If Time Stands Still

2- topped with a cloud

"Watering hole in the arcade, you coming?" Luke asks as he tosses a ball at me without warning.

I gasp, but surprisingly catch it. "Dude, don't do that!" I laugh, throwing it back at him hard.

He chuckles. "You coming or what?"

Fridays are amazing. We work shorter hours as the company organizes these watering holes for everyone to get together and mingle. A large section of the top floor has a games room and the best view of the city. It's one of the perks of working at Conan Media. We're big on work and play. However, I've been slacking lately and I don't want that being brought up in next week's meeting, so some sacrifices must be made.

"I'd love to," I sigh, "but I've got a bunch of shįt I still have to do, Luke."

"Like what? We're all off the clock."

"With clients. I have to do a couple follow ups." I inform him. With that, he leaves and I start sending emails to various clients about the progress the creative team has made. I love my job, I love the company, but I had no idea that it's so easy to fall behind. I don't do well with stress. Some people are able to use it to their advantage, to push themselves more, but not me. I crumble under it and start losing interest altogether. It's a terrible thing to shut down, so I try sucking it up as best as I can and continue working.

After an hour of working and zoning out, I switch my computer off and check my phone. There's a text from mom, telling me not to forget that it's grandma's birthday this weekend and that she's coming over for dinner tonight. This means that I have to get a gift before I head home, and that once I'm home, I'm going to have to help with the food that I know mom's going to go overboard with.

I respond to her message with an 'okay' before packing my things and heading out. As soon as I take the elevator down and the doors open, the icy air hits me from the entrance and I brace myself for what's to come. My phone vibrates in my pocket, another message from mom popping up which reads, 'pick your sister up from school please'. Ugh.

...

Once I've arrived at Luna's high school, I shoot her a text letting her know that she doesn't have to take the bus today since I'm already here. While waiting, I keep the car running and the music playing softly in the background as I sit back and shut my eyes. Hopefully I'm able to get a nap in before my grandparents arrive. I feel anxious. I've got deadlines approaching and I just can't seem to shake that. Not to mention the meeting coming up next week. On top of that, grandma loves talking about how my cousins are in the medical and engineering field when she asks about my work. It's as if she brings it up for the sole purpose of bashing what I do, and I'm afraid that my stress levels might cause me to blurt out something ugly in defense.

I'm not sure how long it's been, but when I hear a knock on the window, I jolt up and realize that I must have zoned out again. That's been happening a lot lately.

"Oh man, you're out of it."

"Extremely. I've been on snooze mode for the past week." I groan, not wanting to head home right away since that means we'll have to do the dishes as mom cooks.

"Did you get grandma something?"

I nod. "A coat and flowers."

An idea comes to mind suddenly and I look over at Luna with a smile.

"What?" She chuckles.

"Wanna get hot chocolate from Cloud Cafe?"

She eyes me suspiciously, "Either you're doing something nice for me because you're dying or you're just really avoiding something."