Chapter eight

Sara’s POV

I stirred in bed, feeling the warmth of the morning sun seeping through the curtains. Sundays were my sanctuary, a day to indulge in laziness and relaxation. With a contented sigh, I allowed myself to linger in bed a little longer, relishing the soft embrace of my blankets.

"Ah, Sunday. The perfect excuse to stay in bed a little longer." I said to myself.

As I finally roused myself from sleep, I glanced at the clock and realized I had slept in later than usual. But there was no rush today, no pressing deadlines or obligations to attend to or Mr. Samuels to deal with. Today was for me and me alone.

"Overslept again. Oh well, it's Sunday.” I muttered with a smile on my face.

With a leisurely pace, I made my way to the bathroom, reveling in the simple pleasure of starting the day on my own terms. The warm water cascaded over me, washing away the remnants of sleep and leaving me feeling refreshed and invigorated.

"Nothing like a hot shower to wake me up." I exclaimed happily.

I love talking to myself when I’m alone, that way I won’t feel lonely. I don’t know if that makes sense.

After my shower, I padded into the kitchen and set about preparing breakfast, relishing the opportunity to indulge in my favorite meal. As the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, I couldn't help but smile, grateful for the small comforts that made weekends so special.

"Pancakes or eggs? Hmm, decisions, decisions."

With a steaming cup of coffee in hand, I settled onto the couch and switched on the television, eager to lose myself in the latest episode of my favorite series. Time seemed to slip away as I immersed myself in the captivating drama unfolding on the screen.

"Just one more episode, then I'll get something to eat”, I said to myself.

As the morning wore on, my thoughts inevitably drifted to the events of the previous evening. Zack's unexpected introduction of me as his girlfriend had caught me off guard, leaving me with a whirlwind of emotions and questions.

"What did Zack mean by introducing me as his girlfriend? Does he see me that way?"

Despite reaching out to him before leaving the event, his silence left me feeling unsettled and confused, wondering if I had said or done something wrong.

"Why hasn't he replied? Did I misinterpret something?"

Frustrated by my own uncertainty, I pushed aside thoughts of Zack and turned my attention to more pressing matters. My uncle's recent request for me to consider marriage before inheriting my family's properties weighed heavily on my mind, prompting a cascade of questions and doubts.

"Marriage? Is that something I'm ready for? It's a big decision."

“I’m not even in any relationship or have anyone I’m interested in. How then will I get married?” I asked myself, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion.

As I pondered over this predicament, I realized that neither Zack nor his grandfather had ever mentioned anything about Zack’s parents or siblings. It struck me as odd. Why hadn’t they come up in conversation before?

“Well, what’s the internet for if not to find answers?” I muttered to myself, determined to uncover the mystery.

I reached out for my phone and started searching for information about Zack’s family. What I found was both surprising and saddening. Zack was the only son of his parents, who had both passed away. The only surviving member of his immediate family was his grandfather.

“Oh, that explains why he introduced me to his grandfather as his girlfriend,” I said aloud, the pieces finally falling into place.

The thought of Zack’s loneliness and the weight of being the last in his family made me see him in a new light.

I went further and discovered Aaron Jacob, his best friend.

According to what I found, they’ve been friends since birth. I laughed at that statement and muttered, “Literally.”

As I continued reading, it felt a bit invasive, like I was stalking my boss, Mr. Samuels. Realizing I had delved too deep into his personal life, I decided to stop searching. Instead, I resolved to focus on the brighter side of life and look forward to the possibilities that lay ahead.

I noticed I was out of groceries, so I decided to shop since today was the only time I had to do it.

I quickly went to my room to change into black jeans and a sweatshirt. I packed my hair up in a ponytail and applied some lip gloss.

I grabbed my phone, purse, and keys, and headed to the grocery store.

I was almost done shopping when I heard a familiar voice.

"Oh Brit, look at the girl who wants to snatch Zack away from me," the voice said. If it hadn’t been for Zack’s name, I would have sworn the voice wasn’t talking about me.

I turned and saw Nora, the same one from last night. The look on her face was dangerous. She seemed so nice yesterday, I thought to myself.

“Nora, is she deaf and dumb?” her friend asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“No, Brittany, she must be afraid to admit it to my face,” Nora said in a disgusted tone.

“Good day to you two. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said politely.

“Oh, she speaks,” her friend remarked.

“I heard Zack introducing you to his grandfather last night. Care to explain that?” Nora challenged me.

Now I understood what this was all about.

I don’t know why I felt the need to cover for Zack. Maybe it was because of what I heard last night or what I found out online.

“I don’t think I owe you or anyone an explanation about what’s going on between Zack and me,” I said confidently.

“Really? You have the guts to talk to me that way?” Nora said angrily.

Her friend, Brittany, scoffed.

“Yes, really. The last time I checked, you’re no longer his girlfriend. He’s moved on; you should too,” I advised.

I’m not one to cause trouble, but she was testing my patience. I had no idea why Zack dragged me into this mess.

Heads were turning toward our direction, and I hated the attention. I’ve been living quietly these past months, and I didn’t want my face all over the news later.

“What gave you the audacity to talk to me that way?” she screamed, drawing more attention.

“If you will excuse me,” I said, moving away from her.

“Where do you think you’re going? I’m not done with you!” she said, grabbing my arm and raising her hand to slap me.

I quickly closed my eyes, waiting for the pain, but it never came.

I heard gasps around me and quickly opened my eyes. What I saw before me shocked my entire being.

Something told me this was just the tip of the iceberg and there was still more to come so I had better prepare myself for it.