Chapter - 7

Thursday evening.

While I was in the car on the way house, I messaged Elena to ask how her condition is. It looks like she wasn't online. I looked at the time. It's 9. I guess she may be sleeping by now. 

I checked the office organization to see if there's any message there wasn't any. 

Suddenly I memorized that I have to go early tomorrow to meet Mr Turner in his office, who is one of the art directors of the DSA company. While I was getting a reminder for it,

"I wonder what's in an album song to get this much crazy for?", The driver muttered in front of me.

"What?", I inquired him.

He pointed out a direction and muttered again.

I looked outside the window. There was a huge chain of boys and girls standing and It looked like they're battling for the line. Looked funny though.

"What album are they selling today?", I asked the driver curiously.

"I'm not into music that much, Sir.", He said.

I took one last look at them and smiled. Among the chaos, I spotted a familiar person but I couldn't figure out who it is since it's dark inside the cab. 

"Hey! Can you stop here for a second?", I asked the driver.

"Yes, Sir."

He stopped.

I got out of the cab and saw it again. It looks like... What the!

Is it?... Elena?

She was standing among them and it looked like she was struggling to keep her place in the line. 

I took my phone and phoned her. 

She didn't pick it up. 

"I quit my travel here. What's the fare?"

"15.08 dollars, Sir."

I walked to her thinking about how could she be this careless. Being out in this place being ill. While I was walking to her, girls began yelling at me,

"Get in line!"

A girl shouted at me, "Can't you see us standing here?"

"Hey man! Get back in line!"

What!?

Are they thinking that I'm here to buy too?

"I know her!", I said while pointing to Elena but her head was the only thing is noticeable from where I'm standing.

They couldn't hear what I'm telling so I began shouting at them, "I know her! The girl standing there! She's my friend! I'm with her!"

They began shoving me back. 

"My suit!" 

Everyone continues to push me back. Since it's waste to make them believe, I started calling out her name, "Elena! E-Elena! Elena!"

She didn't hear me. Of course, she won't hear me out of this crowd.

Without my awareness, I was pushed to the back of the line. I called her through my phone again. She didn't pick it up. What should I do now?

I snapped back, Why am I standing in a line? I smacked my head and began striding beside the line again and they started to yell again. 

I walked like I didn't hear them and shouted back at them using my serious work mode face, "I'm not. here. to buy. Understood?"

They all nodded hurriedly. 

I should've done this before. 

When I caught Elena again, she was talking to a person beside her. She was in a hoodie and pyjamas. I got mad. I gripped her hood and pulled her out of the line. 

"Argghhhh! My line!!!", She screamed while I was pulling her out.

She cared for the line more than the stranger pulling her hoodie.

"Hey! Did you know how...", She halted screaming when she saw me.

I folded my arms and said, "Continue. Come on. Finish your sentence."

"I-I..."

"Don't stutter. Finish it!"

"Why do you suddenly sound like my head staff?", She spoke using her low tone.

"Don't talk to yourself. Speak out."

While she was about to open her mouth, someone shouted her name saying,

"Ele! Come soon! They opened!", Someone shouted from that crowd.

She turned to me, "I-I gotta go."

"Hey..."

She ran off back to the line again. Hmph!

I waited for her.

After some time, she came out withholding a lot of things in her hand and smiling up to ears while talking to the person next to her. 

That person left seeing me. 

She slowly walked to me with her head down.

I stared at her. 

"Is it heavy?", I asked her.

"Yeah. I planned to buy little but I couldn't stop myself from buying..."

"Oh. Really?"

"Why are you here?", asked with a nervous chuckle.

"You are supposed to be in bed now."

"Huh?"

Fu*k! My stupid mouth!

"I-I mean you are not well. You should take a rest but why are you here? And why are you wearing only one layer of clothes on this cold night."

She took a look at her clothing and gave out a nervous smile, "I just saw it now." laughed and continued, "When my friend called I came here straight away without thinking about what am I wearing." And laughed again.

I removed my suit and wrapped her around with it and took the things from her hand.

"What are we waiting for?", She asked.

"I booked a cab and it's on the way."

She nodded. 

The cab came and we got in. 

"How much will you spend on buying these things?"

"I don't know."

"Buying things you like is not a bad thing but you gotta save some for later use."

"Before you sounded like my head staff and now you sound like my brother."

I laughed asking, "What am I supposed to sound like?"

"Like a friend."

We got out in front of her house. 

"I'll take it.", I said while she was struggling to take all of them at once.

"Okay." She smiled and took some along with her and went into the house. 

I took the remaining and followed her inside. 

I followed her into her room. She was making a place for the merch she bought. I placed them beside her and took a stroll around her place. 

The last time when I came, I didn't look properly. 

I walked around hoping that I can see her pictures but all I could find is sketches posted here and there on the wall.

I stopped in the living room asking, "I wanted to ask this before, Why is your house is full of sketches and drawing than pictures on the wall?"

"I tried to organise but it occupied more spots so I pasted them on the wall.", She said while organising things in her room.

"These sketches are..."

"Yes. It's mine. I drew them."

"Woah! You draw well. I don't know how to say this but your drawings level is equal to the sketchers in my office."

I heard Elena laughing.

"It's true!", I shouted.

She walked to me and looked at the sketch I was looking at, "So do you like it?"

"Yeah. Everything looks good. Especially this one. I like this very much. Who is this?"

The sketch portraying 'A colourful galaxy view as a background with a shadow of a guy standing in the middle of it.'

She came closer to me and looked at the drawing I showed and laughed while saying, "Even I don't know. I had a dream one day. In that, I saw this."

"So every drawing in here is your dream?"

"Hahaha. No. But... Some of it."

"I wonder how do you get time to draw all these?"

"I draw during my weekends."

"Ohhh. Then What fandom do you belong to? You have a lot of albums and merch in your room. I couldn't figure out which fandom since you have everything."

"Hahaha. You can say... Multifandom. I don't just stick to a certain specific artist. I like music so I just like everyone."

"Yeah. I just saw how much you like."

She let out a nervous smile.

"Are you going to the office tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Don't forget to take the medication. Then... Go to bed early and take rest."

She nodded with a smile.

"Okay. I'll then get going. I have a meeting to attend tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Are you free this weekend?", She asked.

"Yup!"

"Okay. Then bye."

"Bye."

Friday morning.

In the DSA company,

"I bought every illustration sketch you asked me to bring, Sir."

He looked at it by turning the pages one by one carefully.

"Well. I like it but... I think it has to be more eye-catchy because it's going to be my second hit game and I want it to be more flashy for the advertisement.", Mr Turner commented.

"Yes, Sir. I'll work on that."

"And that visual concept which you already sent is good by the way."

"So can I proceed with that visual concept for the further process?"

"Yes, you can."

The meeting ended after a long conversation with him.

I got in the cab and looked at the time. where's my watch? Ahh! I kept it on my desk but forgot to take it.

I said the driver to change the destination to my office instead of to my place. I came to the office. 

"Why are you here at this time?", Chuck asked seeing me at the entrance.

"I forgot my watch. Is Devlin still inside?"

"She left."

"Then who has the keys?"

"Can't you take it tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's weekend."

"Then what about Monday."

"Who has the keys?"

He gave me the keys. I gave a death stare. 

"Return the key at the reception to Mr Brown."

"Okay."

While he was leaving, I walked to the elevator. There was a signboard 'Under Maintenance. Take the stairs' 

"Really?" 

I climbed the stairs to get to my office which is on the 7th floor. Somehow I reached the 7th floor breathing heavily. I walked to my desk and looked for my watch. There wasn't any watch on the desk. I opened the cabinet and looked into it. First cabin- it was full of files. The second cabin was empty. I opened the third cabin. There it is. I let out a relieved sigh. I took the watch and walked to the door. 

I heard a ring. Who will it be at this time? I walked in the direction of the phone call. It was from Buck's cabin. I went in and picked it. 

"Hello?", the caller from another side.

"Buck?", I asked.

"Hey, Nick! Thank god you're still there. I need a favour Man. I forgot to give the file to Mr Fred. It's in my second cabinet. A blue file. Can you take it to Mr Fred? He'll be waiting at the reception."

"Okay, Sir."

"And why are you still there?"

I ended the call. 

I opened the second cabinet as he said. There was a blue file. 

I took the file and closed the office and came downstairs running all through the seven floors again. Mr Fred was waiting as Buck said. I gave the file to him and the key to the receptionist and left the office.

While I was searching for a ride, I heard a chuckle nearby. A couple. They were so loud.

"Hey Matt it's getting late?", that girl wept to her guy.

My cab came. 

After getting in the cab, 'Matt? Why does this name seem familiar?'

I went to my place, She always sends the place where we eat but still, she hasn't send anything.

Should I ask her?

I got refreshed and saw her chat again. There wasn't anything from her so I messaged her asking, "Are you there?"

I didn't get a reply so I went to sleep. 

A notification popped. 

I quickly took my phone to check, 

She replied, "Yes."

Yes? Did she forget about the meet? Should I ask about it or not? 

She continued, "For lunch can we go to a steakhouse this time? I heard it's good. So... What do you say?"

"Okay.", I replied her back.

"Then... Goodnight."

"Night."

It's weird. She always chats endlessly and sends emojis to every message but now she only said the place we're meeting and ended the chat abruptly. Is she's mad at me? But she talked to me good yesterday. Okay. Let's ask her tomorrow.