It was an unusual Saturday for Mia. Normally, Mia would always had something planned for her weekends, it was either going out with her friends, or bugging her brothers to take her out to play and have fun together.
But today, she was feeling so bored and empty, and she didn't like this feeling one bit!
After she went to Camellia Hotel to dress up Phoenix for Phoenix's 'meal' with her brother, she went to her design studio, hoping to get some work done. Her clothing brand that she had established was doing great so far, and she was happy with the result. Her brand not only has a fresh but unique design that attracted young people, but there was also some elegant and sophisticated design that was suitable for a high-class lady. This was due to her nature to easily mingle and befriended with all sorts of people and her observation towards them and how they present themselves.
She flipped on the few sketches that she had done since she came to the studio that morning. Since she hung out with Phoenix this past couple of weeks, she got some inspiration from looking at Phoenix temperament and personality, and it was just perfect for her label's new collection that she was going to lunch for next season.
Satisfied with the work that she had done for the day, she kept the sketches neatly into a folder, and locked it in her safety box for safekeeping. It was better to be safe than sorry.
Mia then stretched her limb to lose the strain in her muscles, stood up and walked to the large window that let her studio room to be illuminated by the natural light. Looking out the window, she observed each window of the opposite building. There was a ballet studio where little girls were practicing their routine, there was an all rainbow ice cream shop with a couple who was sharing a bowl of ice cream while feeding each other lovingly, there was a gym and yoga studio where men and women were busy working out and bending their body to test their flexibility. There was, a few other establishments opposite of her studio and Mia liked looking at this after she was tired of working for her design. There was a time when she was inspired by just looking at the different scenarios from her studio window.
Suddenly, Mia was washed with sadness. She was trying to avoid this feeling, that was why she had been hanging out with Phoenix. She was afraid of being alone and scared that the things that happened a couple of weeks ago would haunt her mind.
'The prettiest smiles hide the deepest secrets. The brightest eyes have cried the most tears. The kindest hearts have felt the most pain.'
That was an exaggeration for her situation, but nonetheless it was still true to what she was currently trying to do, hiding her real feeling that was paining her heart with the brightest and prettiest smile that she could offer.
When she was drugged and almost being defiled by strangers, she was scared to death, and those memories had been haunting her sleep. But she kept that a secret from her family and pulled herself together and pretended it did not affect her.
Her faith of believing that everyone was good and not evil crumbled when she eavesdropped on Katie and Lola's conversation. It was well known that she was someone who easily befriended others, but didn't mean she was closed to all of those people. She may seem like a naïve, pampered young miss of a wealthy family, but that didn't mean she was clueless of the fakeness that people show her.
From kindergarten till her high school, she had been enrolled in the best elite school that City M could offer and she was already familiar with all the rich and wealthy people in her circle and she had enough of them. She was not saying that everyone in the elite circle was bad, but maybe because she was shielded most of her life, she thought of breaking out of the norm and that was why she chose to enrolled in the University of City M, which catered to those students who came from public schools. Most children from wealthy families either went abroad to study or went to elite universities.
She was so happy when she got accepted at the University of City M, and when Katie and Lola approached her and made friends with her, she was overjoyed. She accepted their friendship with open arms and never thought that they were harbouring ill intention towards her. She was trying to keep a low profile, even changing her style, but little did she know that without having to say it out loud, people could guess that she came from money by how she carried herself and her elegant demeanor.
After some time, she put the thought of Katie and Lola at the back of her mind. She stops thinking about them and switches her thoughts by thinking about the people that were currently important in her life.
Her brother Ethan was taking his long-time girlfriend on a weekend getaway for their anniversary while her own brother was taking her new friend for a date. She liked to believe that it was a date and not a meal, just like Phoenix claimed.
Truthfully, she was surprised with Ashton's interest in Phoenix, since her brother was really sceptical with Phoenix at the beginning.
"I guess the sudden storm at Sunny Hill that day was a blessing in disguise, as it looked like that's how Ashton began to look at Phoenix differently. I'm excited to know how their day goes. I hope Ashton is taking Phoenix to a good place. He was so stingy to tell me about his plan today. Tch."
"If Ashton and Phoenix got together, maybe it's time for me to find a boyfriend for myself. I hope Phoenix will make Ashton occupied and he won't have time to scare away all the boys that want to be friends with me," Mia giggled happily.
She looked at the time and it was already way past lunchtime and her stomach started to growl, asking to be fed.
"I forgot I haven't had lunch. I'm so hungry." Mia rubbed her tummy, hoping to soothe her hungriness.
Mia looked around her studio and tidying up what was not in place, picked up her purse, walked out of her studio and locked it. She skipped towards the elevator while thinking of what she wanted to eat for today.
Walking to the side of the street, Mia scanned the restaurants along that street. There were so many choices that she felt overwhelmed. Lastly, she chose to enter a restaurant that served Indian cuisine after looking at the displayed menu.
The restaurant wasn't filled as it was not a mealtime, so she happily found a table that was beside the window.
'Poor me, everyone has someone to eat with while, I have to eat by myself.'
Mia looked around the restaurant to see if there was another soul that was as pitiful as her and her eyes lit up when she saw a man dressed in a black leather jacket and jeans sitting alone in the corner away from everyone else like he was trying to blend in with the shadow.
She couldn't see the man's face clearly and he didn't dress fancily or fashionably that makes people look at him twice, but he still managed to catch Mia's eyes.
There was an air of danger and mystery around the man, that made people shivered if anyone may look his way, but that aura seemed familiar for Mia and she was pulled towards the man and failed to divert her eyes away from him. Suddenly, the man turned his head towards Mia and their eyes locked for a second before a waitress came to take Mia's order and blocked Mia's view of the man. Mia was displeased by the sudden obstruction of her view and tilted her body to the side to take a peek at the man, but the table where the man was, was empty and the man had vanished.
She blinked her eyes repeatedly and searched around the restaurant, but didn't manage to find the man.
'Where did he go? How can he suddenly vanish?'
Her search was interrupted by the waitress, and Mia quickly gave out her order and kept looking around for the man.
'Attraction is only intense when mystery is involved. I guess the mysterious air around him makes me attracted to him, just like how Phoenix is.' Mia chuckled but then she shook her head furiously. 'What are you thinking, Mia? Snap out of it. What attraction? You only just had a glimpse of him. Are you that lonely?'
'Attraction is beyond our will or ideas sometimes' -Juliette Binoche.
Was it true? There must be a reason why we got attracted to someone or something, or was it really beyond our will and ideas? From attraction comes love, but attraction could be temporary, while love was a permanent attraction.