"!" I cursed loudly, hurrying to put on my top, only to frustratingly put my arm through the wrong hole and then try again, this time taking my time to make sure I did it properly. Next was my pencil skirt, which was much easier to pull on, over my salmon-coloured top.

I didn't even stop to think about breakfast as I scrambled to the hallway of my apartment, shoving things like my phone and my keys into my purse.

Hopping on one foot as I awkwardly put on my black heels, I turned to lock my door behind me and jabbed the elevator's down button with my finger. The numbers seemed to count up ever so slowly so I decided I'd run down the stairs to meet up with it on a lower floor.

I slung my purse around my body, took off my heels, and ran like a true lady down the stairs, skipping steps to take me faster.

I reached the 14th floor in a few minutes, breathing heavily as I pushed the door open. The elevator doors were about to close and I yelled out a strangled "wait!" hoping someone would hear my desperation.

Thankfully, someone did, and I entered the polished wooden interior of the elevator with a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." I greeted the lone stranger in the elevator.

He took in my disheveled state and my bare feet and knew that I was running late. My right foot shyly covered my left as I quickly dropped my heels on the red carpet and stepped into them, adding in an extra inch or so in my height.

"Running late?" He smirked, adjusting his bowtie. He wasn't too formal, just a button-up shirt, a navy bowtie, a heavy cardigan, dark washed jeans, and a pair of fancy sneakers to complete his look.

"Yes, and first day too. I was hoping to leave an impression on my boss, you know?" I laughed, slightly abashed.

But the stranger laughed along with me, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I hope so." I waved at him before taking off towards the bus stop.

--

That was the first time I met him. We had been living in the same apartment building for half a year before we ever ran into each other. It was almost strange how we kept bumping into each other again and again soon after that first encounter.

I wish we had never bumped into each other though. I wish I woke up in time for my first day, wish I hadn't decided to catch up to the elevator, wish I hadn't stopped at the 14th floor, wish I could live without him...