the ugly swan

✿Day 5

✿Day 5

"All pressed up in black and white

And you're dressed in that dress I like

Love is swinging in the air tonight

Let me show you a few things"

Yuv jammed out, his head rocking back and forth. He wore the classiest tuxedo in his closet. It was black, just like his hair, with matching cufflinks. The fact that he had been in dance club in college helped with the date selection for tonight. It had been awhile since the last time he had taken a girl out. The last time was during his intern days. She was a wispy haired beauty, who had laughed and smiled like the happiest star in the sky.

Smirking at his reflection in the mirror, he spared one last glance to the phone. He and Mira had been texting nonstop since morning. She heavily curious about the place he was taking her tonight.

Since it was their first date and he did sort of fancy her, he was going to keep it simple and cliché. He hoped that she would have a good time.

"That's alright, 'cause you're all mine

Ooh go on and show 'em who you call daddy

I guess they're just mad 'cause girl, they wish they had it

Ooh my killer, my "Thriller" yeah you're a classic

And you're all mine tonight."

✿ ✿ ✿

Atul sat in his cabin, a blank presentation for the company's new investors blinking on his screen. His deep brown glazed over the screen, uninterested, lost, and half-awake. The clock was ticking to noon, close to the lunch hour. He hadn't gotten anything done.

The reason being a feisty curly haired woman and the sudden change of her attitude towards him. Mira was that one person who had brought warmth and comfort to his every day here. Her presence alone was something that made him happy. He could talk to her whenever things would take a downturn. She would know exactly what to say, how to calm his aching heart, and whenever she smiled, he felt complete.

He placed his head in the maze of his hands. The way she had acted this morning, it troubled him. She barely met his gaze and her response had been so mild, so formal as though they were strangers. Was his sudden engagement to Eliana that had caused this?

But she was alright with Eliana, they had been cracking joke non-stop since morning.

Maybe it was just him being paranoid. Maybe he was looking too deeply into things.

✿✿ ✿ ✿

The same relentless emotion pitched through his nerves when Atul joined his colleagues for lunch. They had decided to eat at small Italian restaurant near Firenor Market. In the restaurants dull lights, he carefully observed Mira.

She smiled at her phone, clearly uninterested in the conservation Eliana, Yuu, Rodrick were holding. She sat on the opposite both, texting someone. Judging by the cherry blush on her cheeks, she liked the person.

"Bread?" Atul nudged the basket towards Mira. She looked up, surprised, her brown eyes wide as though she had just registered his presence.

"Thanks." She smiled.

They didn't talk after that.

✿ ✿ ✿

The sun had set behind the horizon when Atul walked out of Silicon Heights, a steely grey coat carefully folded on his arm. While he waited for his driver to bring the car, he whistled a tune that remind him of his favorite song, Breakeven. He stopped suddenly as Mira stepped out of the empty office building. Both of them had a habit of working overtime.