Female Novel
Chapter 1958
On the way home, Cindy got a call from Naomi, who learned that she had started working but wasconcerned if she was having a hard time at work. She also asked if Zack had taught her anything new.
Cindy leaned into her seat and breathed out slowly. "I only just started, so it's not as if I learnedanything new just yet. Miss Warhol is pretty tied up with a project at the moment, so she can't teach mesystematically, either. For now, all she's giving me are simple tasks to ease me into the job.”
Naomi hummed in approval. “That sounds about right; I started out pretty much the same way, too. Atfirst, I was considered an apprentice of sorts, but perhaps my lack of innate talent dissuaded my masterfrom paying attention to me. In the end, I had to be bold and thick-skinned enough to demand guidanceall the time, and it was only then that my master caved in.”
Judging by Naomi’s experience, Cindy had it much better on her end.
At that moment, Cindy thought about Gary, whose good word likely prompted Serena to take her in asan apprentice.
Naomi was working in a small company, and if she had gotten such poor treatment from the designersthere at the beginning, then Cindy dreaded to think how Serena would have regarded her if it weren’tfor Gary’s recommendation.
For some reason, Cindy was a little torn by how things had turned out. While she was supremelygrateful for Gary’s help, she was also worried about the rest of the company whispering behind herback.
Presently, she and Naomi chatted on the phone for a while more, and it was only when Cindy reachedhome that she ended the call.
The house was empty, and the moment she stepped past the threshold, she made a beeline for thecouch and slumped down on it.
Previously, her idea of the perfect day would be to stay alone without anyone bothering her; she couldwhip up her own meals in peace and then rest, knowing that she was at liberty to do whatever sheliked. It was the most ideal post-graduation lifestyle that she had envisioned for herself during schooltime.
However, now that she was actually living such a lifestyle, she started to feel that every minute waspunctuated by intense loneliness and agony. novelbin
She wouldn’t call Ian unless he called her first, thinking that his absence was due to a busy workschedule. Perhaps she was far too considerate, for she would rather suffer in silence than tell Ian howshe truly felt when he wasn’t around.
After she adapted to the forlorn silence of the house, she headed into the kitchen to make spaghetti forherself. It was a quick and simple meal, but it wasn’t as if she was going to impress herself withanything lavish right now.
When the spaghetti was done cooking and she had eaten it all, she went back to the couch and drewher knees to her chest, then turned on the television.
The house was very still and quiet, so even if the television volume was just right, it sounded as if thewhole room was filled up with noise anyway.
All of a sudden, the room seemed too large and empty.
An episode of the variety show had just ended when Ian finally called her. She quickly put him throughand greeted, “Ian?”
He hummed in response. “Are you home?”
She tried her best to sound relaxed as she replied, “I’m already done with dinner. How about you?Were you really busy today? Are you coming home tonight?”
Ian had indeed been busy today. His acting was off, and the director had yelled cut so many times thateventually, Ian became irritated with himself. It didn’t help his frustration that the crew members spent abetter part of their time on set cajoling him.
But there was no way he could unpack all this over one phone call with Cindy, so he swallowed hisannoyance and said, “I don’t know what time we’ll wrap up filming tonight. The day’s progress has beenslow, so we might have to rush through the scenes later.”
“Oh,” Cindy muttered quietly. “Well, in that case, you don’t have to go through the hassle of cominghome. Just find a nearby hotel and stay there for the night. Besides, looking at the time now, it’d be fartoo late when you get home for us to catch up with one another, so you might as well unwind in yourown space.”
Ian agreed to this, then sighed as he said softly, “I just miss you, that’s all.”
The knot in Cindy’s stomach loosened when she heard this, and she no longer felt so uneasy about his
absence.
Given that he still had a lot of things to take care of on his end, they didn’t spend much time chatting onthe phone before he hung up.
As soon as he did, Cindy turned off the television and sauntered into the bedroom, thereafter taking ashower. Then, she lay in bed.
It wasn’t too long ago when she and Ian spent every night snuggling underneath the covers until sleepovercame them, but now she lay here alone. She pursed her lips, then flipped so she could face hisside of the bed, which felt unnaturally empty.
She kept telling herself how this would work out for the better. If we slept together on the same bed, Ianwould always try to cross over to my side and push me to the edge, she thought wistfully.