Elizabeth stretched her arms as she finishes the final article assigned to her for next month's magazine, it was finally going to be fully edited starting next week and maybe in another the graphic design team would start their work once more.

           She had been working here for a few months now and next month's article would be one of the pinnacles of her time here. It would be the magazine where the disqualification would be covered.

          She smiled as she stacked the excess papers and finally turned off her computer. She cleaned her desk and placed her belongings in her bag. She sat and stared at the wall in front of her for a while.

        A ring came through the phone on her desk, snapping her out of her state. Quickly, she picked up the call to avoid bothering anyone who was still working in the office.

         With the phone on her ear, she speed walked to somewhere empty, which one of the meeting rooms being the closest. She didn't mind and stepped in, knowing that there wasn't any announcements of setting up meetings for today.

         "Hello?" She softly muttered as she entered into its glads door, closing it slowly behind her.

          "El!" Megan exclaimed on the other side of the line which somehow slightly irritated Elizabeth's ear drums, that she pulled it away for a second.

          "What's up Meg?" She asked.

          "You wanna come over to my job tonight? We're going to have a general rehearsal for the show tomorrow." Megan said.

           Hearing this, Elizabeth was ecstatic. She always loved going to these kinds of things whenever Megan invited her. She truly was a good friend. A woman would never turn down the opportunity to gaze at beautiful clothes and shoes. Especially since Megan's collections would always blow up every season, it was proven through experience.

          So immediately l, without a second thought, Elizabeth replied with, "Of course! Text me the details."

         "Okay! I'll be waiting for you there."

          The call was dropped and Elizabeth was giddy with happiness. Another opportunity to look through beautiful clothes and pretend like she's filthy rich.

      The notification of the text came through her phone.

 /7:00 P.M, 130 Greene street. Don't worry bout' dinner ;) /

          She smiled as she saw the text. She didn't have to worry about dinner tonight which was unlikely in her daily situation.

     She planned to clock out early and go to the venue earlier, believing the time Megan sent her was the start of the general rehearsal. She just wanted to talk while they ate together.

       She wanted to tell her about everything that happened to her the past few weeks. The trauma and the quick remedy. His love and her realization. Her happiness and unbelievable pride in what Megan was doing as well.

       It was really amazing being a best friend with someone like her. If she knew her now, she wouldn't think they would be so close. So Elizabeth was thankful that they met back then, for Megan had been a really good friend to her. She didn't know if she could make through all her hardships if she wasn't present in her life.

      Elizabeth took her bag, hanging from her chair. She bid farewell to her colleagues, punched out from the office and went.

       She rode a taxi to the venue Megan text her just earlier and looked at the time in her watch 5:30 P. M, which was about right since Megan and her whole team always arrived to the venue half a day early. Hell, they might have probably been working there since Yesterday.

          She arrived and entered the huge glass doors of the venue. Though the doors didn't really reflect its interior, for inside the walls were polished cement. Uncovered ceilings with black tubes and one side unusually lined with different shades of timber. It was unique and really fitting for her whole collection, based on the sketched she's shown her.

      She entered the doors and immediately caught sight of her best friend, in the center of the room ordering everyone around. Fixing the chairs, the stage design, the lights, and directing with a script. She smiled at the obvious stress in her face, but looking at everything, it all seemed to be going together so well.

          She sat at the back of the room, grabbing a coffee from the side, which was given to her quickly, for they all knew her.

         "A coffee for the young master." The assistant said as he fixed her a cup. She laughed at the title as always, it really didn't get old.

        She sipped on the cup as she observed everything. Occasionally, she looked at her phone and scrolled through social media.

       A few days ago, Mark actually had the guts to announce they're relationship to the world. With a simple picture which he confidently took, holding her hands without her knowledge, in bed! For gosh's sake and posting it on his profile.

          She almost argued with him after knowing yet he let it off as if it was some joke. What's done couldn't be undone, so she just left it at that and didn't care about it any further. They quickly made up though, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

        Amazingly, the news was received quite well. The news even reached multiple sports and celebrity magazines, it was amazing seeing her face in those. His fans congratulated her and she gained a lot more followers on her accounts.

         few days after that, she had to hide her face as per Mark's advice, but it easily died down. Now, every time she walked the streets, some would recognize her and ask for things she had never been asked before. Sometimes, even autographs on her own book, which was surprising. But it wasn't a bother and she didn't mind at all. She lived her life like always, and it was great.

        "Take a break guys!" Megan called out to her employees and turned, seeing her for the first time in thirty minutes.

          "Lizzie! You didn't tell me you were already here!" she approached. Elizabeth stood up and the two hugged each other.

       Elizabeth chuckled and said, "Well, I didn't want to interrupt."

      "You could interrupt me anytime." Megan remarked, placing her palms on Elizabeth's shoulders.

           "Haha, I wouldn't dare." She answered before going back to her seat. Megan followed suit and said,

           "So, how's super duper famous hot athlete boyfie?" Megan leaned in in curiosity.

         Elizabeth laughed at her words and said, "All good, he's pretty busy."

          "Why didn't you tell me right away!? I had to learn the same time everyone was, at social media."

          "Sorry, I couldn't help it, but Mark went public with our relationship the very next morning we were official. Plus, that's why I'm here, to tell you all about it."

          "Oh, don't be sorry girl. I'm so proud you finally found someone for you. After years of what you've experienced, I'm happy you finally got out of it."

        Elizabeth smiled at Megan and thanked her as she feigned crying by fanning her eyes. Elizabeth laughed at that and conveniently, packages of their dinner arrived, distributed to all.

        "Where did you get the food?" Elizabeth asked

           "Eh, just a Chinese restaurant down the street, I've heard it's pretty good."

        Dinner went by without a snitch. The packaged meal being fried rice and sweet and sour pork with an unusual side of a fortune cookie - they always tasted good. Elizabeth talked about everything with Megan then as they ate their meals. Telling her the story from Felix to the confession and the storm.

         "El! Why didn't you tell me you went all through that?! Imma' really beat that Felix up. From the first time you've talked about him, I knew something was up. Tonight, I'll murder him in cold blood!" Megan held a fake knife with a scary face and Elizabeth laughed.

         "You shouldn't talk lightly about stuff like that. Yes, what he did was awful, but Mark was there. "

            " I suppose." Elizabeth took a sip of her second coffee now," Well, how was losing your virgi-."

        Before she could finish the sentence, Elizabeth covered Megan's mouth in embarrassment, almost spitting out the coffee.

       " Shhh! You're super loud. " Elizabeth removed her palms from her lips

       " It was good wasn't it." Megan said, grinned at her.

       Elizabeth seemed hesitant to answer, "... It was" she answered in a soft voice.

      "What was that?" Megan mocked.

     "Oh shut up!"

        She laughed at Elizabeth's reaction and continued to finish her dinner.

          "The preparations are going pretty well." Elizabeth changed the topic.

          "They actually are, I'm looking forward to the actual show tomorrow."

         "Get me front row seats?"

       "Of course darling." Megan answered coquettishly.

        The two laughed and at that the dinner break was done.

       Megan went back to her work, but checked up on Elizabeth every now and then. The general rehearsal was about to start in just a few minutes, so Elizabeth got a seat close to Megan.

       The lights dimmed and the music started pumping. After the introductory announcements, the first model exited.

          She walked with so much flair, showcasing the first outfit. She was tall which made the clothing shine.

         Elizabeth's gaze was fixed on the clothes whenever it was presented.

        "Your clothes are beautiful Megan." Elizabeth exclaimed.

          "I know right!"

          A ring came up on Elizabeth's phone, quickly she answered it before it could interrupt the performance, thankfully it did not.

        "Hello? El?"

        "Mark!" She was a bit surprised hearing his voice.

            "Oh, is that hottie boyfie?" Megan leaned in, asking. Elizabeth shot her a glare before continuing,

       "What's up?"

         "Just calling to hear your voice." Elizabeth was surprised by that, her heart started beating once more. She thought it was too childish of her, wavering for such a little thing so, she calmed herself down before Mark continued, "So where are you, I'll pick you up later."

       "I'm at my friend Megan's fashion show rehearsal, but you don't have to pick me up."

      Megan leaned closer into the microphone of the phone, "Oh, you better pick her up lover boy, your lady is eyeing my collection to much, I hardly believe she's planning to leave."

          "Meg!"

        Megan pressed the speaker phone on the button right away.

        "Tell your friend to put everything you want under my name. You already have me El, and as you've said, I'm filthy rich."

           "Mark! Get over that and no, I'm not buying any clothes."

         He laughed on the phone, Megan took the time to answer, "Roger that lover boy."

         "Imma' hang up now Mark, its pretty busy here." Elizabeth said, putting the phone back on her ear.

        "Okay, see you soon. Just text me."

       "Okay, bye."

         The call ended. Megan didn't stop laughing beside her.

         "Aren't you supervising all... This" She motioned to the whole ongoing rehearsal.

         "It's fine, my models and team and all..this, it's already perfect!"

      She texts Mark the details, telling him to pick her up at 8:30 P.M, at their venue.

      Suddenly, a notification came up on her messages, she thought it would be Mark replying to her text, but she was quite confused to find out that it wasn't rather, it was from a number she never heard of. Nonetheless, she opened the message anyways.

    Miss Lane,

     Your beloved Mark Hale is cheating on you. I have the proof, you are being played! A side-hustle for him to enjoy. A plaything. He loves another. Trust me and meet me tonight at 10:00 P.M at central park by the lake, at it's south by the trees. See you my sweet.

-Anonymous