"Okay... Yeah I'm sorry but I can't make it." Simone said and dropped the phone.

She was just being invited to a girl's night out. Now, she bluntly said no but she knew she'll make it anyway.

Simone Daniels, the cute fair and young business woman who had no one but business. She had only one sibling who was studying in another country. Her parents were getting divorced soon and she was too hard on her workers (even she knew it. The only people she could talk to were her little group of friends.

when she wasn't at the office, she worked at home with her laptop. When she wasn't working, she was on tour all by herself and when she wasn't on tours, she was alone in her little apartment listening to the ticking clock and counting the ceiling. Boring life.

*

"I really don't know how Simone's living her life. I mean, she's so boring." Cassandra who was Simone's best friend spat in disgust.

Erica, Pia and Twinkle nodded in agreement. Just then, Simone stepped in with her usual dressing. a shirt and a trouser.

"Speaking of the devil." Erica muttered under her breath.

"Hey guys." Simone greeted and stared at the three people she had never seen before.

Twinkle noticed and put in. "They're our friends. Just to make the place a little crowded. Meet Josh, Jelani and Miranda. Any one from your side?

"No." Simone answered.

Erica rolled her eyes.

"Hey Simone have a seat. We need to talk."

"Okay." She said and sat down listening to the upbeat song at the bar. Erica didn't even think. She just started talking.

"Mona, you need to change. We're fucking tired of you and your boring life. I mean, we can't even take you out or show you off. Cos of your way of life. You're too wierd. Too silent in a conversation. Your dress sense is off it. You need to change and if you don't change, we'll change you-"

She stopped to look at Simone's face. Expressionless...

"I'm sorry" Erica stammered.

Fortunately, Simone looked up and said

"When do we start?"

They took her out for shopping. Bought gowns, tops and all kinds of shoes. Later on, they stopped for dinner at a small restaurant.

When she went home, she felt different and swore to act differently.

For the first time in her life, Simone felt a twist in her stomach. What would she think of me? Is my dressing good? All this ran through her mind from the house to the car, to the steps of her mom's house, until she came to open the door.

"Simone? Is this you? What happened to your old clothes?"

"Mom, can't I change for a while?"

"Of course, baby. Come in."

She stepped inside, with her legs a little shaky. Mrs. Daniels offered her cookies and orange juice.

"I don't really have much food around." She smiled and said.

Mrs. Jane Daniels, a kind hearted woman with a warm smile. The complete opposite of her husband. A cruel businessman who always pictured his wife as a bad person. That explains why Simone took after him.

"So how are things, mom?"

"Things are starting to get better. I'm getting used to living alone. You know I will have to start living like that after the divorce..."

The divorce... It will definitely break the family apart even if it already did. It made Kiara, Simone's younger sister want to study in another country. And it made Simone an entirely different person. She was no longer the carefree girl she used to know. She was dull, stupid and boring. Simone was no longer the cutest girl that everyone knew in college. She had all the latest phones, clothes and boyfriends. Everything started to change . She always wore a sweatshirt and jeans. No more gowns and stuff... Maybe that's where the boredom started.

"Yeah. I understand, mom."

"So... you're going back to your former life?" Mrs. Daniels asked with a cheerful smile

"I hope so."

"Any boyfriends yet?"

"No. But I had people turn back and look at me." She giggled.

"That's my girl. You have to go back to that girl that always had something to say. the girl that had many wanting her."

"Mom, that's enough. I'm done talking about this."

"There you go. You're not at the office, okay?"

"I have to go now. Thanks for the snacks "

"Are you angry?" Mrs. Daniels asked.

"No I have to be somewhere."

"Okay. Goodbye."

Some went outside and shut the door behind her. She had a fresh breath of air. Something she missed doing. She let the breeze blow through her hair. Was what her mother saying true? Was she still business like? Well, now, all she needed to do was get herself a boyfriend.

Boyfriend...

Who would really like to take her? Not really a walk in the park.

*

Boyfriend...

Yeah, she knew the perfect person.

Andrei Fesser.

Her ex classmate. The one person she could trust. Upon the hundreds if boyfriends she had a few years ago during college, she always crushed on him. He was the cutest boy at college who didn't even care about dating her. He was more of her twin brother and knew her more than anyone else. They haven't been in touch after the graduation.

As she got down from her car, her heart started to race. Getting excited to see Andrei? Things really started changing for the better

Simone got up the stairs and memories started to replay in her mind. When she would dress her best just to do her homework with him. When she would skip lunch just for Andrei to teach her math. Even at school, she was always with him. Walking arm in arm. Maybe that's what made her relationships short lived.

She rapped the door but didn't get any response so she rang the doorbell instead.

Stupid; she thought, giggled and tapped her forehead slightly. Seconds later, when she was about to turn, the door opened. Before she would turn to look at who it was, Andrei remembered the ginger hair wavering towards blonde. He knows that perfume too.

"Simone?" He asked.