The Power of Weakness

Chapter 1

Ari squinted against the shaft of bright, spring sun which broke in at the edge of her curtains, never guessing how the light would ultimately change her life. She stretched her neck away to protect herself from the intrusion, but found that she was no longer sleepy. Instead the lengthening of her muscles felt good after getting a restful night's sleep with her body had been loose and relaxed. Yawning, she raised her arms high and pushed her legs out, wiggling her fingers and toes, spreading them wide.

Her sleep-fuzzy mind was called to attention by the vibrations of her phone on her bedside table. It took her bleary eyes a moment to focus enough to see the notification was of an incoming call and not her alarm. The time read nearly an hour before she was due to wake.

"Viv. Why are you calling me so early?" she grumped to her friend.

"Early? I've been up for an hour."

She wiped the grains of sleep from her eyes and fully opened them. Her window was ajar by about an inch, letting in a slight breeze. "Do you even sleep?" The subtle movement of the curtains created the illusion that the sunlight was dancing across the gathered fabric.

"I don't need much. Sleep immediately following sex is incredibly restorative. Perhaps that's something you already know?"

"Viv," she groaned at her lively friend. She paused and listened nervously. "What are you doing?" Viv's heavy breathing was audible over the line.

"I'm on the treadmill, get your mind out of the gutter."

"Oh, god. Seriously? That's why you're awake so early?" Somehow her friend's answer of exercising was worse than the time she called her and Viv answered even though she was having sex at the time.

"Not all of us are naturally thin, my girl. Some of us have to work at it and work at keeping various curves tight and toned. Anyway, I didn't call to talk to you about my exercise regime. Though I do apologize for waking you up. I didn't disturb anyone else did I?"

"Viv," Ari groaned again.

"Oh come on. I saw you out on a date last night, you can't deny it."

She sat up straight in bed. "Me? On a date?"

"Yes, you, on a date. And he was quite good looking, too."

"I, uh..." it was too early in the morning to think of a plausible story.

"Uhn, uhn, uhn. You can't deny it this time. At approximately eight p.m. last night, one Ari Nichols was seen sitting at Vincent's on Fifth with an entree of pasta with tomato sauce in front of her and dessert wearing a navy blue suit sitting across from her."

"Okay fine. You caught me." In the bathroom, she peered closely in her mirror, checking for clogged pores. She knew, from both the kindness and the meanness people treated her with, that she was judged as beautiful. With that one word - beautiful - she was often dismissed as being nothing more than her looks. Ari was very familiar with her wide round eyes, full lips, and gently sloping nose, but she didn't think there was anything special about her physical features.

She would have much preferred if people responded to her personality, which was generally pleasant. However, at the moment her reflection showed a less than delightful look so she smiled at herself to jump start that frame of mind.

"Spill, I want details. Preferably juicy ones."

Ari turned on the shower. "There's no details. He's just..." She smiled for herself again, feeling her cheeks stretch from the effort. "A blind date."

"OH!" Viv exclaimed louder than she should have, prompting nearby exercisers to look at her. "You're doing blind dates finally! I have someone I want to set you up with. He's about--"

"No, I am not doing blind dates." A heavy sigh escaped her lungs. "My parents make me go on dates set up by a matchmaker. I have to go on a certain number every year in order to get..."

"In order to get what?"

"My allowance."

Viv burst into laughter. "Allowance? I know you earn plenty and you're not spending it on clothes or your rent. Why do you need an allowance? Do you have heavy school debts or something?"