Julian: That’s great! If you haven’t eaten yet, would you wanna go out and get a bagel? I didn’t realize it until dropping you off, but you’re actually not too far from me. Was on my way and thought of you.
He thought of me? The idea of Julian thinking about her made a flash of heat go to her cheeks. A smile immediately appeared on her face as she typed away at her little screen.
Cierra: Sure. I’m starving.
That was a lie. She was almost never hungry until later in the day, but she didn’t want to seem too excited.
Julian: Cool. Does 30 min give you enough time?
Cierra: That’s perfect, see you soon
In the following half hour, Cierra showered, combed through her mass of hair, and tried on six different outfits in record time. Mia had come out of her bedroom, likely because of the noises coming from the clanking of hangers and pattering of footsteps Cierra had been making.
Mia entered Cierra’s room, bewildered at the sight of bags and shoes and clothes thrown about the room.
“It looks like your wardrobe exploded. What happened in here?”
“Nothing, just getting ready to go out.”
“Going out? On a Sunday? With who?” Mia asked somewhat accusingly. Then, with a huge smile, “That cute guy you were sitting by last night at the party?”
“Who? Oh,” Cierra said, remembering Erik. “No, not him. Besides, I think I’m gonna get a job with his brother.”
“His brother? How do you know that guy’s brother?”
Cierra shook her head, getting confused at the various lines of questioning. “I’m getting bagels with Julian. That’s who I’m going out with. The room is a mess because I couldn’t figure out what to wear.”
“Oh! That’s fun. Very wholesome. Maybe he could spread a little cream cheese—”
“Mia!” Cierra exclaimed.
“You’re no fun,” her friend said with a pout, taking a seat on top of the clothes-covered bed. “Alright, so you’re going out with Julian. Bagels. Got it. But what were you saying about the cute guy’s brother and a job?”
Cierra went to answer, but the ringtone for the apartment alarmed. Mia answered it.
“Yes . . . Yes, she’ll be right down. Uh, huh . . . Yes, thanks, John,” Cierra heard her friend say into the apartment’s security intercom.
“Alright, uh, how do I look?” Cierra asked, smoothing her shirt and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Like a toasted bagel ready to get shmeared,” Mia answered, with a lick of the lips.
“I really can’t with you sometimes,” Cierra teased, before grabbing her bag and hugging her friend goodbye.
“Bye!! Make good choices and be safe!!” Mia called to Cierra as the elevator door closed.
In the lobby, Julian was looking sharp in form-fitting athletic shorts and a crisp white tee. After giving her a hug and starting on their walk to the bagel shop, Julian joked, “You forgot to mention you’re hidden royalty or something.”
“Huh? Oh,” Cierra said, realizing it must have been a shock to pick her up at Mia’s ultra-luxe apartment building. “I’m stayingat my friend Mia’s place right now. Remember her? From the night we all met?”
“Oh yeah, I remember her. Never bad to have connections in high places.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Cierra said.
“So, you said you have an interview coming up? What for?” he asked with genuine curiosity.
“Well, it’s actually for something I’ve never done before. At the dinner party last night, I met this woman named Zelda. She’s a cofounder for a fashion app called Sincha? Ever heard of it?”
“Sincha? Hmm, why does that name sound so familiar?”
