Andy didn't know what it was she felt for Miranda Priestly in her first few months, starting her first job as The Editor's run ragged second assistant, Andy would have said she felt unadulterated loathing no absolute disbelief at her the most demanding vicious belittling manicured Boss from Hell, Andy had ever encountered.
The Harry Potter unpublished manuscript case in point was typical Miranda behavior sadist and vindictive and nearly gave Andy a mild panic attack that day.
Now walking this late afternoon, on the busy sidewalk after her friendly little wave to the mercurial La Priestly, Andy felt that Miranda had seen her but hadn't made any indication to Andy that she had, seeing Miranda on the curb made Andy feel strangely bereft of her, which was crazy to Andy who shouldn't feel this way about Miranda who was cruel and impossible, her icy haughty demeanor wasn't likeable in anyway and betraying Nigel in Paris showed Andy it was high time to leave Runway before her own dismissal happened and hurt Andy deeper then she'd care to admit.
Andy had to leave Miranda. Get clear of this.
Be away from her. Make her feelings go away. Easier said than actually done. Sachs. Really moving on waving at Miranda.
Even Miranda's scent fascinated her. Had to get over her ex-boss.
Andy shook her dark mane of chestnut hair. The first moment she met Miranda, Andy was doomed. Took Andy months to realize this. After looking into the most beautiful eyes Andy had ever seen captured her. Those blue eyes rocked her world on its axis.
Then Miranda opened her mouth. The woman was infuriating beyond belief.
Cold. Nasty. Aloof. Prissy. Snappy. Bitchy.
Miranda behind her desk played with her glasses a lot and made Andy stammer unsure. This Editor of a fashion magazine Andy had never heard of, was arrogant and said stuff Andy would never say to anybody.
Andy had never met a more obnoxious, infuriating and complicated, overbearing entitled and gorgeous, smart, sexy woman in her life.
Miranda looking down on her in her lumpy sweater. For some reason, decided to take a chance by hiring her.
In that moment stirring in her what she first thought was strongly felt emotion of many things but not attraction. No. Definitely not attraction.
That was something that first morning meeting each other, Andy wouldn't have called it between them.
Miranda easily made Andy feel like an idiot almost every minute in her company. Her eyes were so intimidating.
Yet it simmered between them. This friction. Andy didn't know what it was for months. Unresolved tension. Yearning. Ache. Andy had a hunch what it was. Deciding to not acknowledge it.
Then Nate said it by accident. Andy just knew like a freight train hitting her. She didn't hate her snowy haired boss. Had somehow falling in love with her mean impossible boss and it wasn't blind devotion like Emily? It also wasn't a clacker crush or suffering from Priestly syndrome.
Andy wasn't going to give this a label. Her feelings for Miranda were hers to guard. Unrequited and miserably in love with unobtainable Priestly was how she felt about her white haired former boss now.
Andy crossed the street, heading out tonight to meet up with someone. To try to forget about Miranda. Even just for tonight.
Miranda was late. Andrea's wave had affected her. This was crazy. Didn't know what Andrea was thinking, doing that. Waving to her. Just like Paris hadn't happened. Andrea got under Miranda's skin with ease. Making Miranda unicy. That insipid, immature disappointing...
''Roy I don't need you tonight. Stephen will be driving me.''
Roy nodded at her words. ''Yes. Ms. Priestly.'' Roy privately wondered why that prick Stephen Tomlinson was back in his employer's life. He was all wrong for her.
Stephen didn't deserve Miranda or the twins. Stephen in Roy's opinion was a selfish whining bastard.
Miranda could do much better in a partner then that suit and tie drunk.
Roy still wondered what happened to Andy. Miranda's warm assistant. Andy Sachs was a klutz in heels but endearing and Roy saw Miranda liked the poor kid. Andy was also not lead by the nose Emily or any of the other brainless former assistants that worshipped Runway and Miranda.
Had she been promoted within Runway? Had Miranda seen her potential? Roy hoped she hadn't been fired. Hadn't seen Andy in a week. Maybe Andy was visiting her folks in Ohio? Had talked about them to him on late nights Andy delivered The Book.
He'd have to ask Emily about Andy later tonight since she was now delivering The Book.
Miranda saw the face first. It couldn't be? Could it? Gray. The picture had to be a relative of hers.
It was Gray. Miranda would know her anywhere.
Those vivid green eyes sparkling at her in the photo up for auction.
Gray was everything to her. Miranda thought she was everything to Gray. Mattered to her. Once. Gray was her friend. Her best friend. They'd met when she was Miriam Princhek.
Then Gray left her, just like that, when the twins were born.
Didn't know where Gray ran off to?
No forwarding address given or phone number or any idea of where she was? Miranda had tried finding Gray, looking for her. Was she not happy at Runway as Miranda's only assistant? Gray was gone. Simple as that, she didn't want to be found. Miranda hadn't seen her in years, left her life with no explanation, the month the twins were born.
Miranda knew Gray didn't like James at all. Lied she did. Miranda also knew how Gray felt about her.
Saw it. On her face, the way she'd watch her and look at her, saw it was in her green eyes catching Gray staring at her, Gray wanted more than being friends with her.
They'd almost kissed the day she left. Miranda hadn't let her do so. Had stopped Gray's kiss.
An tall older lady with long dark grey hair warmly smiled at Miranda, showing the locket to her with Gray's photo in it at the auction, she was polite to Miranda's many questions of asking her about who owned it, told her that a young lady had given it to the auction house with instructions it be left to be auctioned tonight. Left here until the right time. Told to keep it safe.
Miranda bid and offered any price for it.
Holding it tenderly as Stephen drove, reading the inscription to herself. M I love you with every single heartbeat. You're my tomorrow. G.
Gray loved her.
Clasping it in her palm. Maybe tomorrow morning at the office she'd demand of Emily to find Gray for her. Andrea could do it, just like that, if she was still working as her assistant. Frowning, Miranda scolded herself to staunch that thought immediately, Andrea was no longer at Runway.
Andrea had left Runway. Left her. Just like that. Didn't want any part of her.
Stephen had been drinking, Miranda smelt it on him as she spoke to him. ''Stephen slow down. Pull over. I want to get out. Now.''
Miranda decided she'd hail a cab. This was over with Stephen. Couldn't do this anymore.
Stephen ignored Miranda he was fine, he was not drunk, steering his silver Porsche, Miranda his wife could shut the hell up and quit telling him what to do, he could hold his alcohol just fine. It was just a few highballs to loosen him up as Stephen without looking turned the car into oncoming traffic.
Andy was walking with Nate tonight, they'd met up to talk, just talk about everything, him moving to Boston and Andy told him what she felt for someone else.
''So who is he?'' Nate asked Andy. His ex for a week. Both sat down at a bar uptown.
''He? No Nate it's a she.''
Nate Cooper's curly hair shook, he knew, he'd seen it, pressing his hand to hers as Andy held his kind eyes, began teasing her that he might have known. Andy's taste in albums and books.
''Just don't wear Doc Martens or buy a Jeep Wrangler.'' Andy pushed at his shoulder. ''In this city Nate where would I park. Besides she isn't with me. I love her from afar.''
''We could go pick up girls together, to make you feel better on this Friday night.'' Nate boyishly grinned at his ex who was still his friend. Andy was that first with him. Always would be.
Nate and Andy's best quality was their sense of humors, which was like two 12-year-old boys.
Peering pass his broad shoulder, Andy saw it happen, a bad accident with a sports car plowing right into traffic.
Rushing out of the bar Andy ran over to help, Andy had taken first aid.
''Nate call an ambulance.''
Andy ran over to the wreckage she blinked in shock at the accident victim. Miranda.
''Stay with me Miranda.''
A voice Miranda knew urged her from far away. Andy saw blood. Miranda's blood as she tried to help her. Please don't die. Andy practically begged. It was serious. Pressing her hand to Miranda's temple. Felt her silvery hair under her fingers.
In pain blue eyes slowly opened onto Andy's.
The streetlight almost cast brown eyes to look green. Just like Gray's.
''Miranda! Don't move.'' Andy felt Miranda's pulse was weakening.
''G-Gray.''
Andy blinked at the name.
Miranda never spoke warmly like this and never to Andy. Once Andy only heard Miranda speak to her twins as gently. ''It is you.'' Brushing Andy's face with her hand as Andy felt Miranda was confused whoever Gray was, meant something to Miranda. Meant a lot to her.
Andy could see it in her blue eyes.
Miranda loved this Gray.
''Miranda its Andy. Andrea you're going to be…f-fine.'' Andy was cut off by an upset Miranda who grasped Andy's arm. Miranda had never touched Andy before.
''Gray?'' Andy tried to make Miranda stay still who tried to and half leant up. Miranda was now close to Andy's warm lips.
Miranda eyes on Andy were so cold on her always. Not right now on Andy. Held Andy's eyes.
''I tried to find you. I-I didn't see it was you. You were always here, right in front of me. I finally see it is you.'' Blue eyes looking at Andy sorrowfully.
What was Miranda talking about?
''Take it.'' Pushed the locket to Andy's hand. Andy took it.
Andy's tears were inexorable. Running down her cheeks, couldn't stop them, tasting the saline of them. Miranda had to be okay. She mattered to Andy so much. Trembling as Andy began brushing her hand on Miranda's face.
Shaking almost with her. ''Miranda please hang on. Don't let go of my hand. The ambulance is on its way…Miranda!''
Andy felt Miranda's hand slacken in hers, closing her blue eyes on Andy.
''Miranda stay with me.'' Andy silently begged not to leave her.
Miranda didn't respond. ''No.'' Andy practically wailed out with loss. She wouldn't allow her to die. ''Please Miranda stay with me.'' Where in hell was the ambulance?
EMT's rushed up to Andy who was cradling Miranda. ''Help her.''
Andy held the wooden locket in her shaking palm. Staring down at her own face, how in the world…it was her, with the wrong shade of eye color. An eerie replica of Andy with green eyes.
Swallowing hoarsely. ''She has to live.''
Nate squeezed Andy's shoulder. Quietly spoke to her. ''Andy she's gone.''
''No she can't be. I never told her why with Paris and how I felt about her.'' Nate just held Andy close.
It had been twenty four hours since Miranda died in Andy's arms. Andy was moping in a daze in her small apartment's living room. In one night she'd lost everything.
Staring at the locket at the inscription on it, tracing it, Gray's words with her fingernail.
How was it possible that Andy was Gray? It wasn't possible.
Miranda had to have been hallucinating but this Gray looked so much like Andy.
Andy doorbell buzzed. ''I'll be right down.'' Probably Nate. To check on her. Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, which were red and puffy from weeping and her clothes still were crusted with Miranda's blood.
A package was left with Andy's name on it.
Opening it.
Andy pulled out a book on time travel. A paper with someone's name and address on it. A photo that made her gasp out loud.
Of Miranda and her. Turning it over, Andy stared at the date written on the back.
