Handkerchief

Chapter 7

A year later...

Zayna threw another paper ball in the trash bin as she let out a frustrated sigh. That was the fifth sketch but she still wasn't satisfied with the style. Something was missing.

"Hey, you okay?", Chris popped his head by the door of her office.

"Yeah...just", she trailed off

"Lacking inspiration?",he asked with a raised eyebrow. She nodded.

He entered the room with two cups on both hands.

"Coffee might help",he says and places one of the cups next to her. She took a gracious sip of it before grabbing another clean sheet of paper and started to sketch again.

"Don't stress out. Your fashion line will be amazing",he says.

"I hope so",she says,"so...how's the wedding planning?"

"Don't even remind me. I'm stressed out just thinking about it", he says dramatically. Joaquin and Chris both came out after graduation and now Joaquin has popped the question which he of course agreed to. Now, all thats left is the actual wedding.

"I'm sorry i couldn't help",she says and looks at him.

"Don't worry, Z. I know you're already stressed about other things",he freezes.

"Uhm...there's something i have to tell you",he asks nervously.

Zayna was too preoccupied with sketching to notice.

"What is it?", she asked distractedly

"Well, you know we already made invites for the wedding right?",he starts

"Uhuh", she was only half listening

"Well, Joaquin invited his old friends"

"Uhuh"

"...and one of them being a certain person that you were close with during college"

"Uhuh"

"...and also your former bestfriend"

"Uhuh"

Chris was getting annoyed at her. He snapped his fingers in front of her.

"Did you not hear what i just said?",he asked

"Uhm...",she looked away guiltily

"Z, Josh is coming here",he said slowly. Zayna stared at him slowly as if trying to process what he just said. As it progressed into her thought, she abruptly stood up that the cups of coffee almost spilled.

"What?!",she practically yelled

"Why the hell would you...",she trailed off

Chris raised his hands in surrender.

"It was Joaquin. May i remind you that they were also friends back in college", he points out

She sat back on her chair and crosses her arms.

"But still..."

"There's more",he says. Zayna didn't even want to hear anything about him anymore

"He's going to be the best man",he says

Zayna had enough, she was literally about to leave.

"Why must you pick me as your maid of honor and let me suffer like this?",she whines

"Please, Z. I'm already stressed about this wedding and Joaquin had already made up his mind and there is no changing his best man",he looked tired and Zayna could see that. She felt the guilt. Chris was already in a lot of stress and she couldn't even help out. The least she could do was stop being so dramatic.

She sighed,"fine"

Chris' eyes light up and he hugged her.

"Thanks, Z. Well, I have to go and check the venue. Remember, fitting of dresses is tomorrow, don't be late", he said as he waves goodbye and closes the door to her office.

Zayna massaged her temples and closed her eyes.

'As long as I don't see him until the wedding, everything will be fine',she thought to herself as she opened her eyes again and went back to work.