Ugh, this heat! It's like walking into a sauna, and to top it off, I'm stuck waiting. Hazel was supposed to pick me up at one, and it's already half past. No sign of her.

Turns out, she had a brilliant "plan change" – she decided to have a conversation with her brother which is going from hours. Apparently, her brother's wedding is looming, and she needs to be "wedding-ready." She dropped this bombshell the moment I arrived at the mall. Seriously?

Just as I was mentally cursing the sun and Hazel's tardiness, a snap in front of my face jolted me back to reality.

"Daydreaming about your secret crush?" Hazel grinned, her eyes sparkling.

"Please," I rolled my eyes, giving her a quick once-over. She looked stunning, as always, in a red sundress with white polka dots, her white Dior bag slung casually over her shoulder.

"Alright, enough admiring, let's go!" she said, her smile infectious.

And so, the shopping spree began. Hazel was a force of nature, grabbing anything that caught her eye. Watching her, I wondered if she’d buy the entire store if she won the lottery.

"Why wait for a billionaire when I can be one?" she’d always say. It wasn't about being a man-hater, it was about being independent. And honestly, I respected that.

"YSL, here we come!" she exclaimed, her voice buzzing with excitement.

We navigated the mall, Hazel diving into every store that appealed to her. I, on the other hand, stuck to a new perfume and a couple of summer dresses.

As we were leaving, I wasn't looking where I was going and bam! I walked straight into a solid wall. Or, more accurately, a very solid chest.

"Ouch," I mumbled, shielding my eyes from the blinding sunlight.

"You should be more careful," a deep voice said, looking straight at me. I took a step back, my eyes widening.

"Adrien?"

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice laced with a sigh, his sunglasses hiding his eyes.

He was dressed in a sharp suit, surrounded by his usual entourage of bodyguards. The sunlight highlighted his striking features, making his blue eyes look almost silver.

"Maybe you should be answering that? You bumped into me," I retorted, my voice a mix of surprise and annoyance.

"For coffee," he replied, then abruptly turned and disappeared into his waiting car.

Coffee? At a mall?

"You know him?" Hazel asked, her eyebrows raised.

"He was my patient," I said, keeping my tone casual.

"He looks familiar," Hazel mused."Maybe from a court case? You know, businessmen and courts go hand in hand." She chuckled, and we headed home.

The moment I walked through the door, I collapsed onto my bed, too tired to even take off my makeup. That's the summer life, I guess – pure exhaustion.

Finally, I dragged myself to the bathroom, washed my face, and changed into comfy shorts and a loose shirt. So much better.

Staring at my reflection, I couldn't shake off the strange encounter with Adrien. Coffee? Really? He didn't smell like coffee, and he definitely wasn't carrying a cup. And why come to a mall for coffee when there are a million cafes around?
I shook my head, grabbing a makeup remover and cotton pad. After cleaning my face and changing, I jumped back into bed, turning on the AC and spreading my arms and legs. Pure bliss.
Maybe an ice cream would be perfect right now.

I grabbed my phone and ordered two containers of ice cream – chocolate and blueberry – along with a Sprite and some snacks. Paid online, should be here in thirty minutes. Perfect for a little nap before work.