Can You Hear the Ocean?

Chapter 45

Leila paced around her bedroom, once again repeating the same interview questions that she'd been rehearsing all week. Fuji was sleeping in the corner, unbothered, but Leila felt like her heart was ready to explode out of her chest. She seized with worry when she realized that the next morning, she would be flying out to Connecticut for her panel interview. She'd practiced her answers to questions dozens of times, had a mock interview with Helen, and yet, she still felt insanely nervous. As much as Leila wanted to do well on the interview, a part of her wondered what would happen if she didn't.

I'd stay here then, and nothing would change. In the moment, it sounded wonderful to her, but Leila stared at her reflection in her window and shook her head. No, she had decided to take a risk and go for this job. She couldn't back down now. She wouldn't.

Staring out the window, Leila suddenly noticed white wisps floating outside her window. She suddenly pressed her face close to the window in excitement.

"Snow," she breathed. The first snow of winter. She had been expecting it, what with the way the temperature had grown so cold lately. There was always something magical to her about the first snow of the season. She watched as the snow fell quietly and was reminded quickly of warm winters cozied up by the fire in her parents' home.

A knock came at Leila's door. "Leila? It's snowing," Mia said.

Leila quickly walked over to her bedroom door to met Mia in.

"I know! I just noticed myself!" Leila exclaimed. She returned to the window to continue staring at the snow.

"You seem excited," Mia said with a chuckle. She walked over to stand beside her, and together the two gazed out the window at the snow cascading down from the sky. "Do you think it'll stick?" Mia asked.

Leila nodded. "Though I don't know how much there will be."

Mia laughed to herself.

"What?" Leila asked.

"Nothing," Mia said, giggling some more. "I'm just happy to see you not practicing for your interview. I could hear you through the walls all morning. It's nice to see that you're taking a break to look at the snow, that's all."

"Well, I can't break for long. I need to get back to practicing," Leila said.

"You've been practicing all week. You're going to lose your voice at this rate if you don't take a proper break," Mia said. She walked over to Leila's bed and suddenly stole the notes off her bed covers. "I'm confiscating this."

Leila's eyes widened. "No! You can't! Give it back!" Leila said as Mia continued moving the notes away from her grasp.

"You need a proper break. I'll return these to you later this evening. Why don't we take a walk on the beach before the sun goes down?" Mia suggested.

"A walk? It's snowing out," Leila said.

"Yeah, but you clearly need to get outside," Mia said. "We don't have to stay long. We can just walk for a little bit."

Leila stood in place, contemplating Mia's request. Her eyes kept fixating on the notes in Mia's hand, but deep down, Leila knew Mia was right. She'd been thinking of the interview day and night. Her brain deserved some proper rest.

"Okay. But as long as it's a short walk," Leila said.

"Great," Mia responded. "I'll go put a coat on." She walked out with the notes still in her hold.

So she really is confiscating them, Leila thought disappointedly.

With a sigh, Leila knelt down and scratched Fuji's chin. "I'm heading out," she told him, "but I'll be back before dinner."