I slid the key into the lock of my apartment harder than necessary and pushed the door open once it was unlocked. The whole ride home I cursed the plan of this vacation. People passing by probably thought I was insane, but I didn’t care. I hated this plan. Mostly because I didn’t get a say.

I tossed my purse on the couch and headed down the hallway to pack my bags. I had approximately two and a half hours before I had to leave, and I had way too much to do to get everything done.

Sitting my phone down on the nightstand after I sent a text to my boyfriend, Owen, I pulled both of my suitcases out from underneath my queen-size bed. They both bounced on the bed after I threw them down.

With both cases now open, I went to my dresser and started tossing the necessary items inside. Swimsuits, cover-ups, undergarments, summer attire. None of them were folded. They both looked like they threw up their contents, but it didn’t matter to me. I didn’t want to go on this trip, but knew if I disobeyed my boss, he’d find some other way to make me miserable. And who knows, I could work behind the scenes. Without the damn server. That would serve his ass right. I didn’t even know where I was set to go. I hadn’t even looked inside the envelope.

Smart move there, Lily.

After adding a few more necessities to the cases, like shoes, I zipped them both up and pulled out their handles so they could be easily moved into the living room.

Rushing into the bathroom, I grabbed my toiletry bag and threw in everything that I’d possibly need and more just to get this over and done with. I went back into my room and packed the bag into one of the suitcases and put my laptop and a change of clothes into my carry-on bag. With all three bags in hand, I slowly maneuvered my way down the hall, almost falling in the process as I tried to hold everything at once. I sat everything by the door and went to my room to grab my phone and chargers.

Glancing down at the phone in my hand, I had a message response from Owen which brought a smile to my face. We’d been together for three years. I don’t know how we had lasted this long, but he made the lonely nights bearable just knowing I had him to come back to. His message said he’d be at my place in thirty minutes, and that was ten minutes ago. I only had an hour and a half before I had to leave for the airport, and I wanted to make sure we had time to spend together before I had to walk out of my apartment door, yet again, for another destination.

I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a trash bag out from underneath the sink and opened the refrigerator to clear out its sparse contents for the items that would go bad while I was gone. Take out boxes and the expired milk filled the bag half full, leaving plenty of room to empty the contents from the bathroom trash can. Once I had emptied everything, I grabbed the other bag from the trash can in the kitchen and walked to the door.

I walked out of my apartment and took the short walk to the trash shoot, mentally going over everything I’ve completed and what else I needed to do. Only thing that came to mind was to dress in my comfy airplane attire. Yoga capris and a t-shirt. Only way to fly in my opinion.

With a pep in my step, I walked back into my apartment to be met by Owen. A smile instantly appeared on my face.

“Hey there, baby,” I said as I walked over to him and threw my arms around his neck.

He had shaggy brown hair that I loved to run my hands through, and he wasn’t overly taller than my five-foot-seven frame. His chocolate brown eyes reminded me of the color of milk chocolate, and I could get lost in them for hours if time allowed.

Instead of the passion I was expecting in our greeting, he kissed me on the cheek and pulled out of our embrace.

I cocked my head and pulled my eyebrows together as I looked at him with the confusion I felt.

“We need to talk, Lil,” he said as he sat down on my love seat and pointed to the couch for me to follow. Those were five words I wasn’t expecting to hear.

“What’s this about, Owen?” I asked with concern.

“I can’t do this anymore. I see my girlfriend, if I’m lucky, ten days a month and not ten consecutive days at that. We’ve been together for three years and I thought we’d be further in this relationship, but we’re not. I want more. I deserve more. I think we need a break to make sure we’re who each other still wants. And if we decide that we do, things need to change,” he put out in the atmosphere before I even registered that we needed to have a serious conversation.

I knew that he had a point, but he surprised me. Something which I hate. My reaction wasn’t the best of them. But this is what happens when I’m not expecting something of this magnitude.

“Are you flipping shitting me right now, Owen? I’m about to leave.”

“Not in the slightest. And that’s the damn point. You’re always leaving or working. When will I come first? This relationship come first?”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. I knew that he was being serious, however, I’d never seen this side of him before.

“What’s so funny, Lil?” he asked, frustration bellowing off his voice.

“I’m not laughing, per say. It’s just that usually this conversation would be reversed.”

“And therein lies the problem. You don’t take me or us seriously. Never have. Take this week to think long and hard about what and who you want, Lil. I hope you make the right choice,” he said, taking a long look at me before he walked around me and out of my apartment door. The sound of the door shutting harder than normal echoed throughout the apartment and made me jump.

I didn’t have time to deal with this right now.

I had a plane to catch. Maybe once we reached full altitude, I’d be able to rationalize what just happened and how I’d fix it, if I wanted to fix it, when I got back.

I shoved my purse into my carry on and grabbed both of my suitcases, leaving my apartment and my job behind for the next week.

Here’s to not having fun in the sun.

Let the non-enjoyment begin.