Passion for Perfection | Open Novella Contest 2019

7. ...and a Second Fall

Buying an apartment again was a big deal for me. It marked the moment when I had finally managed to pick myself up and started moving forward again. After over half a year, I was independent again. I was earning an income, taking care of myself and I finally felt alive again.

However, my mother wasn't too happy. Even though she supported me every step of the way, she feared that this turn of events would make everything go back to how it used to be. She feared that she was going to lose me for a second time, and she wasn't wrong.

"You must visit sometimes!" She insisted as I hauled a suitcase out her door. "I don't want you disappearin' for a decade again!"

"Mum, I'll keep in touch, I promise!" I muttered, too focused on moving out to say a proper goodbye. I still regret that moment. I want to scream at myself to pause and look back. I want to grab my younger self and shake her senses back into her. I want her to turn around, smile and say goodbye.

But she didn't. I didn't.

I fully intended on keeping touch. I was convinced that I wouldn't fall into my old habits, that I'd answer calls, meet up, visit friends and family. It's too bad I had forgotten how much of a drug success was.

I unlocked the door to my new first-floor apartment and threw my suitcase on the floor. I closed the door behind me and immediately started unpacking.

I stuffed clothes in the wardrobe, dumped makeup onto the bathroom sink, shoved some food I had brought with me into the kitchen cabinets. I couldn't wait to live independently again.

When the 7am alarm went off the next morning, I practically strung out of bed like a Jane-in-a-box. I put on my office clothes, did some light but noticeable makeup and grabbed my handbag as I ran out the door. I had already searched online for the best cafés in the area and I headed towards the closest one to get my morning coffee.

When I finally had a disposable cup in my hand with a steaming latte, I got the bus to Mercury IT. I had been working there for about a month now and I was a lot happier than I was. I felt useful. I felt needed. I was back to where I belonged.

As I stepped through the glass doors of the office building, I breathed in the now familiar scent and grinned.

"You didn't get me a cup?" Veronica's voice was preceded by the clicking of heels which was the only indicator of her presence. If it weren't for those heels, she'd be a ghost.

"Last time I did, you didn't pay me back for two weeks." I glared at her as we neared the elevator. Of course, she knew I was teasing. She let out a chuckle and pressed the call button with a long manicured finger.

"It was one week, actually. And I had already apologised for it." The elevator doors slid open silently and we stepped in. "Anything interesting happening up at your floor?"

"Not particularly." I shrugged. "There's some drama between Jenkins and his wife though."

"When isn't there drama between those two?" Veronica smirked. "What is it this time?"

"Not sure, but she stormed into his office yesterday and almost shattered the windows with her shrieking."

Veronica laughed as the lift came to a stop on her floor.

"Well, I'll meet you outside at lunch, like always." She stepped out and gave me a small wave. I raised my free hand in a half wave and watched as the doors closed again.

I took another sip of my coffee and soon arrived at my floor. I set my stuff on my desk outside Jenkins' office and sat down, opening my laptop.  I smiled when I saw the familiar layout of an office computer: word documents, spreadsheets and PDFs. My natural habitat.