The day was drawing to a close, and it was time to prepare for our family dinner. I felt a sense of anticipation; it had been ages since we all sat down together for a meal.

Opting for a dark blue short dress paired with black sandals, I kept my makeup light and natural. There was no need for extravagance tonight; it was just a casual family gathering.

When the doorbell rang, I knew it was Mr. Sim, our family driver since my childhood. We shared a close bond, often confiding in each other about our problems.

"Hello, Mr. Sim!" I exclaimed, pulling him into a hug, which he warmly reciprocated.

"Good evening, Miss Flynn. You look beautiful tonight. Ready to go?" he asked, gesturing for me to lead the way.

"No need to be so formal, Mr. Sim. Just call me Jenia, and yes, I'm ready!" I replied, locking the door behind me and heading to the car.

Seated in the back, our ride was accompanied by soft music on the radio, creating a serene atmosphere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arriving at the familiar upscale restaurant, I exchanged greetings with the waiter staff, knowing them well from our frequent family dinners here.

As I made my way to our usual table, someone caught my eye, causing my breath to hitch. It was Julian, the head prefect from college.

"Julian! What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see him.

"I'm not sure, my parents invited me," he replied, adding that they hadn't arrived yet.

Taking a seat, I introduced myself, mentioning that I didn't socialize much at college, unlike him.

He chuckled, saying, "Bold of you to assume I don't know you. Maybe you forgot about what happened last year?"

=================================

FLASHBACK

"Freaking hell!" I exclaimed as I caught sight of Shania and Sharon, doubled over with laughter at my powdered and drenched appearance.

"What did you guys do?" I pouted, surveying the damage to my favorite white summer dress adorned with delicate flowers.

"Happy April Fools!" they chimed in unison, sticking their tongues out mischievously. I couldn't believe they'd pulled this prank on me. Leaving the room with a glare at their still-red faces from laughing too hard, I muttered angrily under my breath as I headed towards the girls' changing room.

But my frustration only grew when I collided with Julian. Letting out an annoyed huff, I made to move past him.

"Sorry," he apologized quickly, jogging to catch up with me. "Do you perhaps need any help? There are spare clothes provided for emergencies... like this," he gestured to my disheveled state.

Realizing I hadn't brought spare clothes, I reluctantly nodded. "Um, sure," I replied. Refusing his offer would mean enduring the rest of the day in my current state, and that wasn't an appealing prospect.

"Come," Julian motioned for me to follow him as we entered the prefects' room, a space reserved for their meetings and announcements.

"I hope this fits you," Julian said, passing me a dress adorned with a cute bow. "It's actually meant for my sister, but it didn't fit her, so I kept it here."

"This will definitely do. Thank you," I said gratefully, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"You're very welcome," Julian replied with a smile of his own before I bid him goodbye to change into the dress.

=================================

"Oh," I blushed, recalling the embarrassing incident.

"You don't have to worry about that. I've seen worse," Julian reassured me before our parents arrived, signaling the start of the family dinner.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

TBC

Updated on : 18th May 2024