Layla's walking down the street, heading to her friend's car.
"Hi," a man says as she walks by.
"Oh, hi." She replies friendly, but doesn't stop walking.
"Could I stop you to ask if I could recommend a place you could get your hair done?"
Layla doesn't acknowledge the man further and keeps walking. Her friend, Sasha and her have to make it back to the apartment because Sasha's roommate cooked dinner for them.
Layla gets in the car and sighs. "Was I in the wrong?"
"What? What happened?" Sasha asks, pausing the video she was watching and turns to her.
"Nothing. Some man, we were walking by each other and he said hi and then asked about recommending a place for me to get my hair done. I know my hair looks bad, but it isn't terrible. It's just . . . meh."
"Wait." she snickers. "He really said that?"
"Yeah, and I know I should feel offended. But, I know I'm still cute even with sloppy hair. These twists may have frizz at the top, but it's fine. But, you know how I walk?"
"You mean how you speed? You always walk like we're late to something."
"I just like to get to where I'm going. It's normal speed to me."
"I definitely don't want to run with you. Exercise is always out the question."
"Shush! But still, I was doing my normal "speed" walk and I don't want him to think it was because of him." She shakes her head. "There's so many layers these days. I don't want him to think I thought he was some creepy man. Like he could think I was rude."
"So?" Sasha gives Layla a bothered look. "Girl, you're tripping over a stranger?"
"Do you not think of just other people's mindsets? Like, he could think I'm rude. Or, he could be the rude one and insulted me under his breath because I didn't stop and he thinks I'm some stuck up girl who always doesn't know how to style my hair. Or can't stop and have a conversation to turn him down directly."
"This is what you think about? No wonder you're always stressed. You're thinking about unnecessary stuff."
"It just feels . . . Like if I was famous or something. Idk, situations make me think how the internet would react. There would be people on his side."
"What about the people on your side?"
Layla thinks. "Well, there's the obvious people that will say, 'at least you said hi back, you weren't impolite.'"
Sasha nods. "Yep. Exactly."
"Then there's the people that will say he doesn't know what I have going on in my life. 'Not everyone always has the time to stop and talk. Yes, it's good to be kind to everyone, but she clearly was heading somewhere. And she has the right to not want to talk.'"
"Okay. See, you get the situation. Stop tripping over this." Sasha starts the car and checks her mirror before pulling out the parking spot and driving off.
"And the forreal forreal excuse, I am also on my period. Like, I just don't want to be out. I'm ready to be inside where I have a toilet nearby, food, and a comfort device to watch some type of TV."
"Yep, yep! That too! You had your reasons. Girl, the internet really has you messed up like this? Thinking about getting canceled or something?"
"Not canceled. Just how easily arguments can arise. Things are wild these days."
"You're giving yourself something else to stress over. I don't like it. Don't add that to your worry board. Eliminate it now. Cut that out."
Layla laughs. "Okay. I'll try."
"Ah-ah! Not try, do!"
"Okay. I will. I will."
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