Someone Like You | Sample

01

I love taking bus rides. Especially when it rains like this. Sitting here, almost near the back as it rains outside, a whole new world seems to be created in the large vehicle. A whole new world that feels safe despite being so uncertain of its passengers, that feels warm despite it raining so hard outside. It's a system that works well enough, loving bus rides and not having a car of my own.

I was never a girl from a, particularly rich family. In fact, my family is quite in the middle class. Ever since I can remember, my mother has worked as an accountant in a large firm, and my father has been a professor for the Faculty of Agriculture at a local university back home. Their jobs never changed and neither did our financial standing.

I was always aware of the bills and expenditures of the house. Despite having a single maid that came by five days a week, I remember we would always budget and be aware of our spendings. Regardless, I was always quite content with my life. I loved my moderately sized home and it didn't matter that I didn't get a car gifted on my sixteenth birthday like the other kids, or a credit card to spend my parents' money with.

Breaking me out of my thoughts, the bus comes to a stop and I check that all my manuscripts are safely placed in a plastic bag inside my bag before pulling out my umbrella and getting up. Quickly I begin making my way towards the exit. Today is a more important day than usual. Apart from having to submit these manuscripts, it's also pay-day and that means it's the day I do my grocery shopping and pay the bills.

Being a twenty-four-year-old girl, taking care of my own house and expenses, and doing my Masters part-time at the university while working full time as an editor for a very popular publishing company is not exactly what I had initially thought adult life to be. I had been a dreamer, in my dreams, everything was pastel and Instagram worthy. I was living a beautiful life filled with magical multitasking and a Prince Charming who always stood by my side, supporting me.

Reality isn't like that though. I figured that out the very first day I moved into this house alone. Although I know my parents would love to help me out, asking them for money is probably the hardest thing I have had to do in quite a while and so I try to keep that off as the absolute last option. So far it has been working well. Sometimes in the moment of solitude, I even admit to myself how proud I am of this little world I have created for myself.

Stepping off the bus, I turn in the direction of the publishing company.

Despite life's realities, however, I still do try to find the beauty in things. I try keeping my home and garden just as I used to dream it would be. I reckon, as long as I can get one thing right, the rest won't matter too much.

Prince Charming looks way better in my imagination anyway.

Turning around the street's corner, my eyes spot the publishing company and I let out a huff of exhausted breath. Already dreading having to go up 5 floors of stairs. Being claustrophobic isn't exactly a quirk to celebrate sometimes.

The rain begins to get stronger and my feet don't carry me as quick as I want them to. I tighten my grasp on the small, yellow umbrella as I angle it against the direction of the pelting rain and grimace when it barely does anything to hold the icy shower of water off.

As I pass the brightly painted, large building I've come to appreciate over the past years working at the publishing company, the rich scent of beef stir fry wafts out of the Chinese restaurant and out into the rainy street. Had it been some other time, I would have given in, however this month I am tight on the money and have to buy other things for the house — so Chinese takeouts will have to wait for a while.

"Gemma! It's good to finally see you in the office! Have you been well?" Alicia, the chief editor of our publishing company smiles up at me as I enter the office and walk over to her office — knocking on the door I open it when she gives the green signal.