Nadia sat by the cafe, long after Aurelia had gone. She heaved a sigh, trying not to let the tears, seeping into her eyes fall—but it did anyways. She certainly didn't do well with goodbyes, neither did she like having to say it. "It's okay it's just three years," she mumbled to herself, placing a tip on the table while already getting up to leave.
She and Aurelia had become friends back in eleventh grade of high school, before later attending the same college—though they studied different courses, they still became closer than ever since they were roommates. And honestly that was one of the decisions she'd forever be grateful for.
On getting to her car, she leaned back against it, looking up into the sky. This is hard, she thought letting out a rough exhale. She got in and began to drive, rolling down the driver's window to let fresh air in. Her phone buzzed when she came to a stop at a red light, so she picked up to check.
It was her mum.
—Family dinner on Sunday, make sure to come, Okay.
—Your siblings are going to be free.
She sighed, contemplating ignoring the message—it wouldn't be the first time—when another message came through.
—It's final, no excuses.
She looked up at the green light and continued her journey, her mind thinking of an excuse to avoid those awkward family dinners. Why exactly did they bother inviting her, if all they would do was degrade her course of study and question her passion for it.
Thirty minutes later, she was pulling up at the underground parking entrance of her apartment building. Inside the compound the noise of the city faded into a calm, carefully curated atmosphere. The apartment itself stood in one of Westbridge's most secure districts with discreet cameras and uniformed security that allowed only residents and approved guests to pass through.
She took elevator to the seventh floor, high enough for the city to stretch beneath her in glittering lines of light, but not so high that the sounds of Westbridge disappeared completely. The elevator dinged and she stepped out.
When she stepped into her apartment, the cozy warmth greeted her—of familiarity, clothing samples, and magazines. She took of her sneakers, then moved to the kitchen, opened a cupboard, and took out a cookie jar then a glass of milk from the fridge. Then made to move towards her room.
She got comfortable on her bed, opened her laptop, tied her hair up—in a messy bun—and put on her reading glasses as she began to work on her design. She was working from home today.
Whenever she was in the element, she hated disruptions, so she always put on noise cancellation headphones. Nadia moved between answering emails, sketching new outfit ideas, and researching upcoming fashion ideas. It wasn't glamorous work yet, but every small project felt like one more step towards the career she wanted to build.
The same career that her parents definitely don't approve of. They think she's 'playing with clothes' and they feel it's financially risky. So, each time they come together for a family dinner, it's the same discussion all over again—Fashion is a hobby, not a profession; You could have had a real career; With disappointment written all over their face.
Not that she cares, she'd long grown used to their complaint still she refuses to let her parents bring her down. She was ambitious, and awfully confident in herself and her dreams.
Another reason why she loves Aurelia, because she always supported Nadia's dream in little ways that matter. One time in college, during a family dinner, when Aurelia got roped into an argument between Nadia and her parents. She didn't say anything but later that day when Nadia was sulking, she gave her gift—ticket to a fashion exhibition—to uplift her mood.
"If you love fashion, then do fashion. The industry needs people who care about it," she had said, when they were eating dinner; then she got up and left for her room.
---
Hours had passed by the time Nadia was closing up her work. She looked up at the clock —5:48pm— she sighed saving her work, before standing up to go get herself fed. She wanted to cook up something for herself—maybe beef stew and rice would be okay, she thought to herself standing up to get her phone from her table and keep her laptop on it.
She paused, her gaze drifting to the small photo frame sitting at the corner of the desk. It was taken during their second year in college—her and Aurelia standing side by side, at a campus event laughing about something neither of them could remember now. Back then, everything had felt simple.
Late-night conversations, impossible dreams, the quiet certainty that the future would unfold exactly the way they planned it out. Nadia exhaled softly, setting her laptop down as some memories stirred up unbidden.
Memories that made her feel what she had prayed, to be removed from her heart.
When college had felt different for her and when everything felt possible. That was also when she met him.
She took in another quiet breath as the memories stirred—
Of a tall figure leaning against a bar counter, of someone laughing quietly laughing at one of her sarcastic comments, of his voice saying, "you talk like you're already famous."
She had rolled her eyes and said she would be famous someday. And the worst part—
He had believed her.
And that unsettled her.
She hated this.
She didn't like remembering those days—not at all. She picked up her phone, running a hand through her hair. "That was years ago," she murmured turning the picture over to face the table.
She walked into the kitchen, to cook but she suddenly feels drained—emotionally. It happened whenever she remembered him. She was over him but—it still hurt.
I'll just order takeout; she thought, walking away from the kitchen, as she was too tired to cook anyways.
After placing the order, she order she texted Aurelia to find out if she had landed—she hadn't, then proceeded to eat her ordered food. After eating, she got into the bathroom and soaked herself in a warm bath to wash away the day's stress.
It was past 8 pm when Aurelia texted her back, so she made a call and they talked for a few minutes before they cut it short since, it was already midnight in Halden. She turned off her room lights, so she could sleep while the Westbridge city lights glowed through her window.
As she drifted off to sleep, she made a silent promise to herself—
By the time Aurelia returned, everything will be different, and... In just three years.