The bus that day was packed, and Elle was a runt among sardines. She was in casual wear, a t-shirt with Pink Floyd on it, jean shorts, hiking boots with white socks rising over the ankles but nowhere near the knee, and a simple ponytail. This look was majorly different from what she had been wearing. She hoped that it was enough. Ren was out and unable to work her magic. Elle felt the twinge of guilt at her own relief. She wasn't stumbling in high heels today, nor would she be nursing injuries on the back of her feet tonight. She looked out the window as she was clustered by the surge of people, her body almost pressed against the side of the bus.
"Elle?" Theo pulled his friend over to him, pushing away the crowds and sighing. He was dressed in his work clothes.
"Another day at the office?" Elle asked.
"Yeah. You know, the usual." Theo rolled his eyes, "Guess the usual for you too." He looked her over. "Well, I guess you need that. Ren has been all over you the last couple weeks."
"...she's just trying to help." Elle said, feeling the need to explain Ren to Theo. He didn't need it though, he already was aware.
"Look. Ren..." Theo paused, trying to find the right word, "...has always needed to stand out. Her family has always expected everything of her. She has to have the best grades in all her classes, the best manners, the best test scores, she has to be a role model to her classmates. She has never had the ability to be anything calmer. She needs to dress appropriately for every situation, marry into money. The list goes on, but she doesn't need to push the agendas her parents pushed onto her onto you. If you're not interested in dating, don't do it." Elle was silent, she was interested in dating, though. She looked down at her own outfit in dismay, was this the outfit of someone who "wasn't interested in dating"? Her reflection was someone she recognized for the first time in weeks. Yet...
Theo got off on the next stop, taking one last look at Elle as the bus pulled away. Everything had been a lot lately, he could feel the tension in her shoulders and the unsaid anxiety eating away at her. He was glad that it was over. He walked away from the bus stop leaving a shattered mirror in his behind.