"Downward dog."
Ana moves gracefully.
Ellie gets stuck halfway down, arms shaking like a baby deer.
She makes accidental eye contact with herself in the mirror.
She whispers. "Why do I look like that? Why is that my face?"
Ana tries not to laugh.
"You're doing fine."
"I'm dying."
The instructor continues. "Warrior II."
Ana flows into it like a goddess.
Ellie tries. Her front knee wobbles. Her back foot slips. She looks like a warrior who lost the war.
She falls out of the pose and knocks over her water bottle. It rolls across the floor like it's escaping.
"I'm so sorry. To everyone. And everything," Ellie whispers.
Ana gently adjusts Ellie's arms.
"Just breathe."
***
Zadie turns the stove up to MAX.
"Why would you—no. No. Turn that down."
Zadie is already telling a story, not listening.
"So then she said—wait, is something burning?"
Smoke curls up.
***
The class is flowing through poses. Ellie is barely holding it together.
"And now, inhale deeply..."
Ellie inhales too fast again. Chokes. Waves her hand like she's trying to clear the air.
"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm not fine."
Ana gives her a gentle, encouraging smile.
"Just breathe."
Ellie tries. She really does.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPD3cAfSzOm
But the room feels too warm.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOy5KUAEES1
The mirrors feel too reflective.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKe46eIuRe
Everyone else looks like they know what they're doing.
Ellie's breath stutters.
"I am breathing. That's the problem."
She steps out of the pose.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZfUgckKwN
Then out of the row.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwh0kMvnRA
Then out of the room.
Ana watches her go — calm, but concerned — and follows.
Ellie is in the hallway, hands on her knees, trying to breathe without crying.
Ana steps out quietly, giving her space before speaking.
"Hey."
Ellie shakes her head, embarrassed.
"I can't do this. Everyone in there is... good. And I'm just—me."
Ana stands beside her, not crowding.
"You don't have to be good. You just have to be here."
Ellie wipes her face.
"I feel stupid."
"You're not stupid. You're overwhelmed. That's different."
Ellie lets out a shaky breath.
Ana offers her hand — not forcing, just offering.
"Come back in with me. We'll finish together."
Ellie hesitates... then nods.
***
The pan bursts into a tiny flame.
Zadie screams.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoR5g5rQ9FF
Ruth screams louder.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdhx6OaUF6
Pluto meows like he's filing a complaint.
"ZADIE. STEP BACK."
Zadie blows on the flame like it's a birthday candle.
"STOP BLOWING ON IT."
Ruth grabs the pan with the confidence of someone who has seen war. She slams a lid on it. The flame dies.
They stare at the charred remains.
It looks like a meteorite.
"...So. DoorDash?"
Ruth sighs the sigh of a woman who has aged ten years in ten minutes.
***
Ellie and Ana slip back into the room quietly.
The instructor doesn't comment — just nods at them with serene approval.
Ellie settles onto her mat, still shaky but trying.
Ana sits beside her, close enough to be grounding.
"Let's move into savasana."
Ellie lies down.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5AygiseTx
This time, she actually breathes.
***
Ruth and Zadie sit at the kitchen table, staring at the burnt pan in the sink like it personally betrayed them.
Pluto sniffs the air, offended.
"Okay but... the seasoning was good, right?"
"Zadie. It turned into charcoal."
"But like... flavorful charcoal?"
Ruth puts her head down on the table.
The front door opens.
Ellie and Ana walk in, sweaty, exhausted, and spiritually rearranged.
They stop.
The apartment is:
smokywarm in a concerning wayfilled with the smell of burnt... somethingand Zadie is fanning the smoke detector with a dish towel
Ruth sits at the table like she's aged a decade.
"What happened?"
"Zadie happened."
"I tried to sauté."
Ellie looks at the pan in the sink.
"It looks like you tried to summon a demon."
Zadie shrugs.
"Well the demon won."
Ruth stands up.
"We're going out to eat."
"My treat!" Zadie exclaims.
Ellie raises an eyebrow.
"With what money?"
"My charm."
Ana pats her shoulder.
"That won't work on the waiter."
"Then I'll charm the manager."
They all groan, but they're smiling.
The four of them head out the door together.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06UIfqLyS1
Pluto trots after them like he's part of the squad.
Author's Note: Lol Zadie is a mess
Stay tuned for Episode 5! It's my best one yet!
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and then Add to home screen.