Time for some Ben and Jerry's.. Taylor Swift Lyrics Anyone?

Susan’s Outfit

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Susan was glad the year was off to a great start thus far! Her classes had gone smoothly. For the first few weeks they’d be getting to know the schedule and information and she planned on having many, many fun activities to further her students learning! Most of her students didn’t seem too keen on activities, but then again she knew to expect as such from teenagers.

Susan wasn’t going to do much of anything today – Arthur had a long shift closing at the theater tonight and thus wouldn’t be around to play. Adelaide was sleeping over Annabelle’s house, which meant Susan was going to be painfully bored. She supposed she could go and visit her brother at the theater as she often did, but if she did, would she buy a ticket and go to the theater alone? No, she didn’t want to do that. Miles had appointments today, and her new friend Wendy was probably busy too.

Susan sighed and walked down the halls of the academic building. She supposed she’d have no choice but to go and watch a movie alone! She would enjoy herself but it would be somewhat lonely! She was about to enter her own office to get her things together to head home when she heard what sounded like a sob. Now that was strange!

”Hello?” Susan paused at her doorway and looked around. It was far, far too early in the year for students to come to the teachers’ offices in tears fearing expulsion for low grades, wasn’t it? She peered around the corner, where she saw a door slightly ajar. The office was one she hadn’t visited before. She couldn’t resist the urge to help a student in need and walked down the hall to poke her head in. What she saw in the room made her gasp.

”Jose! What’s wrong?” Opting not to comment on how odd it was that Jose was eating ice cream sobbing in his office and not at home, she invited herself into the office and shut the door behind her. Maybe he wanted some attention or help! There was nothing wrong with that, after all!! She walked over and immediately placed a comforting hand on his back. ”Did something happen?”

Susan heard him say ‘Angelo and I’ and it clicked. This was the aftereffects of a breakup, clearly. Susan could relate to that feeling and her heart broke for Angelo. She pulled the second chair in the office over so that she could sit beside Jose and rub comforting circles on his shoulder.

”Oh Jose! It’s not your fault! Sometimes relationships just don’t work out, for better or for worse.” She said. She frowned when she saw the tears threatening to drip down into the Ben and Jerry’s. She reached over to wipe the tears away. ”Your life is not over, Jose! You’re closing a chapter of it and opening a new one! I have been where you are before and I will help you! Now,” she took a deep breath and squished Jose’s cheeks.

”Now! Step one! Think of something you love that doesn’t involve that man!”

”Now that is the silliest thing I have ever heard! Jose, you are a skilled dancer. You came here to dance! I have no doubt that you will find someone who mirrors your talent at dance to love!” She insisted, sounding firm. ”You are not past your prime! So many older men find love – you will certainly find love eventually! But love comes in many ways! Like friendships and family.”

She grinned when he seemed confused after she squished his face. ”Ah. See, now, we will spend the evening together doing fun things. We will dance, we will listen to music, and we will watch labyrinth! Which I haven’t seen in so long! You are coming over to my apartment Jose, and that is final! I will not hear otherwise!”

Susan smiled at his words.

”Oh, hush! You deserve everything! Especially someone like me! Not to toot my own horn anyway!” She said. She was glad to see him smiling again. When he weakly said that she was insisting Susan tut her lips. ”I do! I was going to be lonely this weekend anyway! My daughter is at her friend’s house, and my brother is at work. But it’s only a blessing in disguise! Because that means we get to have fun tonight, Jose!”

She got up and put her hands on her hips. ”And after we watch Labyrinth, we will design our dream men by candlelight! And when we design the men we truly deserve in our lives, we will use them as a reference! And if no one ever aspires to these standards so what! Our dream men will find us someday, Jose! Now come! I’ll cook you a nice dinner and if you keep eating that ice cream you will spoil your appetite!”

”Oh that’s fine! Stick figures are the perfect men! All you have to do is use your words, then! We’ll just label the figure with what they’ll be! Buff, handsome, well dressed, oh look at me! Describing my man already!” She laughed, and stepped away so that Jose could straighten up. When he insisted that he help her she tutted her lips.

”No! Absolutely not! This is my treat Jose! You will not take my thunder away from me!” she demanded, ”But I will let you set the table!”