As I sat in the car dealership in a chair by myself, I looked around at everything that was going on around me. There were salesmen and finance guys walking all over the sparkling clean floor, and all the best looking cars were front and center. They caught my eye for sure with the bright red paint and the shiny wax, but I didn't have that kind of money, and even if I did, not a single soul there would have taken me seriously.

All I wanted was a little Toyota that wouldn't break down on me any time soon. Who even wanted a sports car with these winters?

The man at the front desk told me that someone would be with me in just a moment, but it had been at least seven moments, and no one had even looked at me yet. Maybe they were overwhelmed with business. Everyone seemed really busy.

Minutes ticked by, and just as I was about to remind the front desk guy that I was still there, he finally turned to me. "Is it okay if the new guy helps you today?"

I nodded. "That's perfect."

He went back to his computer, and I took out my phone to make myself look a little less bored now that he had helped me. I wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing that the new guy in town was going to be the one trying to sell me a car—he was either going to be really nice, or he was going to try to scam me to impress his new boss. And knowing the car sales industry, it was probably going to be the latter.

Whatever. I just needed a car.

I had been told not to go car shopping without a man before, but my dad never responded to my call even after a couple of weeks, and I didn't have a boyfriend, so that pretty much just left me by myself. I was about to get fleeced, but what choice did I have? I couldn't keep asking Chris—

The salesman walked up to me, and as I picked up my head to shake his hand, a familiar face looked back at me.

"Marigold?" Chris said.

I smiled. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were looking for a new job."

He looked away from me to something else for a moment. "I guess that conversation we had really got to me."

"What? The one about me sticking around to be the manager-type person at the Lakeside Daisy?"

He nodded. "I figured it was about time I make an adult decision like that myself. The only thing is that I wasn't chasing a dream. I was just wandering through life waiting for something to happen."

I shook my head. "But you're taking care of your dad."

"Well, yeah, but Uber isn't exactly a lucrative business when the amusement parks close. There's nothing else here."

That was true.

"Well, I'm hoping that I can get some kind of discount for that, then," I said with a slight chuckle. I really wasn't joking though.

"We'll see what we can do for you," he said, and with that, he took me to look around at the cars on the lot.

I really wasn't sure how the conversation we had about me finally giving up on my crafting dream pushed him into getting a job as a used car salesman, but I didn't have to understand it. It wasn't my life, and as long as he could help me out a little with the pricing and financing, it would work out in my favor.

I looked up at him as he explained the safety features on a boring little white car to make it look like I was listening. I really didn't understand how he could listen to me talk and decide to follow the advice that I didn't even want to follow myself.

And even though his light blue eyes didn't light up as he tried to sell me on the Carfax, it was still kind of adorable that he even gave anything I said a second thought.

He looked down at me, like he was anticipating a response, and when I opened my mouth to confess that I wasn't actually listening, he let out a laugh.

"You're lucky I'm here. Any other salesman would absolutely eat you alive," he said.

Was that an insult? "I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now. I don't know how the hell I'm going to be able to afford this—" I began, but he cut me off with a shush.

He shushed me?

"You're right. You definitely want a car that has zero reported accidents," he said.

"What?" I muttered, and then I realized he was trying to help me.

"I can show you something that's a little over your budget, and maybe we can work something out from there," Chris lowered his voice to a whisper.

I nodded. "Nothing that'll quit on me in a few years, right?"

"Hopefully we won't have to see each other any more about your car situation," he said.

I hesitated before nodding. That really was the only reason we ever crossed paths again after high school, wasn't it?

It was nice to catch up with him because we were two losers together, and now that we both had jobs that could buy us something worth posting on Instagram, what was there for us to talk about?

I followed him as he led us to another car on the lot. He went into another round of praise for the next little silver car that could, and I pretended to listen to the whole spiel again.

I liked silver better than white for sure. It was easier to keep clean.

***

I was the proud new owner of a brand new used Toyota Corolla.

Hold the applause.

It sure wasn't the flashiest car, but Chris told me all about how it was built like a tank, and American cars could never compare to the longevity and heartiness of a Japanese car.

I couldn't argue with him. I didn't even know what he was talking about most of the time, but he seemed to understand. He even tried to explain it like I was five when I asked him if he would.

I still didn't get it, but it was fine.

He also told me that I was getting a really good deal on the car (and when I looked it up, he didn't seem to be lying), but I couldn't tell his boss because it would look bad for him.

It looked a little bad for me that the person who helped me the most throughout my car-less period was the same person who helped me get into a new one, but at least I wouldn't have to bother him for any reason anymore.

I frowned to myself. But it was really nice catching up with him after several years.

I took my new old car to work the next morning, and hopefully, I would get the chance to leave before Mason would come in. We left off on a sour note, and although I didn't think it would stay that way forever, I just needed a break for a little while longer. I tried to be cool about everything that happened between us, but I wasn't cool at all. I wasn't the type that could get so close to someone only for it to mean nothing.

All I wanted was a trip on the adorable red sailboat. I got two and a whole lot more than what I bargained for.

The worst part of it all was that George wanted to give him more time to play at the winery in the evening, and I was already working more to keep up with his demands. It was silly that all I wanted to do was go home, crochet something for someone, and send it off to make their day. I was supposed to be giving that up to focus on being a real adult, but without Mason in my ear telling me it was the only smart way to live my life, the reasons why I was sticking around for long hours at the Lakeside Daisy were starting to fade from my memory already.

I was twenty-four and surrounded by people who had already started their responsible career, but they didn't seem happy. All Blake ever did was bitch at me about who knows what.

Hopefully Chris wouldn't turn out like that with his new job. There really wasn't wrong with setting his own hours and making his father a priority. It was a different struggle than the one I had, where my dad didn't seem to care that I had finally done what I thought he wanted me to do.

But for now, I was stuck in my office alone, with no one to talk to, no one to help, and no one to make happy.

Being a responsible adult sucked. 

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Hello, and thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate your support!

So for today's question, what do you hate the most about being an adult? Or, if you're not quite there yet, what scares you the most about it?

For me, it's the financial side of everything. Do I look like I understand taxes and health care and budgeting all of that fun stuff? Hell no! I'm just doing my best with the money I have!!!!!