Chapter 3: Fire Fighters and Future Sighters

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BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP went my alarm clock as I groaned and woke up on Monday morning. I had spent all weekend with Harry, just hanging out, showing him around this part of London and eating take out. We had stayed away from the boys for a while, Harry wanting his baby sister to himself. He insisted on calling me his baby sister to fans even though we were only a year apart. The fans were very quick to pick up on us being together and soon we were stalked the whole day on Saturday, so on Sunday we decided to stay in and have a movie day and doing a twitcam to the less annoying fans that decided not to stalk our every move. The twitcam was another thing. I hated being in front of the camera, I loved being behind it, I used to take photos for Vogue before I moved up on the rankings, becoming editor. Harry tutted and rolled his eyes as I fixed my hair and make up for the twitcam. Harry had stopped the night on the couch so we had stayed in our pyjamas all day as we lazed about. He wouldn't let me change my clothes but I fixed my face, making it look a little more appealing.

"Hey everyone, meet my beautiful sister Poppy..." Harry said as we turned the camera on. The viewings rolled up as we messed about, prank called Louis and responded to their fangirling comments at the side. I convinced Harry to follow some fans too, seems as they began complaining he never did follow sprees. 

Coming back to my senses, I dragged myself out of bed, not liking the rushed feeling after my long weekend. This is why I never took days off, it was too hard to get back into my usual routine. Taking a quick shower and pulling on some leather-look leggings, white blouse and blazer, I grabbed a granola bar and hopped out the door as I slipped my heels on. 

It musn't have been my day as the tube was over-crowded, being rush hour on a Monday morning. Harry had messed with my schedule, I should've been here earlier on a Monday. As I thought of the worst names I could call him when I phoned him later, the train pulled up into my station and I thankfully dashed off the tube and ran through the station, realising I was indeed late. The Vogue building was in sight as I swiftly pushed through the busy streets, getting sweaty due to the summer heat.

"Ah Poppy! You're back!" Martha greeted me warmly.

"Yes! Did you have a nice day off on Friday and good weekend?" I asked her, leaning against her desk as I caught my breath, trying to disguise my heavy breathing.

"Yes, it was a nice break!" she sounded relieved.

"Hopefully, there isn't too much work piled up!" I joked and hurried into my office, my heels already causing a blister on my heels. To my complete surprise my desk was exactly how I left it, organized and bare. Overwhelmed and confused I reached for my phone with a shaking hand and dialled Martha's number.

"Martha? Where's all the paperwork? The peplum florals that need to be gone over; the Blake Lively interview that needed to be reviewed the-" I babbled desperately.

"Poppy, you have people that work for you that can take care of your work for a few days!" she laughed at me. Her laugh was warm and an unusual sound to me.

"Oh. Yes of course!" I faked a laugh, but my vision was dizzy, and a strange smell was dancing itself into my nostrils. Putting the phone down, I massaged my temples with my fingers. I grabbed a vitamin water from my cabinet and took a long sip, it calmed my shaking limbs. I opened up my MacBook and logged in, ready to answer some emails and print off some paperwork, when the shrill sound I could only rule out as the fire alarm rang out loud. Screams were heard from outside my office and I realised what the smell was now. Now frantic I grabbed my purse and hurried out of my office, joining everyone in the run for the fire exit that snaked around the back wall of the building. It was too hot to be having a fire. As I walked outside onto the metal steps, I saw thick smoke pouring out of the windows on the fifth floor, just two floors from my own, and I gulped nervously. Sirens sounded and everything appeared too much, my vision clouded and I found that my arms and legs began working themselves, climbing down the steps of the fire exit, following everyone else. I had to get to safety, just like everyone else. People were crying around me, worried about the work they had done, and last week I would be doing the same, but for some reason I felt oddly relieved that I could go home a rest. The fatigue that was present in my body seemed to be ever more painful and I realised that maybe I had overworked.

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