chapter one

Celestia’s point of view

I rushed out of the cab two blocks away from my office, it’s a rite as I don’t want to be caught in the web of unfinished work and my supervisor's attitude without a cup of iced coffee! I looked at my watch and I immediately slowed down and started to rearrange my bags as I have always lived a clumsy way with my bags!

I might need full-time training on how to pack a bag neatly for work!

I entered the coffee shop and as always there was a long line of people waiting to order coffee, I might have to lose my job if I ever stood in that line and that is why I love to order online before getting to the shop!

I walked straight to Mary, she is the one who delivers the coffee and immediately she looked up and saw me, she smiled beautifully

“Tell me the happy news!” I said and she rolled her eyes with a smile, “I am always happy and there is always happy news, I don’t know what you are talking about!” she said and I chuckled!

“Whoa, someone didn’t say that yesterday when she was looking like a mess with a puffed face!” I replied and pinched her cheeks. 

“Well, I just wanted to tell you that I was admitted to the school, and the email yesterday was a mistake, I finally got into Harvard University!” she said and I was shocked!

Just yesterday, she received news that her scholarship exam was excellent but she was rejected from school without a definite reason, she was gloomy and could not hold back her tears when I asked what happened!

I asked her to send an email to the school requesting the reason she was rejected! She was uncertain of what the response would be but she did it anyway and look at it now,

“Whoa, Mary, I am so happy for you, look at how bright your smile is, I wish you more than enough success throughout your academic sessions! I am really happy to see you smile!” I said and she laughed!

“All thanks to you, I might have just missed my chances of ever being in that school!” she said and I smiled!

“At this rate, I might run late if I don’t get my coffee and run along, you know my supervisor, she is one hell of a woman, I don’t want to step on her toes!” I said and Mary turned to go get my coffee when a voice stopped her.

“Ma’am, I would like to get my coffee too!” the tender voice said and I was forced to look back at who it was!

Strangely, it was just a boy in a white hood. He was facing down and he is the shy type as he made sure his face was not showing and he seemed nervous.

He looks like he is either nineteen or eighteen.

I faced the front and Mary who was also accessing him replied. “I might have to trouble you to sit and wait for it,” Mary said and the boy slowly looked up, and again, he had a nose mask on. Why is he so covered? 

Is he sick or something?

“I am sorry miss, I need it urgently, I need to catch the bus!” he said and Mary smiled.

“Okay, I see what I can do about that but anyways, what is the name on it!” she asked and the boy looked down again.

“Taylor,” he said and Mary smiled, “I will get to it, Taylor!” she said and walked away to get the coffee, I tried to take my mind off the weird boy but seeing how nervous he was, I paid more attention to him!

Mary returned not long after with the two cups and I instantly reached out for mine and tipped Mary while the boy also stretched his hands to get him and Mary asked for his payment!

“You haven’t paid for coffee extras!” she said and the boy looked up.

“Can I pay with my card?” he asked and Mary shook her head! “I am afraid not, don’t you have cash on you!” she said and the boy looked down again and shook his head!

“No,” he said slowly and I felt sorry for him, without another word, I brought out the cash and paid for him!

“that should cover the coffee, give him a mini packet of donuts, he is just a schoolboy, I understand how uneasy it can be for him, don’t make him miss his bus!” I said and looked at the fellow whose face was lit from what I did for him.

“Don’t thank me, I have also gone through a stage like this but anyway promise me to be a good boy!” I said like a proud mother and he nodded before I returned my gaze to Mary who was already smiling at me!

”You are too kind, I will get him ready, you should just run along, it is almost time for work and your supervisor will be here any moment from now!” She warned me and I looked at the boy once more and walked away.

I looked down at my watch and boom, it was almost time, I just hoped my supervisor was not yet here!

I rushed and tried my best to not trip and unfortunately, I bumped into someone! It must be their fault as I was in my lane and not expecting someone to just cross paths with me!

“What on earth is your problem, young girl? Are you blind or you are daft!” The person who had bumped into me yelled as I ignored and looked down while slowly packing my bags and picking up the empty cup of coffee that had already spilled on my shoe and some on my makeup bag!

“Are you deaf or are you just trying to be rude toward me!” he yelled again and this time I finally looked up at the man before me, a rich man and arrogance!

“Excuse me!” I said and hoped he would take the initiative and leave my site while I have to deal with my issues this morning but no, he stood his ground and frowned at him like I wronged him.

“I don’t know if you are jobless or you are so comfortable that you will be willing to lose a job or a contract this morning but I am not! So excuse me, I have something to do!” I said trying my best to hide my anger but this man was not willing to leave!

“Is that what you have to say? I wonder who is stupid enough to employ someone as daft as you, were you not taught to apologize after bumping into someone and soiling their shoe with your cheap coffee?” he asked and I chuckled

“Do I look uncultured to you? Not. I will be so remorseful and be willing to apologize if I am the one wrong here but, I am not, I was not going to pursue an apology because rich folks like you will never admit to your mistakes but since you love to be petty!

Let’s go petty! So, sir, I demand an apology for bumping into me wasting my cheap dollar coffee, and making a mess of my shoe!

I am not suing you for refunds, so I think you should quickly apologize before I change my mind!” I said angrily and he looked at me for a while before laughing. “Do you by any chance know who I am?” He asked and it was my turn to laugh!

“that is it, the punch line I have been waiting for, the old habit of the rich can never die, believe me! Do you think I care about who you are or who your parents are?

Of course, men like you only make claims based on who your parents are. I am sure if you are made to start things on your own, you won’t be half of what you are proud of now, irresponsible, that is what you are because I have never met someone who is shameless enough to fight even when he is wrong and also you have the nerves to fight with  a lady, I am ashamed of what you are doing right now!” I said and walked out almost immediately!

I could tell he was shocked by my words as I saw he stood still at the spot for a while before I walked into the building of my company.

I was still very much pissed by what he said and his reaction that I forgot how I was to deal with my late coming to the office!

“Celestia!” a voice yelled across the hallway and immediately I stood there frozen, my legs were shaking and my brain was recalculating how I ended up in this mess in the first place, how was I to face this woman who had been on my neck for a while now!

“Good morning, Miss Bella!” I said and she looked at me from head to toe as she walked closer to me, I was nervous as her next words were very unpredictable!

What will I say?

“What is good about the morning in which you have spent half of it out there?” she asked and my heart skipped a beat, what will my excuse be? Nothing!!!!!

“I am sorry ma, it was not my intention, I was already around the corner when I bumped into someone!” I pleaded but her expression refused to get softer! “your files are on your table, get to them and make sure they are ready before noon, I don’t want mistakes, and don’t delay my work, you know I hate delays!” she said and walked away with her shoulder high and her heel noise was so loud that my ear drums were aching!

I was a little grateful that she didn’t look for the worst way to punish me or so I thought before I got to my table and saw the heap of files before me!

Is this a joke, how should I finish this in a few hours? 

What on earth is this? I am just ten minutes late which is close to nothing compared to how late some other employee gets and they will leave scot but here I am going to be battling with a heap of files!

I immediately cleared my table as I angrily threw the empty cup of coffee I had forgotten I was holding all along. I am sure my supervisor must have seen me as a fool after seeing how I packed my bags and also came to the office with an empty cup!

I am a mess!

I started working on the files and honestly, this is a very annoying task considering how irreverent to my job these files are! Is this a joke? Why does it seem like she just wants to frustrate me every single hour?

“babe, you are in already!” a jovial voice sounded and I knew exactly who came in with that line, 

“Grace, I am not happy at all, I am tied down just the moment I walked into this office!” I said and she walked in with her bag I looked up at her only to realize she was just coming and from the way she sneaked in, the supervisor had not seen her!

Why me?

I am some minutes earlier than her yet I am the one punished for late coming!

“From your cloudy expression, you must have met the supervisor on your way in, and looking at your table, your meeting was not so good!” Grace said and I rolled my eyes at her and continued my work!

“I have a lot of reasons to be gloomy this very morning, I met a rude handsome man!” I said and before I knew it, Grace was right beside me with her mouth wide open!

“A man!” she finally exclaimed.