Chapter 1
Him & Her
As I am sitting here just opposite my fiancé in our favorite café, I am looking outside the glass at a crimson leaf falling through crisp. Mind that this café is all covered with transparent glasses and the ambiance is just cozy and perfect just the way we like it. And this is one of the many reasons for us choosing this place so often to meet up during our lunchtime. I used to like the Autumn season, it was my favorite because three years back on this day Henry proposed to me…
“Serena, Serena, Serena Jesus I have been calling out your name for a while”, Henry reached out for my cold pale hands saying that.
“Oh, I’m really sorry Hen, I was lost quite a bit into my own thought”.
“Why babe? Have the workers been stressing you out that much lately?”, Henry gave a concerning look holding my hands firmly.
“No, it’s just that this project that I am working on is taking up a lot of my mind and energy than I thought it would.” I realize that I have been using this excuse too much lately.
“Aww, babe hope it will be over sooner. Then we could go on a trip that we have been planning forever. Yeah?”
Serena smiled “OK”
We chatted for a while discussing our mundane routine and our plans after work today as it’s our anniversary. Originally, we planned to go on a vacation to celebrate our anniversary but in the end, both of us got swamped in our work. And so here we are planning our anniversary in the middle of our break. Not that I am complaining about it. We could spend this day casually and I would have been fine with that. But Henry wants this night to be special for both of us. He always does something grand on our special day. Like last year he booked a yacht for just the two of us and decorated the thing with the most romantic outlay I’ve ever seen in my life. It was so dreamy and beautiful and thought what I did to deserve a man like this.? He was the first person who made me feel special and loved, not just on our special day but most of the days in our life. He could handle me in my worst mental state and not give up on me. My whole life changed when I met this person for the first time in my life at this café. Lots of good memories of our is attached to this café. He breathe me back to life from the dark tunnel that was my life. I used to think like this before, but now I’m haven’t appreciated Hen's presence in my life often in my heart. The reason you will know it soon enough.
“I will catch up with you later Serry. Love you” he kissed my cheek and we both departed to our work.
On my way to work, I felt quite dizzy due to two reasons. One is genuinely the pressure of completing the project within the deadline and the other is the person I’m working with. I was running towards the elevator as I was already late and it was about to close and I yelled out “please hold on” and as I stepped in I was gasping for the air and my breathing was very abnormal. After my breathing was on track, I looked up and I saw HER, the person that’s been on my mind lately. As soon as I realized it was her, I felt the most excruciating pain in my heart. It was very awkward for both of us because of a couple of nights before. I should have said something sooner to break this silence and awkwardness between both of us but before I could say something, She faced me and mumbled “Hi, I know this is new for you, but could you please talk with me in private later?” I didn’t know what response should I give to her. She’s been on my mind a lot lately and I too wanted to have that talk with her but not today. I don’t have to do this today on our anniversary day. So as much as I wanted to say yes, I politely declined her request. “Not today, maybe tomorrow. Is that fine with you?”. I know she was not happy with my response as I could clearly see her disapproval in her expression and the way she replied with “OK”. I stepped out first and went into my desk in a hurried way and immediately started working on my project. As I was increasing my pace I could feel her glance at my shoulder and I was so driven to not look back at her
