Page 103 of When Fate Breaks
On top of the two-faced snake department.
Shit.
Those two minutes of semi-normal blood pressure and just above average stress levels were fun while they lasted.
“Ms. Jacks?”
I steel myself, snapping back to reality. I know myself. I know what I’m capable of. This is a huge opportunity. This is my chance. Matthew and Evelyn are good interns… but I’m the best. I know that I am. I can do this.
I think.
“Yes, ma’am. Count me in.”
“Excellent.”
We both rise from our chairs at the same time and make our way out of the conference room.
“Thank you again,” I say to Margaret as we part ways, her heading towards her office and me towards my cubicle. “For the opportunity.”
Margaret nods at me. “I’ll see you in New York on September 1st.”
I freeze, my coffee cup nearly slipping out of my hand. “September 1st?” I whisper to myself, as Margaret is already long gone.
September 1st. The date is permanently ingrained into my brain.
The anniversary of Kyle Di Fazio’s death.
I stumble back to my cubicle, realization hitting me.
Kyle. Blake. New York.
Blake.
It’s nearly a five hour drive from where he lives, but it’s still in the same state. His family made the drive before. I quickly glance at my desktop calendar, seeing September 1st is on a Friday this year. It’ll be a weekend.
I can see Blake.
I look over and see that Riya’s isn’t at her desk before leaning against my own. I have to tell Blake. I fish my phone out of my pocket and pause. I have sixteen unread messages. Ones from Leah, Steph, Carmen, Madeline, Grammy (what the hell?), but my eyes go straight to one notification in particular.
Blake Di Fazio:1 New Message
I swipe open the message so fast that I nearly drop my phone. When it pops up, my mouth immediately falls open. I frantically pull up my calendar on my computer, blinking several times as I look between it and my cell phone screen.
Oh my God.
Blake Di Fazio:Happy birthday, Evangeline.
I–what?How is it already my birthday? I can’t believe it. I’ve been so stressed and overwhelmed with this presentation and focusing onthatbeing on August 1st that I literally forgot my own birthday.
Wait.
A thousand pounds of realization suddenly comes crashing down on me at all once, crushing my lungs and my heart. If today is my birthday…then that means yesterday was…
“Fuck.”
“Wow.”
My head snaps up, seeing Evelyn standing directly in front of my cubicle, her hands on her hips and her bleach blonde shoulder-length hair as pin straight as ever. “Classy language, Anna.”
