the 𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔣𝔢𝔠𝔱 𝖒𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍

|| prologue ||

She snuggled under the blanket, wrapping herself further in a burrito like mess, enjoying the peaceful slumber after a week of hectic fashion shows in Santorini.

"Di?" A familiar voice called out to her—— one she opted to ignore as she groaned and turned around, hiding her face under the pillow. "Di?" This time it was more muffled. As Annika attempted to ignore it, her safe haven was ripped away in the form of a twenty four year old energetic younger sister who ripped the pillow from over her head and shouted, "DI!"

She jolted upright, shouting as she whipped around, "Chor! Chor!" Her younger sister's giggle broke the haze of the effects of sleep and she scowled at the younger woman who shrugged.

"You told me to wake you up at six," her little sister plopped down on the bed beside her. Leaning against the headboard, she giggled as her sister laid back on her pillows and groaned.

"I hate jet lags," she mumbled. "And I hate time zones."

"Annika Di," her baby sister called out lovingly, patting her cheeks lightly, before shouting once more. "WAKE UP!"

Annika grabbed a random magazine that was laying on the table beside her bed and slapped her sister with it. "Gauri! I'm up, you bandaar. Leave."

Gauri laughed, whistling loudly as she walked out of her sister's room, calling out, "Aap breakfast ke liye aaiye." Annika hummed, closing her eyes for a few seconds.

"Just a few more minutes," Annika mumbled.

Or so she thought, until her sister barged in, "DI! It's nearly seven!"

"What?" Annika felt as if someone had connected her to an electric source, "No, it isn't. I only closed my eyes for a minute or two."

Gauri shook her head, "It's nearly seven. Aapki meeting thi na, at eight?"

"Right," Annika sighed, throwing away the covers and walking towards the bathroom.

"Chutki, be a dear and pack my breakfast will you?" At Gauri's raised eyebrows, she huffed, "I promise I'll not skip the most important meal of the day!" Gauri beamed and nodded, bouncing back out of Annika's room as the woman shook her head. "Pagli!"

>>•<<

Annika rested her head in her hands, as she sipped slowly from the styrofoam cup which had already failed to keep her coffee warm for longer than two hours.

A knock on the door of her cabin caused her to pause, "Come in." She stared forlornly at the tupperware containing the aloo puris.

Ananya poked her head inside before smiling as she handed Annika a file, "Congratulations boss! The showstopper was jaw dropping."

Annika smiled faintly, "I'm glad you all enjoyed it."

Ananya's smile vanished as she frowned. "Are you not happy with the results?" She tilted her head, "I admit that some stitches could've been made less obvious and I suppose the emerald coat did clash with the turquoise vest underneath," Ananya muttered.

"No," Annika shook her head.

She paused, "I mean." She sighed, "Yes, that was a poor choice on the part of the fabrics department, but that's not what has me down in the dumps."

Annika had nearly fainted on the spot when one of the models had come wearing an emerald coat with silver details over a turquoise vest which had been designed to look like Mediterranean waves.

If not for the unpredictability and out of ordinary ideas that the fashion industry encouraged, Annika would've surely been sent home along with her team as a laughing stock.