Friends.

Chapter 75

LOLAS POV

You’ll be running the city in a month.

Ha. I snort, remembering both Harry and Gemma's stupid words, the bustling city caging in around me as I walked down the street, the only ounce of confidence in me fuelled by my patent nude Louboutin peep toes.

I felt like a very small fish in the largest possible pond. I’d already bumped into three different people, non of which said sorry, instead they just grunted into their cell phones and give me an ill look, making me feel like an inconvenience. I love cities, I love the way you can get lost in a sea of people and realise how insignificant your little problems are. I love how busy it is, I love how everything feels like this really large production line, everyone falling into his or her own routine and the city seems to work in sync like a well functioned machine. But this was different. This wasn’t London where I could walk through the city and know almost exactly where I was at least most of the time because I’d walked the streets so many times, back in London I managed to sneak through the footpaths unnoticed, I don’t remember bumping into anyone, or falling over my own feet. But here, I don’t know where I’m going. I am constantly spinning on the spot looking for some sort of noticeable landmark.

I think I’m on… West 59th? Oh God who knows anymore.

Apparently my sense of direction has decided to power down from the second I touched down in New York.

My Grandfather, being the sentimental, anti-technology man he is, had only given me golden keys, but they didn’t actually serve a purpose anymore, now that the lift was run by swipe keys and the lift was the door to my apartment, only if you had been buzzed up or if you had a key could you get access to the room, similar to my old apartment. He’d thought it would be nice to leave those with the concierge, however given the late ridiculous time I got in from Australia, it made things much more difficult. Luckily, the doorman of the building was able to help me. However, by the time I got into the apartment, there was not enough energy left in me to actually appreciate my new apartment, therefore my eyes merely glazed over the beautiful marble floors of the lobby of the building, the black and white check tiles as I stepped out of the lift on my floor, I had looked around, spying the beautiful staircase I had once admired when I’d visited before, and immediately dragged my luggage up there, crashing down onto the bed in the master bedroom, that will definitely need to be redecorated.

After another twenty minutes of walking, I finally found myself back at my familiar stoop, walking in the foyer and into the lift.

“Afternoon Ms Jones.” The doorman waves to me as I walk past him, flashing him a smile and loving the reassuring feeling I get, in this huge city where I know no one, it’s nice to hear someone say your name. I slump down on the plush couch in the living room once I step out of the lift, being lost is exhausting.

Since I arrived four days ago, I have successfully navigated myself to the new office on 5th Street, just so I know where the building is. Apart from that, each day has been a struggle between  ‘do I get out of bed and try to find other things to think about’ or ‘do I wallow in self pity all day’. Most of the time thinking about other things generally works, focusing on my fresh start, my new city, as well as starting my study for the bar exam. That’ll be fun. But I won’t admit it’s been overwhelming. My first meeting with Human Resources is in two days, and from there we’ll start hiring for the new office. I’m praying that once I start working it will be easier to think about other things. God I can’t even bring myself to think their names.

A heavy feeling weighs down upon my heart, and I have no idea what could possibly ease the load. I’m doing everything I can to forget about them, to not let it affect me, to not think about how I got my hopes up all over again only to have them come crushing back down.