14. Followed

Aella

I wake up to the soft rays of morning light filtering through the curtains and or a moment, I simply lay there, my eyes closed, a smile stretched across my face.

The memories of last night’s date with Jay—our laughter, the shared glances, and especially that electrifying kiss—floated through my mind like a sweet melody.

Rubbing my eyes, I sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My feet touched the cool floor, and I felt invigorated, as if I were walking on air. I padded to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face, meeting my own reflection with a grin.

“Today is going to be a good day,” I whisper to myself.

After a quick shower, I threw on a simple T-shirt and jeans, my usual work attire, but today it felt different, like I was dressing for a special occasion. I braided my hair to the side and even put on a bit of mascara and lip gloss.

Why not? It was a day worth celebrating, even if it was just another Wednesday.

As I got my things ready to head out, my pho