The weight of success

Chap I-The Day Before

I was working in some sketches for the fashion week, the deadlines coming up brang heaviness to the office's air. I lost the count of coffee cups drank this week.
- Are you coming to the party tomorrow?
Christine's voice wake me up from my thoughts. Christine was a worker in our team, she was the head coordinator of the team, that sounds loud but no one knew her, although she was trying hard to be friends with most London's influences.
- Anything worthy? - I asked with tired voice and low interest
- If I was you, I would go to every party! You don't even need to pay to enter, I'm so jealous - she said
- That's why you aren't me.
She wasn't happy with the answer but she tried to force a smile and not loose the posture.
- Is Alisa coming? Haven't seen her in ages, definitely need to catch up. - she faked a smile
That actually made me realise that me and Alisa haven't spoken for a month, the time flied fast, we both are always busy but each time we speak again it always feels as if we never stopped
I didn't knew if the party was worth the effort but was definitely good opportunity to relax and see Alisa
So I texted her [ Baby girl, there's a party tomorrow. Let's catch up, are you free? Miss you, A]
She has an extremely busy life, no idea how she manage to do all of that. She always take time to reply but there understandable, she usually reply to my texts within 24 hours, like a special treatment. So no sense in facing the phone and wait the answer straight away.
I left work at 2am, ordered an uber and went home, without energy to even shower, I felt asleep.

Woke up from the annoying noise of the alarm, it's 6 am already.
Forced myself to go to the shower. That definitely made me feel somewhat more awake.
While drying myself, put the coffee machine working and filled up the food for Hell, my cat.
Made myself a coffee with oat milk and cinnamon powder on the top. Put some clothes on and brushed my hair.
It's time for the "Good morning" selfie for my insta story, also took a story of Hell who seem to wake up for the smell of coffee.
Got my sketches and what I needed and took the train to work.
Many people find that silly that someone with my status uses public transport, but I totally love the feeling of traveling in the trains, specially when I get the front seat. It's rare that I have a change to just sit down, listening to music while looking at the world outside, not thinking about things to do, not being on a spotlight. It's like my own way of meditation.
I arrived to work first, as usual. Today I felt that the caffeine didn't kicked enough so I ran to the Starbucks to get a caramel macchiato.
The barista was a good looking girl with ginger hair, she smiled and wrote her number on the cup sleeve. I remember when this only started to happened, I moved to cental after finishing school and decided over the summer to do a glow up, got a haircut, got fit, changed the clothes style, my social media started to grow up. At that time it felt magical. Now, years after, it's even sad to think that but it just became so normal. I receive numbers all the time. But most of them want someone who would look good with them, like an accessory, or someone famous, like an advertisement. They totally don't care to know me in a deeper way, to know something that isn't online, to like me for me.
This reminded me of Kiro, she was my first love. She was blind, so I knew she liked me not for the looks, it was so much deeper. But life is unfair and she died in a car accident, while crossing the road and the car didn't stopped as he though she will see it.
I put the number in my pocket without deciding what to do with it.
The office was still empty when I came so I put a new story on my profile "The amazing feeling when you're the first in the office"
I opened up my notes and projects, started to work. "This guys should work harder"
By 8:30 am people finally started to arrive, so I could discuss my ideas.
The day pass fast at usual and by 2pm me and my team was having lunch in the canteen. We have the gold rule that we do not talk about work during the lunch. I was enjoying my lasagne when Christine asked, a bit too loud from the excitement
- Alex! Are you and Alisa coming tonight, right? Tell me you are !!
Oh, sh.. I haven't even checked my phone to see what she replied!
Took the phone out of my pocket and checked the messages
- So?! - asked Christine impatiently
- You know, she's always busy
- If I was her, I couldn't handle all of the things she does. I don't know how she even have time to breathe
Christine kept talking but I wasn't listening, I suddenly started to worry. It's me, she always replies to me. Always.
I finished work early as I couldn't focus properly.
From work I took an uber straight to Alisa's place.