365 Days

Chapter 7

"I heard you have a new project this week." Janine said, while we were both sipping coffee.

"Yeah I do, I have a photo shoot for this author - he'll be featured in a magazine, as well as I'll be the one taking his photos for his newest book." I replied.

"What't the author's name?"

"I haven't really opened the proposal yet, did not have time to look at his name either - I just said yes to the project. Somehow keep my mind off of things."

"Keep your mind off of Nathan, that's more like it." she said "How long have you two been apart?" she asked.

"About 6 months or so."

"That's already half a year girl, you should have gotten over him by now."

"You know I can't easily do that. Relationships for me are not like the clothes you wear, that you can just easily change it, or perhaps buy a new one. Hey, don't get me wrong I have nothing against you. "

"None taken." Janine replied "It's not as if I change boyfriends often, it's just the way I see things. Love can heal love. You know me, I have so much love in my body - I fall in love easily, I get over easily, and I love again easily. That's what you call versatility. You really should be more like me!" She exclaimed.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I am happy with my very sad life, thank you very much."

"Sulking is sooooo 1990's. Women now are more empowered! We can easily change men as fast as they can change us. There is gender equality now a days, just in case your news is from the 90's still." 

"There's really no winning in arguing with you!"

"That's why I love arguing with you." she jokingly said.

"I know..." I replied and looked at my watch, it's almost 8:00 am, and I have a meeting at 9 am. "I gotta go, let's grab a lunch together later - come by the studio, I'll wait for you there."

"Okay ms. hopeless romantic, see you later." she said as I walked towards the exit of krispy kreme. 

I arrived at the studio at 8:30, I still had time to prepare and set up my camera before the new clients come. I sat by the chair as I started to change the lenses of my camera. 

"How was the book?" A familiar voice asked. I turned around to see who it was, it was the man I saw at the bookstore. 

"Oh, hi... It's you, sorry - I didn't catch your name the last time we met." I said.

"Nate, Nate Cross." he said as he lent his right arm signaling fro a hand shake. 

"Oh, hi Nate." I replied accepting his hand for a hand shake. Of all the names in the world, this man's name had to be Nate, as short for Nathan... "is your full name Nathan?" I asked

"No, it's just Nate." 

"How did you find me here? I'm not implying that you were going around looking for me. It's just that, why are you here actually?" I started to stutter, not knowing what I actually wanted to ask - why was I even stuttering? Was I that nervous? What's wrong with me?

"On my defense, I actually did not go looking for you - I'm not as obsessed as you think I am. I'm really here for a photo shoot." 

"I did not imply at all you we're obsessively looking for me. I'm sorry. You're my client?" I asked "Forgive me, I haven't really opened the proposal your publisher gave me, I just simply said yes to the project." I interjected - trying my very best not to sound too weird.

"No worries... I did not catch your name, what was it again?"

"I did not tell you my name, so you wouldn't really catch it. I'm Sophie Newark" I replied.

"Sophie Newark? Why does it seem to be familiar. By any chance do you know Nathan Edwards?" He asked, and I wasn't sure if I hear the name right, did he really ask if I knew Nathan Edwards? Did I hear it correctly?

"Excuse me? Nathan Edwards?" I asked trying to clear things up.

"Yes, Nathan Edwards. Are you Nathan's Sophie?" 

Nathan's Sophie? It's as if I was an entity, was I supposed to feel bad, or offended? But how come I couldn't react - I used to be Nathan's Sophie, I used to be, I wish i still am... It took me  few seconds before I could answer. "I was Nathan's Sophie, but I'm now just Sophie's Sophie."

"Sorry, I really did not mean anything with what I said."

"It's okay. You did not know. Anyways, maybe you can start prepping up, the make-up artist is already inside the dressing room, you can head there now." I said signaling to him where the dressing room was. I felt like I just dodged a bullet right there. I survived - hey, what an achievement.