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Chapter 9
“So… it’s still a bit rough, but I’d really like to hear your thoughts.”
On the final day of our agreed deadline, I brought my design drafts to Rolin.
He flipped through each page carefully, then looked up at me with a bit of hesitation in his expression.
“Sabrina, don’t take this the wrong way, but… these aren’t quite there yet.”
I already knew.
I started to rise and thank him for the opportunity, but he motioned for me to sit next to him.
“Look, I’m being honest–these sketches are better than I expected. Honestly, I was kind of surprised.”
He glanced at me with a small smile
“Later someone told me you hadn’t touched design in years. Considering that? These are almost on par with my junior designers. That’s already impressive.”
“But you and they you’re all missing something. A certain feeling”
Classic creative director speak
I had no idea what he meant, so I just nodded, pretending I understood
“You free tonight?” he asked suddenly, “I want to take you somewhere.”
I hesitated because Mason was coming back from his business trip tonight.
He’d said he wanted to have dinner together.
If it had been before, I would’ve turned Rolin down without thinking eager to rush into Mason’s arms.
But now?
Now I thought It’s just dinner with Mason
And compared to my work, my designs… it just didn’t seem that important anymore, especially because Rolin hadn’t rejected my work outright.
There was still hope. Still potential.
And suddenly, I understood why Mason had bailed on me all those times before.
It wasn’t just about Chloe.
It was because, in his world, there were always things more important than me. Than us,
I just hadn’t been his priority.
“You there yet? Traffic’s a mess on my end. Just wait for me”
Right on cue, Mason called–exactly at the time we were supposed to be sitting down for dinner.
“Hey, I can’t make it tonight,” I said before he could say more. “Something came up.”
H
“I sent you a message earlier this morning, but I’m guessing you were busy and didn’t see it.
There was silence on the other end.
Then-
What kind of thing?1 can wall”
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That word, Wait. It actually stunned me for a second.
For the past seven years, I had been the one waiting.
Waiting for him to finish meetings. Waiting for him to come home. Waiting for him to make time for me.
He never waited for me.
The fact that he even said it now almost felt like… a joke.
“No, it’s fine,” I replied quickly. “You must be tired from the trip anyway. Go home and rest”
“Sabrina! Don’t-
He was clearly irritated.
But just then, the car stopped.
Roling
glanced over from the driver’s seat and nodded. “We’re here ”
H
“I’ve gotta go,” I said and ended the call before Mason could say anything else.
I stepped out of the car, looked around, and froze.
It took me a second to register where we were.
Rolin had brought me to my undergrad campus.
My old college.
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