"You're joking right?" Zoe looked at her with the widest eyes Rosel had ever seen. Flora, on the other hand, sank into the cushioned seat of the ice cream shop.
Gathering another huge spoonful of salted honey ice cream into her mouth, Rosel wished she could simply crawl into a hole and disappear.
Acting as if she was on the verge of fainting, Flora muttered, "Of all timings he could have showed up. He showed up when we were talking about setting you up with someone?"
"Unbelievable. Just ridiculous," Zoe added, her voice filled with disbelief.
Her two friends seemed to be in more distress than she was. Rosel had opted for the simpler solution: eat ice cream and ignore the world.
"Why are you so calm?" Zoe demanded, her gaze fixed on Rosel.
Flora waved her hands weakly. "She's decided to go into hibernation mode and erase the past twenty minutes from her memory."
Rosel nodded happily, her spoon scraping the bottom of her now-empty ice cream cup. A contented sigh escaped her lips as she savoured the final, creamy bite. Zoe, on the other hand, was a study in contrasting emotions. Her eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, held a hint of disappointment.
"Fate, destiny, or cosmic joke," Zoe muttered, her voice barely audible. "Pick one."
Flora, ever the mediator, tried to lighten the mood. "So, what's the game plan now, Rosel?" Her voice was laced with concern, but her eyes held a glimmer of hope.
Rosel's gaze drifted off into the distance, a dreamy look in her eyes. A stark contrast to the sharp intellect that usually characterised her. "I don't know," she replied slowly, her voice barely a whisper. "Maybe it was just a fleeting encounter. A cosmic blip."
Zoe and Flora exchanged incredulous glances. Had their friend, the brilliant chemist, truly lost her mind? Rosel was a woman of logic, a problem-solver who could dissect a complex equation with ease. Yet, in matters of the heart, or perhaps something more, she seemed to have lost her compass.
Zoe groaned and slumped back in her chair. "This is hopeless," she declared, throwing her hands up in exasperation. She knew Rosel when she was determined. Once she set her mind on something, there was no turning back. And the worst part? This wasn't a chemical equation or a complex experiment. This was...well, it was something entirely different, and it was throwing them all for a loop.
The sweetness of the ice cream seemed to have lost its appeal. The world, suddenly, felt a little less bright.
Days turned into weeks as life resumed its monotonous rhythm for Rosel. The familiar routine of waking up, breakfast, work, and the lab became her solace. The sterile environment of the laboratory was a welcome escape from the chaos of her thoughts. She immersed herself in her work, the precise measurements and controlled experiments providing a sense of order in a world that felt increasingly uncertain .Donning her lab coat and personal protective equipment, Rosel hummed as she opened her laboratory notebook to get started on her experiments planned. It was just another day.
Her love for her job was a well-known fact. Since adolescence, chemistry had been her constant companion. The structured world of molecules and reactions provided an escape from the complexities of human interaction. Graduating with honours from a top local university with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry had been a natural progression. Now, as a researcher and product developer for a major skincare corporation, she lived out her professional dreams. The thrill of discovery, the satisfaction of crafting innovative solutions, fueled her ambition. Recognition and promotions came swiftly, a testament to her unwavering dedication.
Three months had passed since the unexpected encounter. Time, as they say, heals all wounds, and Rosel had convinced herself that this was one wound that had scabbed over. But life, with its uncanny ability to introduce plot twists, had other plans.
"Rosel, there's a new project," her boss announced, her voice carrying a note of excitement. "I want you to lead the research team. We'll be partnering with Locke."
A surge of adrenaline coursed through Rosel. New projects were always stimulating, a chance to explore uncharted territories. "Of course," she replied, her voice steady, masking the internal excitement. "When is the meeting?"
"This Friday at 3 pm," her boss confirmed.
Curiosity piqued, Rosel turned to her computer. A quick search revealed Locke to be a prominent marketing and outreach firm with a substantial portfolio. The company seemed reputable, and the prospect of collaborating with such a large organisation was intriguing. As she scrolled through the company website, her gaze fell on a familiar name.
CEO, Mr. Jun Yale.
The world seemed to slow down. A cold dread crept into her system. It couldn't be. She stared at the name, a name etched into the recesses of her memory. The man from ten years ago. The man from three months ago. Her first love.