Sidney smiled and didn't respond. Alondra took a slow sip of her coffee, the warmth of the cup briefly easing the tension in her fingers. She glanced down into the dark liquid, her thoughts momentarily clouded. Without a word, she and the other person turned their gaze toward the window. The city outside seemed to breathe with them, the steady patter of rain on the glass almost soothing. It had been clear for hours, but now, as if on cue, a light drizzle began to fall again, blurring the skyline with a fine mist.
"Aren't you planning to go back to B City?" Alondra shifted her gaze back and looked at the slim Sidney.
"Yeah, I want to work hard, save some money, and buy a small apartment. I'll just stay here for now!" she smiled.
"Then I'll quit my job and stay here with you!"
"Your job is fine, why would you quit?"
"To be with you! Anyway, I'm so bored in there. Isn't it better if I move here to keep you company?"
"Are you sure? Jobs here aren't as easy to find as in B City."
"Anyway, I don't have that debt collector after me now, I can do any job!" Alondra tugged at Sidney's arm, pouting. Sidney had no way to resist and had to agree.
However, the environment of her apartment wasn't great. Sidney told her to rent a place on her own for now, and when her contract ended, they'd find a suitable place together to share and save on rent, so they could reach their goal of buying a house sooner.
Alondra was a bit of a chatterbox, so she pulled Sidney into a conversation, eager to catch up on everything that had been going on in her life—both personal and work-related. She just wanted to spill it all. Sidney, on the other hand, stayed quiet, listening intently, only offering the occasional nod or short response. She didn't bring up anything about her own life, keeping the focus entirely on Alondra.
After Alondra had vented everything, she finally gave Sidney a break. By then, it was time for dinner. Sidney took her to a nearby diner, where they grabbed a hearty burger and fries. Afterward, they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.
Alondra drove off in her used car.
Sidney stood in the drizzling rain, watching the taillights of Alondra's car fade into the night before starting her way home.
Spending time with Alondra today, Sidney couldn't shake the odd sensation that she had somehow slipped back to her university days. Back then, life had felt light, and their friendship was a safe space to unload every worry, no matter how trivial. They'd talk for hours, sharing the weight of their emotions, and no matter what the weather was like or whether they were dealing with cramps, they'd always end the day the same way—with an ice cream cone in hand. Somehow, that small act would wash away the heaviness of their moods. Back then, happiness came easily, like a breath of fresh air. But now, as she stood at the edge of adulthood, Sidney couldn't help but feel the weight of life's expectations pressing down on her. The future seemed uncertain, and with it, the joy she once felt seemed harder to grasp.
Indeed, she had thought about buying her own house and whether she could open a small shop, run a business, and spend her remaining years like that. She no longer wanted to talk about love or fall in love again. She had to think about her future. Without a partner or children, she needed to plan and enrich her life properly.
Without a kitchen of her own, Sidney started practicing in her tiny apartment, which usually ended up in a mess that took hours to clean up. Half a month later, Alondra smoothly quit her job and moved to C City, renting a spacious apartment with a decent kitchen. Sidney called it a waste of space, but still, she hauled her oven over to Alondra's place. From then on, after work, she'd head over to practice cooking there. Alondra, of course, was more than happy to enjoy free meals and drinks while she took her time looking for a new job.
Sometimes, when practice went late, Alondra would invite her to stay over. Sidney would borrow clothes from Alondra, whose fashion was already quite flashy. Sidney had tried to dress more simply and conservatively, but when she got to the store, her appearance still drew attention. Her colleagues noticed that Sidney had changed. Sidney had always had good looks, and with her new wardrobe, she became even more striking. Everyone started guessing if she was in a relationship.
Sidney naturally denied it all, simply saying the clothes were from a friend.
Frank still kept up a warm attitude toward her, and Sidney didn't feel right constantly keeping him at arm's length. So, every now and then, when there were group dinners with colleagues, she'd still show up. They'd chat casually, but there was an added layer of caution on her part.
Another large order came in that day, the same company as last time. Thanks to the experience from before, the staff was now much better at handling things. Once Sidney finished her tasks, Frank asked if she could help with a delivery. The second cook was tied up in the kitchen and couldn't leave, so Sidney didn't want to hold things up and agreed without hesitation.
Once they arrived, Frank unloaded the food containers, while Sidney checked the order against the company's counter list.
After confirming everything was in order, she saw a familiar face pass by in front of her. Wasn't that Mr. Smith?
Sidney quickly turned her back, hoping she hadn't been spotted. She hurriedly walked out of the company and returned to the car to wait for Frank.
Frank didn't quite get why Sidney was in such a rush, so he teased her a bit when she got into the car.
Sidney simply replied, "Once the job's done, of course, we should head back quickly. No slacking off."
Frank teased, "Look at you, acting more like the boss than the boss does!"
