AFLOAT SEASON 1 Ep. 7

"Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness" 

James Thurber

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Who could have told Brad about my love for fashion designs? Something was definitely off.

“Do you like Chinese?”

Chinese? I snapped out of my thoughts and tried to figure out what the man was talking about. What has my feelings for the Chinese got to do with anything?
"Does it matter?"

He laughed lightly and turned on the Ac of his car before driving off. The cool air calmed my rattled  and skeptical nerves but my stomach was beginning to hurt from the self imposed fast.

“You mentioned you were hungry so I was thinking we could get some Chinese food before going to pick up the costumes.”

My frown deepened as I re-arranged my backpack at my feet. Mr. Brad had obviously fallen under the category of people who presumed that I was a naïve teenager or a dumb girl.  I used to blame my petite looks or blank face for that misconception but I was no longer petite as was confirmed by my full length mirror the last time I viewed my unclad figure.

“You don’t like Chinese? We could get Pizza or any of the stuff you girls love having, like Ice cream...?”

His tactless comments were beginning to irritate me. I found them insulting and a subtle way of calling me dumb.

“I think we should just pick up the costumes so I can head out.” I said in a tone which I expected would drive home my state of mind. 

“I am actually hungry so, we will do Chinese.”

Now I was really pissed off. Why ask for my opinion when he had made up his mind? My heart rate increased with the sudden surge of anger which I forcefully restrained so as to avoid doing anything my mother would find appalling and call “unladylike.” 

I felt the car slowing down so I looked in his direction. He flashed a blinding smile at me, one I guessed would have charmed Mabel or any of the other girls. Sorry Brad, you're not my type, I thought as the car stopped. I noticed he had parked in front of a row of shops; one of the several projects the Chairman was handling with my brother Alex. 

Brad pushed open his door and got down. I refused to move a limb so he came over to my side and opened the door as if we were on a date.

“I promise not to waste your time. Come on, Please?” His smile was unwavering.
Swallowing the lump suddenly blocking my throat, I alighted from the car simply because I wanted to get the whole arrangement over with. Being in Brad’s presence was becoming a torture of some sort and I was beginning to regret agreeing to help him.

The door opened the momet we got close and we stepped into a warm and dimly lit room with few paper lanterns hanging from the roof, casting warm amber lights on soft red and gold silk tapestries gracing the walls. This was definitely not a tailors shop nor a fashion house, my brain buzzed.

"What's going on? What is this place?" I asked, utterly confused and suspicious.

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