Tess goes home

Tess returned to her desk and focussed on answering emails. After 8 hours, she realized that she had missed lunch again, and decided to go home. It was rainy. Tess trudged through the door of her small apartment, dropping her umbrella onto the floor with a clatter. She let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of her soggy shoes and drizzly coat settle onto her shoulders. It had been another day, filled with emails about meetings she had missed and the usual routine of trying to make ends meet in the competitive world of romantic fiction. Tess was a star performer for this large corporation, and while she took pride in her work, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. As she hung up her coat and began to remove her shoes, Tess's mind turned to the topic that had been on her mind all day: dating. Or rather, the lack thereof. It seemed like every time she tried to put herself out there, she ended up with a string of failed dates or awkward encounters. Tess sighed and flopped down onto the couch, running a hand through her damp hair. She was starting to feel like she was never going to find someone special. Her friends were all coupled up, and it seemed like every other person on Tinder had a partner already. Even that guy from Match.com found a partner on Tinder -- or so she had heard. That didn't sound that realistic once she thought about it. As she gazed blankly at the TV, Tess's thoughts began to wander back to rude man in the lobby. That man intrigued her. She couldn't help but wonder if he was doing okay without her. Was he out there, sipping champagne and laughing with his girlfriend? After a while she realized that she hadn't put the TV on, but was sitting there, staring at the black screen thinking about meeting anybody, even this rude man. The thought stung, and Tess felt a pang of regret. Maybe she should have given him another chance to be rude to her? But as she thought about it more, she realized that she wasn't sure she wanted to go back to the way things were before. Tess stood up and began to pace around the room, trying to shake off the feeling of frustration that had settled in. She was a strong, capable woman, after all. She didn't need some guy to make her happy. As she walked over to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, Tess caught a glimpse of herself in the window reflection. For a moment, she barely recognized the person staring back at her. The tired eyes, the dark circles under the cheekbones...it was like she was looking at someone else altogether. But then she smiled to herself, and the familiar sparkle returned. Tess was going to be just fine. She would focus on her career, take up a new hobby, and maybe - just maybe - put herself out there again when the time felt right. As she took a sip of water, Tess felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was ready to move on from the rude man and all his drama. It was soon going to be time for her to find someone who made her feel like the best version of herself. That was going to be in the sequel for sure, thought Tess. Maybe the rude man had a rude friend? Or maybe a rude brother? THE END

The end

Also the end.