As another day in the office dragged on, everything felt like a monotonous loop, each one blurring into the next. The job was strangely undemanding lately, and I couldn’t help but wonder if my boss knew I was planning to ask for another raise. Maybe that’s why he was withholding tasks—waiting for me to regain my focus before unloading a mountain of work on me. Whispers echoed through the building about how he was the most ruthless boss around—smart, strict, and utterly devoid of mercy. “How does a guy like him even get married?” I wondered. It’s a mystery my coworkers love to gossip about. Even pigs somehow find companionship, I thought, rolling my eyes.

But love? Why am I letting such thoughts invade my focus? I force myself back to the screen, fingers tapping furiously against the keys as the sun sinks lower, casting long shadows across my desk. Exhausted, but happy that the day was over, I finally dragged myself home, the weariness clinging to me like a heavy shroud.

I checked my phone on the way home, scrolling through my messages to see if Maria had sent me anything. These days, my focus is always on my phone. It was strange—after all, it had been ages since I last added a new contact. For the longest time, I didn’t even see the point of owning a phone. After my parents’ incident, there wasn’t much of a reason, aside from keeping in touch with work. But now... now, there was something different, a new reason to keep it close. This time, it was more personal.

As I approach my apartment, I catch a glimpse of someone lurking nearby. It’s him—the neighbor from the other day… Ummm the other day ? Know that I realized He rarely let himself be seen. Is he hiding from someone? I don’t know, and honestly, I don’t care. I’m too tired to delve into anyone else’s drama; I just want to shower.

Stepping into my sanctuary, I peel off the layers of my work persona and let the hot water cascade over me, steam enveloping me in a comforting embrace. I can’t shake the thought that in just two days, I’ll have a date.

" That was nice, I needed that shower " as I look to the mirror, more relaxed.

The days seem to improve, I thought and the shower calmed my sense yet my mind only wanders continuously, spiraling into anxiety. When will my boss reveal his true face? What if the date goes wrong? Am I destined to slurp instant noodle soup for the rest of my life? “NOOO!” I scream, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. The sound echoes, and I realize I’ve probably startled the neighbors. “I just hope they don’t knock at my door,” I mutter to myself.

As the minutes stretch into eternity, I decide to calm down. “Nobody even came,” I sigh, battling the creeping feeling of loneliness. “I guess nobody cares about me.” But why am I succumbing to this weakness? I shake my head, forcing myself to refocus. “Come on, Elysia. Whether it’s a date or not, you’re strong. You can’t expect strangers to take care of you like Mom and Dad did…”

I blink back tears, taking a deep breath. “You can do this! Just like you always have.”

Just then, a sharp knock breaks my concentration. My heart races as I realize I’m still in a towel. Panic surges through me, and I hurriedly throw on some pants and a shirt before rushing to the door. What if it’s the police? I need to clear up this misunderstanding quickly.

I swing the door open, apologetic and flustered. “Sorry to bring you here, officers! I screamed because I hit my toe on a toy brick.” My voice trembles with embarrassment as I avert my gaze.

Silence hangs in the air, thick with tension, until I finally muster the courage to look up. Instead of policemen, it’s my weird neighbor, his inexpressiveness. He stares at me, seemingly processing my words, but then he just steps back , clearly not interested in my explanation.

“Ey, wait! Why are you—what?” I stammer, confused by his sudden retreat. He glances over his shoulder, his expression shifting from curiosity to an odd mix of caution and disinterest, before he walks away without a word.

I closed the door, leaning against it in confusion.” What a weird guy.” Shaking it off, I decide to just go to bed. Tomorrow is another day, and I have a date to worry about.

My phone rings with a tone message

“ Ely, tomorrow he will be in your door house, can you send me your address”

“ Sure “ I sent her the address from my apartment

“Okay,” I texted her my address before deciding to take a shower and have something to eat. I needed the energy for tomorrow. Eating noodle soup again was painful on my tongue, but the thought of enjoying real food tomorrow made the discomfort fade away.

After cleaning my dishes, I slipped into my special pajamas, a little charm for good luck in the morning. “Good, now to prepare my clothes for tomorrow.”

I checked the weather on my phone. It would be sunny but not too hot. I decided on a melon-colored skirt paired with a light denim jacket in case we stayed out until the afternoon. A cute hat would complete the look. Should I take my purse as an accessory? I liked it, even if it was empty; I had bought it simply because I loved the design. With a sigh, I thought, “I’ll toss a few dollars in there just in case.”

Feeling my eyes grow heavy, I turned off the light and settled into bed, falling asleep almost immediately, until the next day.

CLANK CLANK

“Hmm, a few more minutes…”

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Clank clank

I jolted awake. “Today is my day…” Turning on the water heater, I moved to the bathroom to splash my face.

Clank clank

“Who’s bothering me this morning with a car horn?” Sweat beaded on my forehead.

“Where’s my phone?” The ringing cut through the haze. “Unknown number?” I answered.

“Hey, you’re Elysia, right? I’m Joseph. I’m here for our date. I thought Maria told you that I was supposed to pick you up at your house. I was worried something happened since I didn’t see you outside at the agreed time."

"No, I’m fine! I’ll be there in 5 minutes!" I lied, glancing at the clock. 10 AM. My heart sank. How had I slept through my alarm? " As I look at my phone I can see my mistake. Oh no, I set it for 10 PM by accident," I whispered to myself, panic setting in.

I leapt out of bed, diving into my closet, tossing clothes around like I was in the middle of a storm. Jeans or a skirt? Casual or dressy? Why hadn’t I planned this earlier? "God, I don’t have time for makeup," I groaned, hurriedly throwing on the first decent outfit I could find. "Where’s my purse?" I practically shouted, frustration bubbling as I searched for it.

"Nooo!" I yanked it out from under a pile of clothes, spilling the contents everywhere. It took me 20 minutes—20 whole minutes!—to scramble everything together before I finally rushed down the stairs, trying to catch my breath and calm my racing thoughts.

I stepped outside, almost missing the fact that there was a car parked in front of my house. But when I did, my eyes widened in shock. "No way!" I gasped. That’s a Tisla. The kind of car that turns heads just by existing, sleek, shiny, and futuristic. It was the latest model too, I could tell. They call these electric cars, right?

I tried to keep my cool, but I was already rehearsing lines in my head. I’d have to pretend I knew something about it if he started talking about cars. Smiling awkwardly, I walked towards the car, still buzzing with nerves. Today was definitely going to be interesting.

I watched as a tall man emerged from the vehicle. With striking green hair and matching green eyes, he carried himself with a confidence that was hard to ignore. His clothes were impeccable—better than anything I’d seen, even on my boss. What kind of people does Maria hang out with?

“Hello, Elysia. I’m Joseph.” He approached, opening the door for me. Wow. “Wow,” I let slip. I had never encountered such a gentleman.

“Get in.” I nodded and entered the car. Everything was spotless—not just the exterior, which reflected Joseph's pristine image, but the interior as well. This felt too good to be true. Still, if Maria knew him, maybe he really was the real deal.

He started the engine. “Would you like to get some breakfast? You might be hungry.”

I blushed. I'd rather skip to the fun part of our date than highlight the fact that I hadn’t had breakfast yet. “Oh, no, I already ate.”

“Are you sure? It seemed like you just woke up when I called you.”

I hesitated. “Actually… I’m thirsty instead.”

“Sure thing. Sebastian?”

To my surprise, a figure emerged from the back of the car. “Yes, Lord.”

Wait—what? Where did he come from? Was he there the whole time? Sebastian? A butler? How?

“Sebastian, I’ve told you many times, just ‘Joseph’ is fine.”

“Yes, Mr. Joseph.”

It was then I noticed that in each seat, there was a hidden panel with a keyboard to type a password. Sebastian pressed a combination, and a compartment opened from the seat.

“Ambient or cold, Mr. Joseph?” the butler asked.

Joseph turned to me. “What do you prefer, Elysia?”

“Cold would be better.”

Instead of handing the drink directly to me, the butler passed it to Joseph, who then offered it to me with a smile. “Here you go.”

“Thanks, Joseph.”

“Let’s head to the coast,” he said, starting the car

“The coast?” I asked, curious.

“Yes. The restaurants here are good, but not as good as what Sebastian can prepare with premium meat in front a beautiful beach ”

Wait—premium meat? I just met this guy, and he's already treating me like royalty. This was way beyond what I expected. I appreciated the effort, but wasn't this a bit too much?

“Wait, premium meat? What’s that?”

“The most skilled chefs handpick cows, and they cut the meat at perfect angles to ensure the highest quality. These cows are one in a million. Isn’t that exciting?” His enthusiasm was contagious.

I smiled, seeing how much he was into it though. “Yes, it is! I’m curious now. I’ve had meat before, but I’ve never heard of premium meat. You can’t wait to try it too, huh?” I teased, giving his arm a playful nudge.

“Ah… I’ve had it before,” Joseph replied with a modest smile. My excitement faded—I’d hoped for something special, something unique we could share together.

“Oh, that’s too bad. Maybe we could try something new? Something you’ve never had before?” I suggested, trying to salvage the moment.

He thought for a second. “Hmmm, I don’t usually eat anything that messes with my diet, but okay… let’s order pizza.”

Pizza? My mood instantly lifted. I loved pizza. Before I could say anything, he leaned back in his seat, casually instructing, “Sebastian, order at least twelve pizzas from Italy. Make sure they’re delivered by our private jet, as quickly as possible.”

My smile froze in confusion. Private jet? Did he really say that, or was I still half-asleep? Sebastian, unbothered, was already texting someone.

“They’ll be here this afternoon, Mr. Joseph,” Sebastian confirmed.

“Great, thanks. Well, maybe eating pizza by the coast isn’t the best idea. Any suggestions on where we should go instead?” Joseph asked, turning back to me.

“Let’s go to a park. Something nearby. We could take a walk and just chat for a while,” I said, hoping for something low-key.

“Chat?” He raised an eyebrow. “But if you’d like, I can arrange entertainment.”

I shook my head, smiling. “No, just a simple chat. Look.” I pointed out the window toward a sign that read Muse Park. “There’s a park right there.”

“Muse Park it is.” He gave a small nod and redirected the car toward the exit.

But as soon as we pulled into the parking lot, regret washed over me. The "park" was a children’s playground—full of noise and activity. So much for peaceful conversation.