LANA'S POV
Lana sat across from Mabel, the two of them were not done with their coffee cups as the conversation moved in and out of lighthearted topics, they had small laughs occasionally disrupting the stillness of the café.
For a moment, Lana allowed herself to relax, putting aside the chaos of her recent evening. Soon she thought of bringing out Nikolai Sinclair's business card which she remembered was in her bag.
She looked down at it, .”Why not? she told herself. “If I'm ever going to call, now's the time.”
"Oh, there it is!" Mabel's eyes shone bright; she was excited. "Well, don't just stare at it-call him!"
Lana took in a deep breath, Lana dialed the number on the card with a little nervous chuckle. Holding the phone to her ear, her heartbeat increased as it started to ring.
One ring. Two rings. The silence was heavy while she sat there, staring out this café window, hoping beyond hope that he'd pick up. By the third ring, she started feeling discouraged, it had taken hold on her.
Perhaps he's not going to respond. she whispered, she would feel the disappointment showing in her tone.
Maybe he has changed his mind.
Mabel leaned across the table, resting a comforting hand on her arm. "Chill, Lana. He's probably in a meeting or something. The man runs half the city, doesn't he?
Lana attempted a smile, but her head was still clouded. What if he had reconsidered? Perhaps he'd come to realise that she wasn't right for him after all, or that she wasn't refined enough to fill the position in his life that was under such constant scrutiny.
Just as she was going to pocket her phone and give up on the thought, Mabel began to take the conversation in another direction.
"You remember Mrs. Klinsworth from history class, right?" Mabel asked, her face lighting up with humour. "You know, the one who thinks she is descended from royalty?"
"Oh my god, yes," Lana snickered, shaking her head. "The way she walks around that classroom, like we should be bowing."
Mabel doubled over, grasping at her stomach as she burst into a fit of giggles. "Do you remember that time she made everyone curtsy before the final exam? She thought it would 'foster respect for history.'"
Lana let out a real laugh now, she was quite appreciative for the light distraction. "Oh, I remember. I was convinced I'd walked into some sort of weird medieval reenactment. I think I saw Bianca actually do a full bow!
"Bianca would," Mabel rolled her eyes, barely holding her laughter in.
"Right," Lana seconded, the laughter barely contained. "Like she is better than all of us, and she is just waiting for this great life that we little people cannot comprehend.
Oh, please," Mabel snorted, waving her hand. "You and I both know she's just putting on a show. She thinks putting others down somehow lifts her up." She smirked “Unlike me, of course. I mean, you saw the roses Liam gave me last week, right?"
Lana rolled her eyes well. "Yes, yes, you've told me all about them. What was it? Red and white roses?
Mabel's face softened, her cheeks coloring in pink. "Well, they were actually lilies mixed with roses. He remembered how much I love them together."
Lana leaned into her, eyes sparkling with mirth. "Wow, look at you getting all sappy on me. Next thing you know, I'll have to call you Mrs. Liam.
"Oh, hush!" Mabel laughed, playfully slapping Lana's hand. "But seriously, he's… different. I didn't think anyone could make me feel this way."
Lana smiled, though a flicker of envy whispered at her heart when she saw her friend glow with happiness. "I am so happy for you, Mabel. You deserve this. Truly."
They sat a while in friendly silence, Mabel lost in her Liam thoughts, Lana with the warmth of their friendship. Suddenly, she felt thankful to have someone around who could make her rise even on her worst days.
Just then, as she was about to say something else, her phone buzzed. She looked down, and her heart skipped a beat. It was Nikolai.
Her fingers were still trembling as she picked up the phone; with wide eyes, she looked at Mabel. Mabel nodded encouragingly, mouthing, "Go on!"
Lana took a deep breath and answered, "Hello, Mr. Sinclair?"
There was a moment of silence from the other end before his deep, smooth voice came through, immediately drawing her attention. "Hello, Lana. I'm so sorry I missed your call. Things have been … busy on my end." Sounding genuinely contrite, she found herself relaxing somewhat.
"No problem," she said, hopefully her voice wasn't shaking. "I just. Well, I have been thinking about your offer, and I wanted to talk more about it."
"Good," he said, and Lana could almost hear the smile in his voice. "I was hoping you'd call. I'd rather talk face-to-face, anyway. Can you meet me tomorrow?" freaking out inside, Lana found herself nodding, though she knew he couldn't see her. "Yes. I can meet tomorrow.
"Excellent. My office at eleven?" he suggested.
"Yes, that works," she said, still trying to rein in the eagerness.
"Perfect. Look forward to seeing you then, Lana," he said warmly; the tone in his voice sent a strange feeling of comfort her way.
As the call ended, Lana let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding. She looked up to see Mabel grinning from ear to ear.
"Well?" Mabel prompted, hardly containing her excitement. "What did he say?"
"He… wants to meet tomorrow," Lana managed, a smile breaking through herself. "At his office. I think… I think he's really serious about this. Sorry, I forgot to ask about the location."
Mabel clapped her hands in excitement. "I told you! This is huge, Lana. This could be the fresh start you've been waiting for."
Lana nodded, her mind racing this time with excitement. "I know. I just… I hope I'm ready for it."