When Love is a Quest Chapter 5: The first time she was late

Chapter 5: The first ti she was late

The night before Jas's birthday, Zinnia paced back and forth in her room. It was almost a tradition for them to greet each other a happy birthday at the exact mont the clock struck midnight.

When the ti finally ca, she quickly sent him a text. "Happy Birthday, Jas. May you have more wonderful years ahead."

Jas replied almost imdiately, "Thanks, Zinnia. I'm looking forward to seeing you this afternoon around sunset at 6 p.m. I already sent you the address yesterday. See you there."

Zinnia blushed as she read his ssage and replied, "I'll be there, I promise. Happy Birthday again."

Lying on her bed, her heart raced with excitent. She rolled around, clutching her pillow, struggling to calm her racing thoughts. Every thought was consud by Jas and the upcoming event. Her cheeks flushed a deep pink as she imagined his smile and the possibility of his confession.

She let out an excited squeal, her fingers fluttering over her phone as she replayed their last conversation. "What is he planning? What did he prepare for ? Is he really finally going to confess?" she mumbled to herself.

Zinnia rehearsed her response out loud, her voice filled with anticipation. "Okay, Zinnia, you've got this. When Jas tells you he likes you, you'll just smile and say, 'I've been waiting for you to say that.' And then maybe add, 'I've liked you for so long. I'm so happy you feel the sa way!'"

She giggled, her cheeks flushed with excitent, imagining the perfect mont. "Or maybe," she continued, "I could say, 'I've dread of this mont!' And then just give him a big hug. Yes, a hug sounds perfect."

Her face bead with joy as she imagined the scene, her heart fluttering with nervous delight.

So excited she was, Zinnia had a hard ti falling asleep. Every ti she closed her eyes, her mind raced with thoughts of Jas and the evening ahead. She finally managed to drift off at 5 a.m.

Her alarm rang at 9 a.m., jolting her awake. It was the ti she had set to prepare for the day's event.

She walked to her closet and started looking for a dress. After picking one and checking herself in the mirror, she almost shouted in shock. "Nooooo! Not now! What are these eye bags? I can't have panda eyes today! I'm supposed to look my best!"

"What am I supposed to do? Hope a little make-up works like magic to conceal these eyebags." She sighed.

"I still need to look for a dress."

Determined, she continued searching for the perfect dress. After trying on almost all her clothes, she sat down dejectedly. "There's nothing pretty here."

Though all her clothes were pretty, and she had new ones she hadn't worn yet, nothing seed right for today. "I think this calls for shopping!" she mumbled to herself and decided, "Yes, I'm going to shop for a dress and also buy him a birthday gift."

Excited by the thought of giving Jas a gift, she grabbed breakfast and headed out. She went to the closest mall, worried she would spend too much ti finding a dress.

Luck smiled at her. A knee-length, A-line dress in tiless navy blue caught her eye. The dress's clean lines and graceful fit highlighted her slim figure and complented her long brown hair and warm eyes.

Looking at herself in the mirror inside the fitting room, she couldn't help but admire the dress. "This is it!" she murmured happily.

After buying the dress, she moved on to find a gift for Jas. She browsed through n's clothes, shoes, and various stores but couldn't find anything that caught her attention.

Deciding to take a break, she had lunch before continuing her search. When she went to another mall, it was already 2 p.m. She was worried about being late for their 6 p.m. etup. She hoped she could finally find a gift for Jas.

Luck was on her side again. As she entered the mall, a sleek silver watch caught her eye. It had a minimalist dial and understated markers, exuding refined elegance. 'It seems perfect for him,' she thought.

She entered the store and asked the salesperson, "Could I take a closer look at this one?"

The salesperson, with a genuine smile, handed her the watch. "Of course, please take your ti."

As she examined the watch, she imagined Jas wearing it, striking poses like the n in TV comrcials. The thought made her giggle softly.

After buying the watch, she rushed ho to get ready, fearing she would be late. She had always been punctual and didn't want to ruin today.

Dressed and ready, she went to a parlor for a hairstyle that would match her dress. The stylist decided on soft, loose waves. As the stylist worked, Zinnia's lack of sleep caught up with her, and she dozed off.

The sound of the parlor's telephone ringing jolted her awake. Panic set in as she checked the ti on her phone. "Oh no! I'm late! It's already 7:15 p.m." After paying, she dashed out of the parlor.

Rembering the address from her sumr vacation with her parents, she hailed a taxi. But just as she was about to call Jas, her phone died. "No! Not now! This can't be!"

The taxi driver looked at her, surprised by her outburst, but Zinnia didn't care. Her mind raced with thoughts of Jas waiting for her.

Why, of all tis, am I late now? she thought, her heart pounding. She had never been late for anything before. This was the one day she had hoped everything would be perfect, and now everything seed to be falling apart.

As the taxi sped toward the dock, she stared out the window, her anxiety growing. What if Jas had already left? What if he thought she didn't care enough to show up? The thought of disappointing him made her stomach churn. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

She glanced at the passing streets, each minute feeling like an eternity. The sky was already darkening, and the city lights began to twinkle. She clutched her new dress and the watch, her heart aching with worry.

She had planned everything so carefully, only for it to go wrong at the last mont. She could only hope that Jas would understand and that she would arrive in ti to make the night special.