"I swear I was going to tell you after Drax's lawyers finalized the annulment."

Pepper's eyes bulge out. "Annulment? Why the fuck would you do such a dumb-ass thing?"

"Um, because of all the stuff we just talked about? Any of that ring a bell? Or how about because we were trashed out of our gourds and didn't know what we were doing."

She sniffs at my reasons. "No way. No way did that dude marry you on accident. I'll bet you a double scoop of Double Rainbow ice cream that he was fully aware the whole time."

I bark out a laugh that doesn't sound as self-assured as I want it to. "You're a crazy woman, you know that?"

A nearby businessman chuffs at my statement and Pepper flashes him a glare that would burn the paint off a car. "Got something to say, Chuckles?"

He's been here before, apparently, because he quickly shakes his head and buries it in his bowl of soup.

"Yeah, thought so," she snorts. Turning her attention back to me, she says, "Lo, I love you more than my own bitch of a sister. I would do anything for you. I will also support you in anything you do. But when I see you self-destructing, don't expect me to keep my big bazoo shut."

I have no idea what she's talking about so all I can do is look at her blankly.

"I don't know this guy. Never seen you two together. But since he whooshed into your life, I've never seen you more alive. It's like you're a human version of The Wizard of Oz. You've been existing in a sepia-toned world and suddenly you're running around in Technicolor, baby."

I open my mouth to object, to tell her that I liked my old life, that I don't belong in his world, but she holds her spoon up to stop me.

"I know, your old life was so comfy cozy, like an old pair of slippers. I say chuck those mangy mules in the trash and slide into some FMPs."

At my confusion, she explains: "Fuck Me Pumps. Trust me, you'll love 'em. They may not be comfortable at first, but you'll never regret wearing them."

Is she right? Have I fallen into a rut already? At such a young age? Maybe, but that doesn't change the main problem here.

"But I can't live that lifestyle, Pepper. Look what I did during my one wild night of drinking. You know my family history. I won't risk it."

"Listen to me, Lo. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. You know as well as I do that you could find a balance between what you think his lifestyle is and what you want your lifestyle to be. Besides, you'll never know if you don't try."

"So what exactly are you saying?"

She rolls her eyes. I'm clearly the thickest person on the planet according to Pepper.

"I'm saying, if you go through with this annulment bullshit, you'll have to find a new place to eat lunch."

On my walk back home, I detour through the quirky Mission District and muse on what Pepper said. I'm pretty sure she wasn't serious about banning me from Pepper's Pot, but I certainly can't rule it out. As good as her soup is, I would never base a big decision on the threat of being denied it. Well, not this big, anyway.

It's her words about Drax that keep playing over and over in my head. That he had to know what he was doing the night we went to the chapel. I wrack my brain, trying to remember how drunk he was but it's all pretty foggy. The important snippets stand out, but the more mundane stuff, such as how many shooters I tossed back or exactly which snotty girl hooked up with which bandmember, are a blank.

All I know is that he still seems pretty miffed that I don't want to continue with our sham of a 'marriage'. Which is pretty strange, really. Sure, he's still attracted to me and wants to pursue the rockstar version of a relationship, but it's not possible a guy like him would really want to commit the rest of his life to a girl like me.

Is it?

I'm so lost in thought that I'm not paying attention to my surroundings and almost get knocked down by a bicycle messenger as I cross the street. The tatted guy speeds by and gestures with one hand. I choose to believe he's waving and continue on, more aware of everything around me.

That's how I see them, standing in line to get into a trendy new restaurant. Drax is dressed as gritty as ever, which contrasts sharply with the stylish outfit on the woman standing next to him. Her back is to me but I know I've seen her before.

My gut clenches and I very narrowly miss being mowed down by a skateboarder before I jump onto the relative safety of the sidewalk. There I duck behind a slender tree and peek around to confirm my suspicions.

Drax's date shakes her long, wheat-colored hair then turns a winning smile on him, offering me the perfect view. Sure enough, it's Shelby. His ex. What's she doing here? She lives in Las Vegas.

A well-dressed older couple in front of them turn to laugh at whatever joke the perfect Shelby just told. In an instant, I can see the resemblance. The man has Drax's height and coloring, while the woman has clear blue eyes. They have to be his parents.

Shelby leans into Drax, winding an arm around his waist and dropping her head onto his shoulder. His parents beam. What the hell is going on? Some kind of twisted family reunion?

No, this is something else entirely. Shelby is being far too handsy for a regular ex. And the fact they're out with his parents says even more. They're back together!

I can't decide if I should cry, scream or vomit, so I do none of them. Instead, I seethe from behind the refuge of my skinny tree.

How dare he? Just two days ago he got naked with me, pressured me about our 'relationship', yet here he is canoodling with his ex. What a hypocrite! What's worse, he's a cheater. I bet a dollar she doesn't know about our little rendezvous in my bedroom.

I have half a mind to stomp up to the happy little quartet and tell them exactly what's what but I realize tears are streaming down my cheeks. People are looking at me as they walk past, though no one's approached me yet. It's only a matter of time. The Mission is filled with friendly hipsters and old-school hippies who want everyone to live in love and harmony. Anything that doesn't conform to that really harshes their buzz.

I turn to run down an alley and smack into yet another bicyclist, this time a very thin Asian woman dressed in khakis and a funky military-style hat. There's no way she can hold up to my heft and she goes flying, her already-beat-up bike crashing at my feet.

"Oh, are you okay?" I hurry over to where she's landed. She's rubbing her narrow hip and wincing, but otherwise she seems in one piece. Thank goodness she's wearing a helmet

"I'm fine," she says. "It's my fault anyway for riding on the sidewalk. I know better. At least I didn't fall in that pile of shit."

I glance to where she's looking, about two feet from where she landed, and see said pile. And it's not from a dog. I shudder at just how gross people can be and help her to her feet. She's so tiny, it's like helping a kitten stand up.

"Are you sure I didn't hurt you?"

"Nope, I'm good. You have a good day, m'kay? Later!" She waves -- a real wave -- and jumps back on her bike, this time rolling down the street.

I turn and bump into someone else. What the hell is going on today?! But the moment I breathe in, I know who this someone is, even before his strong hands grip my shoulders. I tip my head back for hours until I meet his hypnotic eyes.

"Uh...hi."

"Are you okay? Were you hurt?" Drax's face is full of concern and my heart threatens to shred apart.

"No, I'm fine, really. I was more worried about her, to be honest."