Coincidence

Chap 7

-Luna's POV-

I slept for like 12 hours on my day off and I have no regrets. Mia wanted to go out with me but I suggested her to go with her boyfriend instead. Good thing she has a substitute.

I'm currently at workplace doodling on a blank page cause my brain is tired. Usually I would've been overflowing with ideas but the pressure has really gotten me.

RILEY: Psstا Are you busy?
LUNA: Do I look busy?

I respond showing her my doodles.

RILEY: Man even my brain's not functioning. Wanna grab some coffee?
LUNA: Yeah let's go my body might be in dire need of some caffeine.

We head to the mini kitchen on the floor below. Riley begins to brew coffee for us meanwhile I take out two cookies from a jar. Someone else also joins us in the kitchen and unexpectedly starts a conversation.

KATE(chimes): Hi guys, what're you doing?
RILEY(sarcastically): Building a sand castle.

I instantly nudge her in the arm.

LUNA: We were getting ourselves coffee. Do you want some?
KATE: No thanks I don't drink coffee.
RILEY(mutters): Good for us.

I glower ar her and she shrugs off. I'm sure Kate noticed Riley's behavior towards her so she only talks to me onwards.

KATE: I heard some really good comments about your designs Luna.
LUNA: Oh is that so?
KATE: Yeah! You're speedy too. Mind if I ask how many designs have you made uptil now?
LUNA(lies): Uh... upto 3...
KATE: Ooh! Good going. What about handbags? Any ideas?
LUNA: I've actually thought about the mate-
RILEY: Luna, I'm done let's go or it'll cool down.

Riley doesn't let me talk further and intertwines her arm around mine dragging me away.

LUNA: Riley! That was so rude of you.
RILEY: I don't care if I was being rude to her but I'm telling you Luna, that girl seems shady.
LUNA: Shady? What're you talking about?
RILEY: I don't know yet but all she has eyes for is your work. You need to be wary of her.
LUNA: How can you say that?
RILEY: I've noticed her stopping by your desk several times when you're not around, since past week. Even right now all she wanted to know was about your progress and ideas.

I give a moment of thought and Riley does make sense. I admit that I lied about my progress because I wanted to avoid envy. But still, I can't judge her on basis of assumption.

LUNA: Alright, I'll stay aware.
RILEY: Trust me I've got a knack for these things.

I laugh at her words and then we proceed back to our desks. After break Zach comes to us.

ZACH: Attention guys! I'm sure uptil now you must be done with atleast 3 designs so I'm here to monitor your progress. Come to my room one by one.

He returns to his room and people start heading in with their drafts one after another. Not so soon but my turn arrives, I collect all 5 of my sketches and head inside after letting out a huge breath.

I present my work of half a month infront of him and wait nervously. I'm highly anxious as it's my first time presenting my work like this, rest of the colleagues have must've done that plenty of times. After reviewing all 5 of them Zach looks at me causing me to gulp.

ZACH: You know Luna, you're the youngest here and I've heard alot about your work from your colleagues.

This causes me to breathe a sigh of relief.

ZACH: But...... Why can't I see that?

Uh oh.

ZACH: You're the only one who created 5 designs uptil now, but that doesn't mean to ignore the quality and only focus on increasing it in numbers.
LUNA: Umm sir... Can I know my mistakes?

He starts to explain me what corrections need to be made. He's pointing out almost non existing faults.

LUNA: That's no biggie. I will fix them in no time and bring it to you tomorrow.
ZACH: No Luna, your fixations will change nothing. I can't accept these. I'm sorry but I'll have to reject 3 of these.

I look at him confound. Is he serious?? Why do I feel like he's rejecting it on purpose. I want to rebuttal so badly but I constrain myself because I don't want to hear a lecture on how am I a junior and him being the head here. I have no option but to accede.

I quietly nod and return back to my desk feeling downhearted. My evident expression makes Riley question me.

RILEY: Hey? Why do you look down? What happened in there?
LUNA: He rejected 3 of my designs.

I state blankly.

RILEY(shocked): He what!?? How can he do that bro? I've seen them all and they were incredible. Did he suddenly go blind on your turn?

I scoff.

LUNA: I'm sad because I really worked on them wholeheartedly and now they're just a piece of trash.
RILEY: No need to be sad Luna I know you will emerge finer and then that dumb head won't have any reason to disapprove your piece of art. I just think he's giving you a hard time because he can't accept the fact that you're doing much better than he could imagine.
LUNA: Hahahaha thanks Riley. Your words really do hit hard.

We do a fist bump and go back to working. I internally scream when realization hits that now I am behind schedule. Mann I really have to work my socks off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Poor Luna, that was so unfair! What do you think of Kate?👀