Elevator Pitch (Hapless In Love #1)

50. Unfriendly Reminder

50

unfriendly reminder

Greyson

Manhattan NY, | March 8, 2024

I’ll be thirty-two on Monday. It’s not that I mind getting older because I don’t, it’s just what that day has come to represent. What was once a day I celebrated became a day I dread. An unfriendly reminder of the worst day of my life. I’ve done the exact same thing on my birthday for the past seven years. Isolate myself from everyone, turn off my phone, order pizza, and watch a basketball game if I don’t sleep the rest of the day away. I know it sounds sad, but at least Clifford’s here.

I have to find out how to maintain my usual plans without telling a lie to Selah. I just have a feeling she wouldn’t take well to hearing about how I spend my birthday alone like a sad sack. If anything could make her disinterested in me, it would be this. While I’m over Aileen, this behavior would give anyone the impression that I’m not. I’d prefer that she didn’t know about it, so that I don’t have to bother explaining or worry about turning her off.

I know that I like spending time with her, and I’d really hate to blow this. Selah truly is a kind and understanding person, but I can’t guarantee that she will have the reaction I’d hope for, so why bother? If I want to keep her in my life for the time being, I just need to keep myself busy for the next seventy-two hours. Once my birthday passes, everything will be fine, until this time next year.

March 9, 2024

I failed at ‘keeping myself busy.’ I didn’t even last a full day. We’re currently laying on the couch together. She’s reading and I’m watching sports highlights while she lays in my lap. I don’t know what I was thinking. This is Selah , not just anyone. It’s possible I’m going to get hurt when this inevitably ends. Plus, if she finds out about my birthday bullshit, she’ll think I’m still in love with my ex and will surely be gone. There will be no explaining myself with that. Sure, my friends understand my reasons, but they knew me before I got married.

This is why I’ve found it easier to just not get involved in anything potentially serious and then I never have to wait for the other shoe to drop. When I keep my focus solely on work, I don’t have to worry about anything but running a business. I’m not a guy worth staying for and I’m sure she knows this already. We have all these rules in place for a reason. We’re just enjoying the ride until we get off on the last stop. If that happens on Monday, at least I’ve been through it once before.