you?” He asked as we were all leaving. Dina, Suzy, and Steve shared a look but kept walking.

“Sure, what is it, Stormy?”

“Well, as your friend I’m concerned about you.”

I looked at him blankly and he continued.

“I’m just going to come out and say it: is your boyfriend hitting you?”

I burst out laughing.

“What!?”

“Faith, you can tell me. We’ll get you some help.”

“Stormy, Sean is NOT hitting me and he never has. ANDhe’s not my boyfriend anymore.” I said more seriously.

“Faith, it’s okay, you don’t have to lie.”

“What are you talking about? Sean and I broke up nearly a month ago!”

“You have bruises all over your arms!”

I stared at Stormy with confusion before realizing where the bruises came from, then I started laughing again.

“Stormy, the bruises are from a hula hooping class I’ve been taking. The hoops are weighted and leave bruises. No one is hitting me except for my hula hoop. I’m fine. REALLY.” I said.

Stormy didn’t look convinced.

“I swear! No one is hitting me.” I said exasperatedly.

“I-I’m sorry.” He said, “Suzy and Dina were concerned and they wanted me to-”

“It’s fine.”

“So you and Sean broke up a month ago?”

I cleared my throat and looked away, “Yeah. I’m seeing other people, though…casually.”

“I see.”

“How is living with Rose?” I asked trying to change the subject to something that would make him uncomfortable for a change.

“Oh. Uh. It’s fine. You know. Whatever.”

“Okay, well, I’m going to get back to work…”

“Me too.” He said. We left in opposite directions and avoided each other for the rest of the day. I’m not going to dwell on it, though. I have my date with Randy tonight and on Friday I have a date with Chris (a real one) and on Saturday I’m going out with Hank again. Dating keeps my schedule pretty full; I don’t have time to worry about Stormy.