You'll Fall For Me, Today or tomorrow

Hilary remained distracted and had little to contribute to their banter.

Though that was how she had always been in front of outsiders, Yvonne did not particularly appreciate her speaking in front of them.

She secretly despised Hilary, and would rather that the latter kept her mouth shut, especially in front of her own fiancé.

Hence no one found Hilary’s silence unusual.

When she got home, Hilary stayed in the room by herself and sifted through her smartphone for information on Shermaine. The more she saw, the more her mood devolved. She went on to look up on James Smallwood and immediately knew that it was him.

Hilary understood now why she had found Shermaine awfully familiar and even took an instant liking to her.

She began to sob uncontrollably away in the washroom with the showers left running so that no one could hear her and continued this way for some time.

By the time Zach entered the room, Hilary was already fast asleep.

Or rather, she pretended to be asleep, as she was worried that Zach might notice something amiss.

The next morning while Zach was away at the office, she immediately called up Clarissa.

Clarissa was a little miffed that her mother has asked to meet. There was a chill in the air which encroached upon her skin, so she would rather sleep in.

“What’s so important that we’ve to do this so early, Mom?”

Hilary’s words were almost upon her own lips before she swallowed them back down. She opted to adopt a more measured and casual approach.

“Early, you say? Is this your daily routine? What kind of work are you doing that doesn’t pay and leaves you so undisciplined? Look at how hard everyone else is hustling. You aren’t bad looking so even if you don’t want to work, you should put in a little effort to doll yourself up when you go out.”

Clarissa laughed a little, only to patronize her mother.

“Why aren’t you talking?”

“Your observations are spot-on, Mom. I’m not able to defend myself!”

“You know, I’m this close to giving up on you, girl.”

You had never cared about me that much anyway.

That was what Clarissa thought. Hilary paused before she asked, “Remember that we’ve met Shermaine last time? Do you know her? I really like her, so do you think you could introduce us?”

“Huh?”

Clarissa’s brows perked up. “I don’t really know her as we operate in different social circles. I’ve only interacted with her back then because she’s a friend of my classmate.”

“I see. That makes sense.”

fell silent, mildly

did you become a

explain this? I just enjoyed one of her movies that I’ve

her movies, but is it necessary to try to reach out to her? Haven’t you

to talk. I was wondering how you’re ever going to meet anyone when you’re holed up in the house with your so-called essays. You’ll be turning

An awkward silence ensued.

have slapped herself if

at her own mouth for saying all the wrong things at the

her resolve to speak

should be heading back to spend winter in W City. Probably be back next year. Got a deadline to meet

and only because she did not understand that the purpose of Hilary’s call was

not return to Zen Highlands, but made a trip down to her studio

once or twice a week. She was practically like a junior employee who needed supervision. Mandy in particular had constantly pressed her for updates to her works,

rabid fan of her writings herself with an insatiable appetite for

in, so much so that she had to have snacks at the

in more sources of income in the form of a video game adaptation and peripherals within the short

have to think about these things anymore, why aren’t you posting new chapters? Even if you write only a thousand words a day, you should have consolidated

spoke as she stuffed her own mouth with the pastries

had gotten quite used to this by now. “Alright, you do whatever you have to do. I’ll send them

“You’re an evil mistress.”

not

she might run with that

have a boyfriend and are cohabiting with him, what else would that make you?

and tone left Clarissa red in

teasing me now? Aren’t you afraid that of getting

“Oh, I’m so scared!”

keen on. There are also a few more

“What?”

was dumbfounded. It would seem that she would not only need

opportunity to slack off. With winter around the corner, the only thing she had on her mind was idling and sleeping in. She had not expected her

you say you want to earn more to make rent? How is

perked up immediately. “I’ll get down to

brought her focus back. She wished she had more arms with

office has been underutilized all this time. You should get in there.

like right

“Yes, now. Questions?”

“Nope. None at all.”

own office. It was really

why’s she even working so hard? I’d do absolutely nothing were I in her

would be impossible not to once

admiration to fearfulness, to normalization. Clarissa was away when they were going through all these emotional