As Camila sat, the couch beneath her felt heavy, weighed down by Emily's situation. It was a long wait for Emily, who soon appeared at the foot of the stairs, outfitted in joggers that were well - worn, and a face adorned with make - up that seemed to be a mask for her inner turmoil.
Camilla's gaze lingered on Emily's face, studying every detail. Emily grew self - conscious, her usual lack of make - up making her feel exposed to Camilla's observant eyes.
"If you keep staring at me like that, you'll bore holes into my skin," she joked, but her words were tinged with unease.
Camilla flashed a warm smile, her expression softening as she spoke.
"You look good, Emily," Camilla commented, her words sincere and genuine.
"I appreciate the complement, but I only put on some make - up to perk myself up," Emily replied, a playful glint in her eyes.
"Are you sure you're alright to go?" Camilla asked, concern and affection in her voice.
"I'm out of here," Emily declared, making her way to the table.
"Not without me, you're not," Camilla said, joining Emily.
Emily grabbed the document and everything from the table and made her way to the door, Camilla close behind her. She took a moment to pause, looking back at the cozy house as she locked the door.
The two women stepped into the cab, a sense of anticipation in the air as they made their way to the Golden Oak Letter Station. As they pulled up to the station, Emily's heart felt heavy.
They entered the building, the air filled with the smell of envelopes and stamps. A short while later, they emerged, their mission accomplished. They stepped back into the cab, as they headed home.
"Pardon me, Emily," Camilla began in a sincere tone.
"Would it trouble you to make a brief detour to the nearby establishment, Bella's Bagels To Go? I am hoping to acquire a quick meal that we might take with us home. I was suppose to have a meal at your residence, but circumstances have changed. Nevertheless, the place of business is not too distant from your house, and we can easily walk from there to your house."
"Absolutely," Emily replied with a warm smile.
Camilla's face lit up as she took Emily's hand, grateful for a friend like Emily. Then they stopped at Bella's Bagels To Go and picked up their take - away food for her and Emily. Even though Emily protected, Camilla insisted that she would need it.
Emily and Camilla ambled home, the delicious aroma of warm bagels still clinging on their garments. As they traversed the street, a voice reverberated behind them, but Emily adamantly declined to look back.
Her gait was resolute, her gaze fixed unwavering ahead, as if to fend off whatever pursued her. Camilla turned to see who had called out, her expression etched with disquiet.
"It's Fred," Camilla whispered softly, a note of apprehension in her voice.
"What could he possibly want?" Emily replied.
"I thought he was dating Casey now. That's what she told me," Camilla responded as they continued walking.
As Fred sprinted towards them, they came to a stop, their bodies tense with anticipation.
"Hi Emily, how are you. Er...you don't usually wear makeup on a regular day," Fred exclaimed, his voice tinged with suspicion.
"What do you want?" Emily asked.
"Nothing, just checking in on a friend," Fred replied, his tone deceptively calm.
"Well, I'm fine, as you can see," Emily said.
"But you don't look it," Fred countered, his gaze fixed on her.
"Everything's fine," Camilla said, as she gently too Emily's hand.
Just as they were about to pass by, Fred reached out and caught Emily's other hand.
"What?" Emily exclaimed, alarm bells ringing in her head.
"What's the ring on your finger?" He inquired, his voice probing.
She yanked her hand from his grasp, her cheeks flushed with indignation.
"It's none of your concern," she retorted, her voice as sharp as a blade.
"Why don't you just leave her alone and focus on your girlfriend?" Camilla suggested, her tone firm but polite.
"If you must know, I'm engaged now," Emily retorted, her voice quivering with barely concealed rage.
He stood there, speechless, his mouth agape. The two women walked away their shoulders tensed, their steps brisk.
"Engaged? When did this happen? How could I have been oblivious?" Fred questioned himself, his thoughts spinning in turmoil.
"That means she's getting married, doesn't it?" He continued, a sense of loss and bewilderment settling over him.
He turned and walked away, his movement were deliberate and ponderous, as if wading through a sea of uncertainty, his mind whirling as he tried to make sense of it all. And all he was sure was that, Emily's hasn't been herself since the past week.
The moment they reached Emily's doorstep, they were both reeling from the encounter.
"I'm sorry we ran into him, if I hadn't insisted we walk we wouldn't have come across him," Camila apologized, her brow furrowed with concern.
"It's okay, he needed to know anyways," Emily said, a touch of resignation in her voice.
"How about we get some ice cream? That might lift your spirits," Camilla offered, a hopeful smile on her face.
"Thanks, Cami, but all I want to do is sleep," Emily replied, her exhaustion evident in her voice.
They walked inside, and Camilla couldn't help but notice the weariness in Emily's body language.
"Please eat something before you go to bed," Camilla implored, her tone gentle but firm.
"I do not desire nourishment, I simply yearn for solitude," Emily responded, her tone brooking no argument.
"Okay, I'll leave some food here, you can heat it up if you feel hungry later," Camilla conceded, her eyes filled with concern.
"Thanks," Emily answered.
"You're welcome, Em," Camilla said, a soft smile on her face. "Everything will be fine, I promise," she added, her voice filled with reassurance.
Emily sighed, relief evident in her features, and she wrapped her arms around Camilla in a tight embrace.
"Thank you, Camilla," Emily said, releasing her friend from the embrace.
"I should be going now, but I might come back to check on you later," Camilla said, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "And please, don't be too hard on yourself," she added, her tone warm and compassionate.
"I won't, I'll be alright," Emily relied, a small but genuine smile on her face.
Emily locked the door behind Camilla as she left, then made her way to her bedroom. She removed her makeup and changed into a comfortable outfit, then she laid on her bed and reflected on her life.
As she lay in bed, her thoughts swirling through her mind, she could feel her eye lids growing heavy. Slowly, her thoughts drifted away as sleep began to take hold. Her body sank into the mattress, and she let herself drift into slumber.
As Emily's eyes fluttered open, she realised that the room was growing dim. "Have I really been asleep that long?" She murmured, her voice still thick with sleep.
She reached for her phone, squinting as she read the time: 6:50pm. She couldn't believe she had slept through the afternoon. As she sat up, she noticed a new message from Camilla.
"I'm so sorry, something came up and I couldn't make it," the message read. "I promise to make it up to you. Please make sure you eat something, okay?"
With her finger, she quickly typed out a response. "Yes, ma'am!" She replied, the smile on her face reflected in her words. She hit "send" and put her phone down.
Emily made her way down the stairs, she opened the fridge and pulled out the food Camilla had left. She popped it in the microwave, the whirring sound filling the silent kitchen.
The aroma of hot food soon filled the room, making her stomach grumble. In no time, it was ready and she sat at the table, relishing the silence as she savored each bite of her meal. After finishing, she took a deep breath and made her way to the living room.
She turned on the television, the screen flickering to life. The glow of the screen illuminated the otherwise dark room.
"Emily, remember to be strong. You made the right choice, so just have faith that everything will work out for the best," she told herself, trying to quell the doubts in her mind.
With that, she made a conscious effort to push the situation from her mind and focus on the present moment. There was no use dwelling on what couldn't be changed. She thought about the project she would be submitting the next day, a sense of pride welling up within her.
"I've worked so hard on this, and I'm not going to let anything get in the way of my dreams," she told herself, her resolve strengthening.
She realised that she still had her ambitions and goals to focus on, even if her love life didn't go as planned. She was ready to tackle whatever life had in store for her.
The next morning, she rose early and began getting ready for class. She gathered her projects and packed them in her bag, making sure everything was in order. After getting dressed and having breakfast, she set off with a feeling of anticipation for the day ahead.
As soon as she stepped through the school gates, she noticed something was different. The usually quiet campus was bustling with activity, students were hurrying to and fro, their faces a mix of excitement and anxiety.
Then, she spotted Alexis, a classmate from her course, waving at her from across the quad while walking up to her.
"Hi, Emily!" Alexis said with a wide smile.
"Glad you're finally here - I've been waiting for you."
"What's going on?" Emily asked, her curiosity piqued by the bustling campus.
"You haven't heard?" Alexis asked, a look of surprise on her face.
"No, I haven't!" Emily replied, her confusion growing.
"That's why I have been waiting for you," Alexis replied. "You're not going to believe this!"
"What is it?" Emily asked, her interest piqued.
"Nicole Novak is here!" Alexis exclaimed, her voice full of excitement.
"What?" Emily gasped, her eyes widening in surprise.
"I know right?" Alexis said, her face alight with glee.
"That's not even the part," Alexis said, leaning in conspiratorially. "She's here with her team."
"Wow!" Emily exclaimed, her mind reeling from the news.
"Yes, and they're in the director's office right now!" Alexis exclaimed.
"OMG, What? Nicole Novak, Asterisk university" Emily said in awe.