I listen to the soft sound of rain falling down to the ground below. Laike City is particularly lovely in this kind of weather, and I enjoy the sensation of needing to curl up in a lover's arms or under a cozy duvet. These thoughts again? I'm almost twenty-one, unmarried, and still struggling to overcome my terrible need for approval and the fact that my ex-boyfriend Valentin left me three years ago in high school for my psychotic bully and self-proclaimed enemy Aylina Mendez. I'm relieved that I was spared the worst kind of gaslighting from him. However, I can't help but think about his words, which have shaped and haunted me over the years."Pathetic Bitch, no one will want a needy hussy like you,you should even thank me for putting up with you, if Aylina, my love hadn't paid me to date you, I wouldn't have touched you with a ten inch pole"."So Gullible,apart from your face and body shape, you're nothing special",Aylina had added. I shake thoughts of them out of my mind and begin my descent down the flight of stairs in my parents'house. It would be my sister, Mielle's birthday in a couple of days, thus it required me to come back from my sunny Laike seaside mansions to live at my parents'for a few days.They live in a lush sub-urban part of Laike where everyday felt like summer and smelt of spring flowers-well except today where the rains seem to want to challenge the summery scenery.

I go downstairs and grab my phone,shooting a quick text to Veneria, my best friend. I'm supposed to meet her at the cafe down the street to have breakfast and discuss work.She replies back almost instantly, and I hold back a smile. Veneria or Cara has been my best friend since I decided to ran around the neighborhood during Halloween at age 5 claiming to be a witch. The night had ended with her approaching me and asking if being a witch meant I would eat her brains,I had laughed and answered that I thought brains were disgusting and i'm pretty sure those were for zombies. She invited me to join her Trick-or-treating and we had ended up with full baskets of sweets and candy induced coma. Cara and I have been friends ever since.

I put on my nude wedge heels and walk towards the cafe,by now the rain has stopped and I all but skip along the way but hold myself for the sake of propriety, age be damned.I push the doors open and make for our usual spot- the back seats facing the window. From our teen years till now, this spot has been reserved for us and no one ever came close to being invited into our sanctuary. I spot Cara instantly, she is dressed in a pink off the shoulder ruffle cropped top and a matching mini ruffle skirt. Her hazel colored hair flows down her back in waves and emphasizes her tiny waist. My friend is beauty personified and is in a league of her own,the guys are intimidated by her, but they have right to veer off her, as she goes through men like changing her panties.She is the human equivalent of a Barbie albeit without all the plastic. I walk up to her and take the seat across from her, she notices immediately and beams at me with her goofy smile.

"Hi Sera",she says.she's the only one who uses that form of my name, Seraphina, but I don't mind her calling me that. She recounts the meeting we had with Digi Perz our Boss. Digi is a leading fashion brand which creates trendy clothing and partners with Digi Models Inc. The model's branch of Digi Fashions  the company I and my Best friend currently work at. Cara works as The lead designer in the company is in charge of conducting market research, developing innovative designs, refining sketches, selecting materials, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Yhup, that is a lot of work but Cara is more than capable. I however work as a fashion merchandiser and blogger/journalist and am in charge of publicity stunts and certified vlogging which means I get to try out new designs first, model them and post them online for clients. We talk for a while about the upcoming partnership party between Digi Inc. and C.L Clothing and Textiles another big shot company owned by the three most powerful Bachelors in the whole of Laike City.The party is to be held in C.L Hotel owned by the co-founder and CEO of C.L Textiles and Cara and I are discussing what to wear, whom to invite and how to host our most notable  guests.