LOVE SOAKED

CHAPTER-2 - what's my look for the day?

TRISHA

The first rays of sunlight sneaked through the gaps in my blinds, illuminating the chaos that was my bedroom. Dresses, both traditional kurtas and trendy rompers, were thrown across the floor like fallen soldiers in a war against indecision. Empty chai cups sat on my bedside table, testament to the sleepless night I'd endured, fueled by takeout noodles and the dream of quitting my soul-sucking job.

Trisha Sharma, frustrated architect by day, sleep-deprived dreamer by night.

With a groan, I hauled myself out of bed, the stiffness in my muscles a familiar ache. A quick glance in the mirror confirmed my suspicions – dark circles adorned my hazel eyes, and my hair, usually a cascade of glossy black strands, resembled a bird's nest after a particularly aggressive windstorm. Smirking i thought to myself,  Maybe Advaith wouldn't be so persistent today.

Advaith, the resident office flirt. Tall, charming, and with a smile that could melt glaciers, he seemed to think my persistent RBF(resting bitch face) was a challenge to be conquered, not a warning sign. Newsflash, Advaith: this wall is reinforced with concrete and with years of dealing with Vidhyuth, my tyrant of a boss, and his architectural monstrosities.

As i was having a murder plan prepared for my boss, a message from Mayo (Manya, my ever-optimistic best friend) pinged on my phone.

Mayo: Sunshine and rainbows bitch, Trisha! Did you see the email about the CVerse project? Looks HUGE!

Me: eyeroll emoji Huge egoistic client most likely, And probably another glass of atrocity courtesy of vidhyuths "vision." Don't get your hopes up.

Mayo's enthusiasm was a stark contrast to my cynicism. She, along with Sushi (Suhana, the voice of reason in our chaotic trio), were the only bright spots in the VA Architects black hole. We dreamt of quitting this corporate cage and starting our own firm, a haven for innovative design and actual work-life balance. But dreams cost money, and rent in Bangalore wasn't exactly a budget-friendly affair.

Sipping on lukewarm chai (thanks to the never ending work), I mentally prepared for the battlefield that was VA Architects. Today was a big presentation – a potential new client, CVerse something. Knowing my boss, it would be all talk and no substance, a parade of his architectural "innovations" that were absolute shit, in the name of creative freedom. Oh! And the fact that he can control everything and everyone in this firm. Ugh! Dick!

Just another day in hell, I thought, forcing myself to smile becausei would get to meet my two best friends. Just then another thought entered my mind,maybe today would be the day I finally snapped and told my boss exactly what I thought of his "vision." Or maybe I'd just win the lottery and skip the dramatics altogether. A girl could dream, right? I desperately needed my dreams to come true. Sighing I walked out of my bedroom only to be greated by my dog sparkle.