Chapter 2 Live in the moment

The rays of the sun pierced through the blinds of a small, dark studio apartment, casting golden lines across the carved wardrobe, a dusty chandelier, and a neatly arranged cabinet lined with bottles of skin products. An alarm clock buzzed loudly on the bedside table, about to ring any moment, and a bed was occupied by a young woman sleeping in a hoodie, her body curled tightly like she was trying to hide from the world.

The alarm rang. Edna sat up slowly, her eyes hollow, staring into empty space with a cold, stone-dead gaze.

"Ahhhhh," she groaned, dragging herself off the bed and into the kitchen. She quickly made some soup-her go-to remedy for a drunk night-and drank it while standing. With urgency, she darted into the bathroom to scrub off the stench of the previous night. One of her most sacred hygiene quotes echoed in her mind: "A good smell keeps bad luck away." And if there was ever a time she needed luck, it was now.

Wrapped in a white towel tightly secured around her chest and another towel tied like an African headwrap, Edna sat on the floor placing her laptop on a small table that was usually tucked under the bed, water still dripping from her skin. She looked like someone hanging onto the last threads of hope. Her eyes were fixed on the laptop screen in front of her, hands trembling slightly as she opened the email that could determine her next move.

Last night was supposed to mark a tribute to her "figuring it out days". She had been trying to rebuild her life from scratch, and this job was supposed to be her big break. Her money was running low, her patience even lower, and if she didn't get this opportunity, she feared she'd fall back into her old life-a life she had tried desperately to escape.

"I got this," she muttered, clicking open the email.

The screen loaded.

"Your application has been rejected."

The words hit harder than she expected. Without any dramatic reaction, Edna slowly stood up, walked to her bed, and sank into it. Her heart felt like it had dropped into a deep, empty pit. This was the first time in her life she had been rejected. She had always been good enough.

Clutching her pillow tightly to her chest, tears spilled down her cheeks just as her phone began to ring. She hesitated, then answered.

"Hello, Eddie. Why don't you have your s**t together by now? Are you a kid? And why are you still on that aimless siesta? You're wasting your time!"

Her mother's tiny, ear-piercing voice cracked through the phone like a whip. Edna ended the call without a word. She sighed deeply, overwhelmed. How could she end the break when her mind kept spiraling? If she couldn't hold onto her grip on reality, then maybe going back to her old life was inevitable.

But the guilt over what she did to Hugo-using him to escape that past-still haunted her. "I can't go back," she whispered, tears flowing until she fell asleep, a voice in her head repeating, "Nothing seems to matter anymore..."

A few hours later, the rhythmic sound of raindrops tapping against the roof woke her. She blinked groggily, then sat up.

"Maybe an outing would cheer me up," she told herself.

She walked to the wardrobe and picked out a short, flared black leather skirt, a white cropped top, and a pair of black boots. "The style is monochrome," she chuckled. She styled her hair into soft curls and grabbed a small Hermes bag to finish the look.

"Fashion makes everything better," she said under her breath as she stepped onto the street.

She walked confidently, her dark skin glowing under the sun, her curls bouncing lightly as she moved. "Not one of these people could guess how I'm feeling," she thought. "Because I look amazing." She smiled slightly at the irony.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee floated through the air, guiding her into a cozy café. She ordered a hot latte and sat by the window, sipping slowly. She observed around her, people were laughing with friends, some engaged in serious conversations, others sitting quietly like her. Despite how her day began, she felt a flicker of happiness. Strange. Edna Parker didn't usually feel this way.

"If I'd known that being around hunans could lift my mood, I'd have done this three months ago," she thought. "Maybe then I wouldn't have quit my job and started over from scratch."

At the counter, she went to pay-but her card was declined.

"That's... rare," she muttered, flustered.

"I'll pay for it," said a warm, feminine voice behind her.

Edna turned to see a woman with long, flowing blonde hair, a bright smile, and almond-shaped blue eyes. The woman handed her card to the barista casually. Her name was Lily.

"She's pretty," Edna thought.

They walked home together, chatting. As the conversation unfolded, Edna felt lighter, as if the weight of the world that had settled on her shoulders was beginning to lift. Maybe that phrase, "two heads are better than one," wasn't such a cliché after all. Talking to a stranger was something she would never have done before-but something about Lily felt safe.

Lily, on the other hand, couldn't help but notice Edna's reluctance to smile. She wanted to ask why she held back, but she did not want to seem intrusive. She settled for exchanging numbers, hoping this wouldn't be the last time they spoke. "Maybe I will get a best friend this time." Lily thought.

"I don't know if this is what happiness feels like," Edna murmured. "But if it is, I don't want to lose it. I want to start having fun again. I want to shatter all my false realities-one by one-and maybe see the world for what it really is. But I'm definitely not breaking my 'no love' rule. That one stays. Love sucks."

Lily didn't understand the full context, but she nodded and smiled. Sometimes, just being there was enough. She understood Edna just needed someone to listen.

They kept walking, steps in sync.

Author's note: Walks make it feels like it's not so far away, And with every step, we get better.