After returning from Napa, Shira's life went back to its busy routine. She did all sorts of online shopping to get the trendiest seasonal clothes and then returning them, fully utilized Zack's borrowed cameras, and posted twice a day at 8am and 5pm.
She was eagerly waiting for Ryleigh, the well-known influencer from New York, to reply to her detailed business proposal for the collaboration. Each day, she found herself checking her emails multiple times, hoping to find a response. But as hours turned into days, she hadn't heard back anything. Growing anxious, Shira decided to take initiative; she sent a few more follow-up emails, sprinkling them with enthusiasm and a gentle reminder of her proposal. She also slid into Ryleigh's direct messages on Instagram, thinking maybe her emails were overlooked. But the only thing she got back was silence, a deafening one that gradually made her feel invisible.
That's when the harsh reality hit her—she was being ghosted.
She couldn't help but wonder what went wrong. Did her proposal lack appeal? Was her idea not as revolutionary as she thought? Or was it something else entirely that made Ryleigh decide to just ignore her?
On the other hand, things with Brian were progressing wonderfully. They managed to keep the spark alive through daily FaceTime calls. On this particular day, Brian, wearing a fit-cut grey Lululemon Tshirt, still a bit breathless and flushed from his workout, dialed Shira as he walked away from the gym.
"Shira, you know what, I was just thinking about you all day at work. I can't wait until the next time I see you," Brian said gently, then sighed with frustration.
"I miss you too, Brian. Weirdly, it almost feels like a part of me is missing without you here," Shira replied.
Beneath Shira's eager words, there was a pragmatic concern she didn't voice out loud; another trip to California was way beyond her budget. Sensing a momentary silence, she bravely broached the subject. "I've been doing some thinking, Brian. I'd love to come see you, I really would, but...my time is tight right now. I have all the shootings and work lined up. Flying out to California again might not be possible for me."
Brian's voice softened. "I get it, Shira. And I've been thinking too. Maybe it's time I make the trip to Miami. To be honest, I just want to be where you are. Don't worry. We'll figure it out, okay?"
"Yeah, baby. Anything you say." Shira blinked her big blue eyes.
Brian then went on to talk about the project he is working on, "I've been swamped since the retreat. We've set this massive goal of elevating ten thousand influencers to create a community of over a million. It will reshape the landscape. Tony and the crew are buzzing. We're on the brink of tweaking the algorithm in ways no one's seen before."
Brian looks so dedicated and smart when he talks. Shira looked at the screen and still can't believe she can get a man this perfect.
She tried to keep up her smile and nodded along. However, her thoughts quickly went elsewhere. Brian caught the shift in her demeanor. He prodded gently, "Hey, you seem a bit off. What's weighing on your mind? You can talk to me."
Shira sighed, and slowly started talking. "It's just... I've hit a bit of a snag. I reached out to Ryleigh for a collaboration, poured my heart into the proposal. But it's been crickets. No reply, nothing. It feels like I'm shouting into the void," she admitted, her voice tinged with sadness.
Brian leaned in closer on the screen, his look with empathy. "Shira, silence doesn't always mean rejection. Maybe there's a glitch, or she's swamped. Have you tried touching base again? Persistence can sometimes turn the tide."
"Yeah, I've sent a couple of follow-ups, even tried sliding into her DMs. It's been frustrating, feeling like I'm just waiting on someone else's terms," Shira confessed, managing a small chuckle to break the tension.
Brian's response was immediate and supportive, "You know what, Shira? This might just be the universe nudging you. A push to focus more on your own incredible ideas. You've got this magnetic energy, and you don't need a collaboration to validate your talent." He sounded full of confidence.
Shira, visibly uplifted by Brian's words, found a relieved smile surfacing on her face. She almost wished she could hug Brian right now. "You might just be right, Brian. Maybe I was too fixated on the idea of partnering up that I lost sight of my own potential. Thanks for the reality check."
"Hey girl, you are wonderful you know? I'm SURE you are the best at whatever you do." Brian encouraged, his voice full of confidence.
"Thank you babe. You've no idea how this changes my day - in a great way."
Shira and Brian then chatted for another two hours before they could hang up. Before Shira went to bed, the phone lit up with another text from Brian. It's an emoji of a sad little chicken burst into a smile. Seeing it, a smile played on Shira's lips.
The coming Saturday night, Zack insisted on taking Shira out for dinner as their usually weekly routine. He felt something has changed since Shira came back from Napa, but he wasn't sure. It wasn't until he held Shira in his arms that he felt a sense of security again.
The next morning, Shira woke up and started making coffee in Zack's kitchen. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as she hummed softly to herself, still groggy from sleep. She heard the door of Zack's roommate, Josh's room open behind her. Without looking up, Shira called out, "Morning, Josh. Want some coffee?"
To her surprise, when she turned around, it wasn't Josh standing there. It was Gina.
Shira's eyes widened, and she nearly dropped the mug she was holding. "Gina? What are you...?"
Gina looked equally shocked, her hair disheveled and wearing what appeared to be one of Josh's oversized t-shirts. "Shira? I... I didn't know you were here."
The two friends stared at each other for a moment, the silence thick with confusion and awkwardness. Shira was the first to break it. "So, um... you and Josh?"
Gina's cheeks flushed red. "It's not... I mean, remember the guy I told you about? We were on and off. But last night he called me..."
"Hey, it's okay," Shira said, trying to sound reassuring despite being super nervous. "You don't have to explain."
Gina then asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and confusion, "So why are you here? Who's in that room?" It was clear she hadn't met Zack yet. Shira felt her heart racing, knowing she was about to be found out. Her mind raced, searching for lies or explanations, but deep down, she knew she had to come clean.
Taking a deep breath, Shira spoke softly, "Gina, there's something I need to tell you. I'm... I'm still seeing Zack, you haven't met him yet but he is my photographer, on and off. And Brian and I, we're not exclusive yet." She paused, her voice trembling slightly, "Oh god, I hope you don't think I'm a terrible person."
Gina's eyes widened as she processed the information. For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air. Then, to Shira's surprise, Gina's expression softened, and a small smile appeared on her face. She reached out and gently touched Shira's hand.
"Hey, it's okay," Gina said, her voice warm and understanding. "Relationships can be really complicated sometimes."
Shira, who had been looking down nervously, glanced up with disbelief written across her face. "You're not mad?" she asked hesitantly.
Gina shook her head. "No, I'm not mad. We're all trying to figure things out, you know?" She gave Shira's hand a gentle squeeze. "Listen, you don't have to explain everything right now. But when you're ready, let's grab coffee somewhere quiet and talk it all through. Okay?"
Shira nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "That would be great," she said, managing a small smile.
"And Shira?" Gina added, her tone is kind. "Don't worry. I'm not here to judge you. Especially not you. We've been through too much together for that."
Shira felt incredibly touched. "Thanks, Gina. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Just then, they heard movement from Zack's room. Gina's eyes widened again. "Oh, shoot. I should probably get going," she whispered hurriedly. "Text me later, okay? We'll set up that coffee date."
With a final shared look of understanding, Gina slipped back into Josh's room, leaving Shira alone in the kitchen, her mind swirling with thoughts of the unexpected morning and the conversations to come.
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