Nemesis (Full Version)

Chapter 9 - The First Day at Oscar de la Renta: Criticism and Challenges

After a tense interview, Sandra wakes up the next morning with a burning enthusiasm. She plans to visit the Oscar de la Renta boutique to see the latest collection, as she didn't have the chance to browse during the interview. With great excitement, she enters her best friend Monica's room.

Knock, knock, the sound of the door.

"It's Sandra."

"Oh, Sandra, come in."

With great enthusiasm, Sandra says, "Get up, Monica! We have to go to Oscar de la Renta today. I can't wait to see their latest collection!"

Monica replies weakly, "I don't have any energy today. I just want to laze around at home."

"Come on, Mon! This is a rare opportunity. We can see some amazing designs and maybe get new inspiration."

"I know, but my body feels so heavy. Maybe next time?"

"All right. I'll go by myself. But you have to promise, next time we'll go together, okay?"

"Promise. Be careful on the road. I hope you have fun."

"Thank you. See you later!"

Sandra sets off with her spirits still high, even without Monica's company. She knows her friend needs time to relax, and she respects that. With a light step, Sandra heads to the Oscar de la Renta boutique, ready to enjoy a day filled with inspiration.
*******
Sandra arrives at Oscar de la Renta and gets engrossed in admiring the works on display. She accidentally steps back and bumps into someone. "Oh, sorry!" she says, turning around.

It turns out she has bumped into Farid, a photographer working there.

In her heart, Sandra thinks, "This man is so handsome."

Farid smiles, "It's okay. Do you work here?"

Sandra shakes her head, "No, I just came here to browse. I don't work here yet; I'm still waiting for the acceptance announcement."

"Oh, I see," Farid replies, nodding lightly.

"Yes, and what are you doing here?" Sandra asks in a soft tone.

"As you can see, I'm here photographing the new collection. They hired me to do the photoshoot here," Farid says, showing his camera and some of his photos. "Are my photos good? By the way, do you like fashion?"

Sandra smiles, "Wow, your photos are amazing. Yes, I've loved fashion since I was in school. The collection here is always interesting."

Their conversation continues in a relaxed manner. Farid feels comfortable talking with Sandra, and the feeling is mutual. Farid has a smile that no one can resist, the way his lips slowly form a very sweet smile. Then he asks for Sandra's contact number to get closer to her, or perhaps more than just close.

"May I have your number? Maybe we can chat again. We could become good friends, you know."

Sandra nods, "Sure, here's my number." They exchange phones, enter their numbers, and return them to each other.
*******
The next day, Farid contacts Sandra and invites her to meet at a café. They spend time talking about many things, from work to their hobbies. The café meeting marks the beginning of a series of other meetings.

They often meet at Old Country Coffee, enjoying the ambiance while discussing their dreams and hopes. Sometimes, Farid throws in deadly flirtations that make Sandra blush. When they are at the café, Farid, with his flirting, says, "If you were coffee, I would be sugar. So that we're always sweet together," Farid says with a smile.

Sandra laughs, "You're something else, Farid."

Every time they meet, and they've met three times now, Farid always manages to make Sandra feel special. He often compliments Sandra's appearance and makes her feel appreciated.