I took the napkin.
“Yes, Harold. And I suspect the ending won’t be nearly as funny as the beginning.”
The Conversation Nobody Expected
For several minutes, Brittany sat rigidly in her seat.
She tried to separate the strands of her hair, but every movement seemed to spread the slime farther.
Eventually, she stopped.
Her shoulders dropped.
When she spoke again, her voice was quieter.
“My extensions cost almost everything I had left this month.”
I turned toward her.
“Why would you spend so much if you couldn’t comfortably afford them?”
She looked down.
“Because I wanted to look beautiful.”
I glanced at her hair.
“You already were beautiful.”
She gave a short, bitter laugh.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then help me understand.”
She was silent for a long time.
Finally, she turned off her phone completely.
“Everyone online looks perfect,” she said. “Perfect hair. Perfect skin. Perfect clothes. Perfect vacations. Every time I open the apps, there’s another woman showing off something expensive, and everyone tells her how gorgeous she is.”
