Where Fate leads you.....

Rose POV

"Rose, rise and shine!" Mary's stern voice jolted me awake.

"You've got 10 seconds before Emily douses you with that water bucket!"

I cracked open one eye to see Mary brushing her hair into a ponytail, while Emily stood ready with the water. I yawned, rubbing my eyes.

"You two are a dynamic duo of torture. Can't I sleep a bit longer?"

Mary glared at me.

"You can deal with Mr. Danielle's kick in your teeth's later, right". She gave me full teeth smile. Emily chimed in, her voice dripping with drama.

"Yeah, you can handle his hour-long lecture... with his foot in your mouth, right?" She flashed me a cheeky grin.

I rolled my eyes, tossing the covers aside. "You know I'm terrified of his lectures."

I quickly showered, changed into comfy jeans and a scoop top with a jacket on, and curled my hair into a half-up knot. A light makeup touch-up later, I was presentable.

We skipped breakfast and rushed to university, taking the stairs since our shining elevator was off-limits to us.

"Why do we even pay to study here?" I muttered, frustrated.

As we hauled ourselves up the stairs, Emily was about to pass out, and Mary was straight-up leaning on me like I was a human crutch. I was like,

"Girl, I gotchu, but can you please take some of that weight off my shoulder? I'm not exactly the Rock, you know?"

I drag Em by pulling her by elbow and I said "Come on, girls, or Mr. Danielle will eat us alive!" We hastened our pace, passing two corridors before reaching our classroom. Mr. Danielle's piercing gaze awaited us. We slipped inside, trying to catch our breath.

The lecture was mind-numbingly dull. I had to shake Emily awake multiple times. "Focus, Em!" After an eternity, the lecture ended, and we stumbled out.

Over sandwiches and coffee, Emily launched into a detailed account of her toxic boyfriend and their daily fights. Mary and I exchanged a knowing look: "Girl, you're so extra." We savored the gossip, enjoying the drama-filled story.

As Emily talked, I thought, "Girl, you'll be stuck with him forever if you don't break up now." Mary chimed in, "Yeah, Em, you were happier single." Emily shot back,

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Girl, you were living your best life when you were single!" Mary spilled the tea.

I nodded in agreement, my eyes sparkling with mischief. "Let's get you to dump that toxic trash, Em!"

And she's like,

"Where there's love, there's fight!"

(Gosh I really hate that karma of her)

We both gazed at Emily, who shot us a side-eye before we burst into laughter.

I was dying over there, my stomach hurting from giggling so hard.

But for real, breaking up after five years was no joke. We were low-key praying for Emily to finally kick that loser to the curb.

Finally the day arrived, and Mary and I were hyped, skipping our break to wait for her breakup. Emily was going toe-to-toe with her boyfriend, and we were living for it.

I was so over Emily's constant crying about him, obsessing over his last seen status, and stalking him online like a creeper. I was hella relieved when she finally decided to leave him.

After hours of waiting, Mary and I were exhausted, leaning on each other like we were about to pass out.

"If we die today, Em, it's on you, girl!" we joked, waiting for her call to end.

But that call was taking forever, and we found ourselves walking down the corridors again, listening to Emily vent about her ex's latest BS.

I was so done with his toxic antics and Emily's drama.

Mary and I exchanged a look, threw on our headphones, and enjoyed the sweet silence, grateful for each other's company and similar tastes in music.

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Two years passed

Emily's relationship drama continued with our continued playful banter with her along with our studies.

We were organizing an event, and I was nervous about being the guest guide. Mary handled arrangements, while Emily enjoyed the chaos.

The event got cancelled once, but we finally prepared everything, and the chief guest arrived.

I got ready early, wearing a chic blue shirt and white pants, my hair in a ponytail, and minimal makeup. Mary stunned in a green frock, her hair curled and tied up. Emily relaxed and enjoyed the show.

As I waited for the guest to arrive, I felt nervous despite knowing I'd do great as always. I took deep breaths, reminding myself to stay calm and professional. I put on my earbuds, listening to something relaxing. After 10 minutes, I was composed and ready to shine. When the Range Rover pulled up

I muttered to myself, "Time to slay this Rose!"

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As the car door opened, a handsome figure emerged, his movements graceful like a cat stretching in the sun. His chiseled features and broad shoulders seemed to glide out of the vehicle, radiating confidence.

Mr. Ivan's tailored blue suit hugged his muscular physique, accentuating the broad shoulders and razor-sharp jawline that seemed carved by the gods themselves. A few rebellious strands of hair danced on his forehead, framing piercing ice-blue eyes that could freeze water at a hundred paces.

I shook off the thought, focusing on my task before I turned into a puddle of fan-girl goo.

"Hello, Mr. Ivan. I'm Roselyn Foster, your guide for today's event." I greeted him with a bright, professional smile, trying to ignore the rumors about his razor-sharp tongue and icy demeanor.

As he turned to me, his gaze was like a cold slap on a winter morning – it left me breathless and wondering if I'd just been transported to the Arctic Circle.

His eyes seemed to bore into my soul, searching for secrets I didn't even know I kept. I activated my "walking ice" mode, determined to remain unbothered by his behavior, even if it killed me.

We shook hands, and I felt a chill from his cold grasp, like he'd just stored his hands in the freezer for a quick pick-me-up.

His stern expression could curdle milk at a hundred feet, but I refused to let it affect me.

I maintained my composure, guiding him through the event with ease and professionalism, all while thinking,

"You can't scare me, Mr. Ivan. I've dealt with worse – like my caffeine-deprived morning self."

As we walked, I couldn't help but notice his continued stare, like he was trying to unravel the mysteries of the universe through my mere mortal presence.

It was both unnerving and intriguing, like watching a thunderstorm approach – you knew it could be a refreshing breeze or something far more worse. I kept my cool, though, even when his eyes seemed to say,

"I'm watching you, Roselyn. Don't even think about blinking."

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. In my mind I was like Why me? Why? 

I was far more unconformable from his stare its like I even hold my breath. Thinking maybe he came to know amount of quick breaths I'm taking. Oh I find it embarrassing.

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