I had just returned home from my after-school football practice when my twin sister pounced on me, going off about some office event, dresses, perfumes, and shoes. Gently prying off the arms she had wrapped around me in a hug, I shushed her and went to search for my mother. She informed me that my dad was throwing an office party because he cracked a deal with some important French delegates. All four of us were supposed to attend the party.

He had forgotten. He had forgotten our third wedding anniversary. I only knew that because he talked to his assistant about booking a direct flight from New York to Miami. The flight was on the 17th of October, which was four days before our anniversary. Meanwhile, the return ticket is on the 26th. When he got off the phone call, he told that he had to leave for an extremely important deal to sign with some Russian delegates.

It was the third week of February when my boss announced that we would be having a celebration party two weeks later for our company’s 15th anniversary. Everyone was pretty hyped about this since the last celebration we had had was the pre-Christmas party before our official holiday for Christmas and New Year in December. It was not long before the office hallways were filled with excited whispers of people discussing what to wear and their expectations regarding the celebration.

My senior year at high school was finally coming to an end. As cliché as it sounds, I would miss my high school now that a new chapter in my life was about to begin. From all the missed assignments and detentions to food fights in the cafeteria and sitting outside the principal’s office with my two best friends, everything was going to be a nostalgic memory. Although it seems like yesterday, I could vividly remember my first day.

A college friend of mine was getting married, and I had been asked to stand in as one of the bridesmaids. I had gladly accepted the role since we were best friends during our college years. The wedding was being held in September. I had flown in for the designation wedding in Paris, France, and helped out with the wedding plans as much as I could by giving suggestions about colour schemes, tablecloth patterns, ideas about flower arrangements, and so on.