“I will ask our coach to come and see you. Since it’s the Jim, I also don’t have much idea”

“As your wish, Mr. Nelson” Sera sighed secretly while hanging the phone. ‘This is work. And, I should not tangle the work with personal issues’ she thought next.

“Neli, bring me Neston college file” She ordered.

In the entire afternoon, she drew three different sketches from different angles. Even though time flies so quick, she didn’t feel it as she was so into her work.

“Creeeeeeezzz!!!!”

It was the sound of the office door but she didn’t raise her head and looked.

“Excuse me….Madam…” She felt a presence of someone in front of her.

“Please, have a seat” Without looking at the person, she mumbled. Her fingers were moving like a genius and the pencil and the ruler were dancing in there.

“That’s it” After another five to seven minutes, she raised her head from the sketch with a slight smile and her eyes tend towards the person before her.

“Oh!” She was surprised. 

He was in front of her. For the last few minutes, it was his chance to watch her close. The way she was working and the way her fingers were moving with the tools were amazing.

“Are you done, madam?” he asked simply. Clearing , she looked at Jason. ‘Since when he was staring at me?’ she thought silently. She checked the time and noticed that it was closer to five o’clock. She could faintly remember how Neli and other girls asked her to join with the lunch but she refused because she wanted to finish the file.

Sera looked at Jason again. He was waiting there sitting in front of her until she speaks. His eyes were on her and it embarrassed her a little.

“Please have a look” she offered the file to him.

“Neli…!!!”

“Yes, madam…”

“Bring me the previous sketches of Neston college as well.” She ordered again. Noticing that he was again staring at her, she woke up her voice.

“Are you done referring it?”

“Yes, but, it’s all different from what I need...” he said.

“What? Again?” All the staff’s attention tended towards them. And then only, Sera noticed that her voice was a bit higher than the ordinary.

“Should I give my sketch to you? I drew one, in case if you need” Jason handed over an envelope to her. With an absent mind, she took it.

“Look here, Mr. coach… This doesn’t sound good. The areas which you have selected for the changing rooms and office cabin are not placed properly. They block the entrance…” She said without looking at him.

“But, this is how I need” Jason stated. She felt an anger risen within her for his stubbornness.

“I am in this field for the last three years and I know what is the appropriate way for a Jim. Why don’t you take the advice from a professional?” she asked bit strictly.

“That’s what I want to ask you. I am the coach of the Jim and this is how I want it to be done. Then, why don’t you take the suggestion from a professional as well?” Jason’s voice raised.

Feeling the intense going on, Neli and other girls’ attention totally transferred to Sera and Jason. For the last three years, Neli was with her and she has never seen Sera as furious like this.

“I have never seen Madam in this way, Neli” Shani muttered her secretly.

“Me too… And to a handsome coach!” She said noticing her subordinate’s nod for the agreement of her words.

“Mr. Coach, look here…I can do this as you wish but it affects our reputation as well.” Sera stated again.

“What’s wrong with my sketch?” he asked shockingly.

“This is the stupidest sketch I have ever seen”

Jason froze. Neli jumped out from her seat and other girls covered their mouths with hands shockingly.

“What?????????” Sera was able to read the emotions of Jason. She believed he was getting irritated now and it was her intention.

“Look here, don’t you think you are crossing the line?” he asked shockingly

“I don’t think so”

“How come you treat a customer in this way?” Jason’s ears have gotten red with the embarrassment. Neli ran towards them hurriedly.

“Excuse me, Madam… Why don’t you let me handle this… Mr Coach… why don’t we have a conversation?” Neli interrupted.

“Why should I?” Jason asked shockingly. He was embarrassed and feeling humiliated in front of a bunch of girls.

“Madam has not had her lunch yet. I can discuss this with you, so she can go and have it” Neli stated even though she was not totally confident of handling an irritated client.

“I am alright. Go back to your work” Sera said with a blank expression. Jason stared her newly. Instead of the irritation and embarrassment, he sensed a kind of depressed and lonely feeling towards her. And he noticed how strong her words when Neli went back to her seat.

“I can wait. You go and have your lunch first” he said in a lower voice.

“That’s alright. Let’s finish this today” Sera stated.

“It’s already half past five. Have your lunch first. I will wait” He said again feeling depressed about her.

“I don’t want your sympathy, Mr. Coach… let’s finish this now” Jason remained looking at her. How come a person changed like such? The old kind and generous Sera was not there by now. He sensed a hurt in his heart.

“Ok…” he replied finally.

They worked together for the proposed Jim for another two hours in between so many arguments to the extent all the staff was shocked and scared. Even though they all have finished their work for the day, they waited in their seat until Sera finished with the client.

“It’s done, at last...” Finally, Sera stood up from the seat.

“Madam, we are done for the day” Grabbing the opportunity Neli hurriedly came her and said.

“Alright. You all can leave” Sera stated. Jason stood up from the seat next. It was already half past seven.

“Is there anything you required?” Sera asked looking at him.

“Nothing” Noticing all the staff were getting ready to leave, he replied.

“Then, this is the final and approved one. Can you sign here?” she said while giving a pen to him.

“Sign? For what?” he was surprised.

“In any case, if you come again and tell me to change it further…. Then it will be a mess again” Jason passed a sigh with a little anger.

“Don’t you think you should be careful with your words when you speak?” Sera didn’t reply him back. Instead of that, she turned the paper and the pen to him.

“I don’t want to sign” he stated. Neli and others frozen at their spots. They looked at their faces shockingly.

“Why?”

“Signing is not something relates to me. Signing must be done by this firm, not me…” he said with a high voice.

“Look here, Mr. Coach… Here, the situation is different. We also need a confirmation from you to go ahead. We can’t change the draft forever like this” Sera said strictly.

“Madam…Calm down” Neli got closer to her. Sera sighed.

“You all can leave. I will manage” she said looking at those surprising eyes of her staff. While mumbling to each other secretly, the girls left the office with a shock.

“Can you please sign here?” she repeated when all of them left.

“Don’t you believe your clients?” Jason asked freely knowing no one was out there in the office.

“I don’t believe people. They used to change their words” she said without looking at him.

“Don’t you believe me?” he asked next.

“I don’t believe strangers...” she said remaining the same gazing at her desk without raising her head.

“Am I a stranger to you?” Jason asked bending over a bit towards her.

“Yes...” She raised her head and looked at him. Her words were strict but the tone was lower. He remained another few seconds locking his eyes with her. His own heart pump with a sudden ache in his inner soul covered him totally.

“Alright……...Madam…” he muttered with a broken voice and took the pen in his hand and signed.

“Is this alright now?” he asked with the same aching voice.

“It’s alright, thank you...” she said officially arranging the documents in the file.

“Mr. Nelson wanted me to hand over this to you” he kept a small white envelop on her desk.

“Then, I am leaving” Jason turned back and left just before she raised her head and replied him. He was hurt. Even though he knew that Sera has changed totally, he never imagined that she would consider him as a stranger to her.

Sera remained few seconds staring at the way he was going.

“Whatever!” She mumbled.

“It’s done” she placed the seal of approved to the draft sketch and cleaned her table. It was totally a mess. Piles of files and documents were everywhere. Her eyes passed towards the envelope he left there. She opened it and noticed that it was an invitation.

The wall clock stated that it was already Eight o’clock and she felt a little hunger. She recalled that she has not eaten anything for lunch yet.

“Let’s grab something to eat”

Her intention was to work tonight as well. Since she has already built a small room in the corner of the office to stay overnight, in any case for overnight work, she was comfortable with not going home. But, it has become a habit of her already. She has even filled the room with a small bed and wall cupboard where she has kept some clothes as well. It was like another house of her.

Sera walked out from the office and entered the main road. Since the shops are all surrounded she didn’t want to use the car. Her eyes caught someone familiar suddenly. He was there just a few meters away from her.

‘Jason!’ she muttered to herself secretly. Lowering his head towards the floor, joining his fingers together, Jason was there sitting on the small bench of the bus stop.

She checked the time and noted it was half past eight already at night. And he left the office around seven o’clock. Without taking a further step, Sera remained at the spot just gazing at his side features. Her appetite and her hunger left her and she felt like frozen again seeing him in that way. She sighed to the air but she didn’t want to go to him and talk to him. She didn’t intend to struggle again involving someone again into her life. She didn’t want to get interfere with someone else’s life as well.

Stepping backwards, Sera turned back and walked to her office with a frozen mind.

…………………………………………………………………..

The chat room was empty today because it was Monday morning. But, Sera logged in to it after so long. With a slight smile, she read the chat history of others.

Frozen: Should I go or not? If I go, will I regret or not? If I go, will I be happy or not?

She typed and sighed. Today evening she needs to visit Neston College. The invitation was for the opening of the new building.

“It's not related to our firm. Why do they need to invite us?” she mumbled to herself