Since I'd gained a PhD in ignoring people, I had no qualms in ignoring Rithik for the following days. Our sentiments were shared since he was doing the same this time. Relationships were a double-edged sword, I realized. At one point, they made you feel like you were in a high. But that same relationship plummeted you down to the depths of the earth, making you see the ugly reality around you. I was away from him, but he wasn't away from my mind. It hurt to the point where I broke down in solitude at night. Often, I was compelled to send a message but knowing, it would eventually lead to an argument, I dropped it. Are you feeling the same or are you tired of me? 
Then one day, everything changed. 
* * * 
It was nearly the end of my office shift. Stretching my arms, I glanced at the calendar kept on my desk and smiled at the thought of a weekend. My bed was already calling out to me to sleep and piss away all the unwanted thoughts. I was packing my handbag when an office boy informed me that the Director wanted to see me. Odd.
I noticed I wasn't alone when I entered the Director's spacious cabin upstairs. Ronit, an engineer from the same team along with another unknown face were also summoned. We exchanged a confused glance, having no clue why we were called like this.
“Don't worry! I'm not going to fire you lot. Nor promote. Take a seat first,” The Director who was a middle-aged man in his fifties chuckled at our worried faces. When we settled down, he opened a brown file. “Do you remember an online interview you gave two months ago?”
No fucking way! 
That question explained everything as my mouth fell open. It's just with everything going on in my personal life, I forgot how I gave an online interview two months ago with a senior engineer woman in the US. Haiden Engineering- The company I worked with had branches set up in major cities of India and overseas. Sometimes, they would do an exclusive exchange program where they send some of their trusted employees overseas either for training, internship, or for a high-profile client project. I grabbed the opportunity just like many others, although only me and two other employees were called in today. Did that mean...?
“Hold your horses right there. You three haven't been selected yet. Just finalized.” Boss voiced out our thoughts with an amused smile. He reclined himself on the chair with a groan. “The final decision is upto the clients and branch managers from those countries. Either all of you will be going, or one of you. I hope you have your passports atleast.” 
“Yes, we do,” Ronit and I answered together with a smile. Ronit added, “When it be finalized, sir? 
“Around two weeks time.” 
* * *
‘It will be either Boston or Morocco.’ I recalled the Boss's words when we asked about the locations. It was hard to retain our excitement after Ronit and I returned from Boss's cabin. We had to act like we hadn't been offered the biggest offer of our lives. We pretended like normal, but even then, it couldn't be suppressed. 
The undeniable smile on our faces. 
It was as if life had granted me a one way ticket to boycott my troubles. Suddenly I was at a crossroads and a sappy one at that. I even shrieked out loud like a psycho in the elevator. So excited I didn't care that I swiped my mobile touchscreen to call Rithik, despite our fued. It went on voicemail. Never mind, I could always call him later. 
Instead I called two of my best people— Mitali and Abhishek. Both were thrilled, although Mitali was bummed since I'd be away for a while. The following evening, I had a pizza treat with my girl friends, Khushboo and Ayesha, celebrating what could be a metamorphosis of my life.