One Time Thing [Wattys 2021 Shortlist] ✔️

Chapter 39: Wild world

FIVE MONTHS LATER

MIA

Quitting one's job over the phone, in a different time zone, consequently waking one's boss from their peaceful slumber, might have been a bad idea. But Mia did it anyway. She had thought before that she would quit because Mathilda was being a bitch, but she actually quit because she felt like she outgrew the petty arguing. If she could grow as a person, then so could Mathilda. Maybe this would shake her up a bit.

Mia's father was the proudest man alive once he heard and Mia finally felt like she did something good career-wise. The fact that Christa spent two weeks wiggling her ass in front of Mia's camera, therefore making every other influencer want the same photo, made things a bit easier.

"They seriously think I have an ass this beautiful because of your photography. Oh, the naivety." Christa dragged her suitcase on to the sidewalk in front of their hotel. The day was beautiful, perfect for the beginning of Spring. Milano was warm enough for both of them to wear dresses, at least at noon. The nights were much colder.

"Your good genes are making me famous." Mia realised. She put the hotel key deep inside of her purse, to prevent nervousness making her lose it.

"My butt shines like a star amongst other flat bitches." Christa smiled widely, her face half hidden behind the Gucci glasses she got as a gift.

"Being showered with expensive stuff is not at all bad." Mia said. They waited for Christa's cab, their vacation was over. But Mia decided she liked Milano too much to go back home. Once the trip began, Mia didn't want to go back to the real world.

"It gets unrewarding after a while. I mean, you can imagine how dumb some of them are when I'm the smartest in the group." Christa frowned.

"Are you thinking of changing your career?" Mia asked, acting surprised. Her gaze escaped to the small café across the street, that nervousness tickling her heart.

"Not yet, I haven't squeezed out every single dime." She smiled wickedly. "Should I even ask why you're staring across the street?"

"You shouldn't." Mia answered.

"Come on! Who is it? Is it Riccardo? Or that hot guy that begged for your number last night?" Christa's eyes beamed with curiosity. "You're staying alone in Milano, there's gotta be something here I'm missing. "

"My lips are sealed, Chrissy. And your cab will be here soon." Mia reminded her.

"Why won't you tell me?" She whined.

"Because you'd blab it all to everyone, so I wouldn't have anything to talk about once I return." Mia enjoyed watching Christa's frustrated face.

"Whatever, I'm just glad you're not with Jeff anymore." Christa said his name like he was something disgusting to eat.

"You really hate him, don't you?" Mia asked. She saw Jeff once before se left for Milano, because he wanted to meet up for coffee. Once she saw him after five months, she wondered why had she ever been with him in the first place. How had she never noticed how he only liked hearing himself talk?

"He's a pathetic wuss that only dragged you down because he was not only afraid of being inferior to you, but also hell-bent on sabotaging you every chance he got. Christa, out!" The cab arrived in that precise moment.

"You never said that." Mia noticed, helping her put her luggage in the car.

"No use, you had to figure it out by yourself. I knew you would, eventually." Christa waved at the driver and turned to Mia.

"And what if I never figured it out?" Mia asked out of curiosity.

"I would've sabotaged your wedding, don't worry." Christa hugged her and opened the door of the front seat. Christa was one of those people that actually enjoyed talking to cab drivers.