Flashback

Chapter 5

I could hear the alarm ringing faintly. I turned around and tried to reach for it but instead it fell on the floor. Silently, I cursed under my breath.

"Vicky are you up yet?" my mom screamed from downstairs.

"Yes Ma. I'll be down in a while." I shouted back.

I took a quick shower and got dressed. I desperately needed a haircut. Well I would have to wait till next month. Rushing down the stairs, I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and kissed my mom goodbye.

Isobel was waiting for me on the porch. We always walked to school together.

"So what did you decide?" she asked me. I shrugged my shoulders and started walking.

"Vic you can't avoid him forever. You have to make up your mind. It's been 5 days" she said, the judgement clear in her voice.

"I don't know Isobel. I'm not sure. I like him. A lot. But... But what Vic" she interrupted me mid-sentence. I hated when someone did that.

I had never dated anyone in my life ever. Crushing on hot guys was more my thing. Most guys in my school had known this and never asked me out. But then Richard wasn't most guys. He had confidently asked me out during recess last week and that had left me startled.

Since then I had been avoiding him not knowing what to say. I had given myself a deadline. It was Richard's birthday in three days. And it would be on his birthday that I would tell him my decision. As usual Isobel didn't agree with this. She thought I was torturing the poor guy.

We reached school just in time for the morning assembly.

Present Day

I got dressed for office reluctantly. Jeremy was making breakfast. He is amazing except the fact that he is very old fashioned in some matters. But that's acceptable.

He drove me to office as my car had gone for servicing. I blew him a kiss and walked into the lobby. The day passed slowly as I tried to engage myself into the work and ignore the rest of the world especially Richard. This wasn't very hard as I was a part of the editorial and he headed design. I had changed streams in collage when I realised that writing fascinated me more.

I had been working for À la mode for two years. I had started out as an intern during university and never left. I loved my job and the privileges that came along with it. Interviews with celebs, designers, artists, chefs, etc. was all a part of it. Working for a world famous magazine was my childhood dream and somehow it had been accomplished.

I was just thinking of going for lunch when I saw Richard in our bay. He saw me and waved. Reaching my cubicle he said "I've been looking all over for you".

Looking all over for me, why.... I thought to myself.

He continued "I'm hungry, how about we catch up over lunch".

Shit. He wants to have lunch now.

"Actually Richard I just finished lunch" I lied trying not to meet his eyes.

"Oh okay." He looked disappointed. "Another day perhaps" I said with a small smile. He nodded his head, threw me a smirk and walked away.

I watched him walk away till I couldn't see him anymore and then breathed a sigh of relief.