An Unexpected Offer
937 Words
A week later.
The morning light streamed in through the thin curtains of her small apartment, painting soft golden hues across the plain walls. She blinked slowly, adjusting to the brightness, before stretching her stiff limbs.
It was one of the rare days she didn’t have to rush anywhere—no work, no school. She could afford to take her time, maybe sleep in for once.
But her mind had other plans.
She turned her head to the nightstand, where an unfamiliar object sat beside her usual belongings.
The black headphones.
And the phone.
Her fingers hesitated before picking them up, tracing the smooth surface of the device. It still felt foreign, like it didn’t belong to her. Because it didn’t.
Who was that man?
Why had he left this with her?
The memory of that night lingered vividly—the heavy downpour, the way her body had trembled at the sound of the thunder, the feeling of the warm, padded headphones being gently placed over her ears.
Fix You.
He had chosen that song for her.
Why?
She sighed, shaking her head. She wouldn’t get any answers by just thinking about it.
She needed to return the phone.
Maybe the security guard at the cemetery could help.
With that thought, she forced herself out of bed and began her day.
---
The cemetery was nearly empty.
She spotted the security guard in his usual spot near the entrance, sipping coffee from a worn-out mug.
Taking a deep breath, she approached him.
"Excuse me, sir."
The man looked up, his brows furrowing slightly. "Yes?"
She hesitated for a moment before pulling out the phone from her bag.
"I found this here a few days ago," she explained. "I was wondering if anyone has come looking for it?"
The guard squinted at the device, taking a slow sip of his coffee.
"No one’s asked about a missing phone," he finally said.
Her heart sank.
"Are you sure?" she pressed. "Do you keep a record of visitors?"
The guard let out a small chuckle. "Miss, this isn’t a five-star hotel. People come and go. I don’t always remember faces unless they visit regularly."
She sighed. "Did you notice anyone that night? Maybe a man, tall, dressed in black?"
The guard frowned in thought.
"Now that you mention it… yeah. I did see someone like that," he admitted. "He arrived before the rain. Stood by one of the graves for a while. Didn’t talk to anyone."
Her pulse quickened.
"Do you know his name?"
The guard shook his head. "No, sorry. He left before I could get a good look at him. Or at least, I think he did."
Her shoulders slumped.
So close, yet still no real answers.
"Alright," she murmured. "Thanks anyway."
With that, she turned and walked away, the phone still clutched tightly in her hands.
It seemed she wouldn’t be returning it anytime soon.
---
By the time she got home, the weight of the day had settled into her bones.
She dropped her bag onto the small wooden table near the kitchen and made her way to the stove.
Tonight’s dinner would be simple—noodle soup and rice.
She poured water into a pot, setting it to boil while she rinsed the rice in a metal bowl.
The rhythmic motion of washing, the sound of the bubbling water—it was comforting, grounding.
She needed that.
As she stirred the broth, her phone rang, breaking the quiet.
She frowned.
No one really called her unless it was important.
Wiping her hands on a towel, she reached for the device and checked the screen.
Her supervisor.
Her stomach twisted slightly.
Was it about work?
She took a deep breath before answering.
"Hello?"
"When will your internship start?" her supervisor asked, skipping the usual formalities.
She blinked. "This March, most likely. It'll last about two to three months."
A brief pause.
Then, in a more serious tone, her supervisor said, "There’s an opportunity for you in Singapore."
Her breath hitched.
"Singapore?" she repeated, unsure if she had heard correctly.
"Yes. A company there is looking for interns. If you do well, there’s a chance they might offer you a permanent position."
She felt her grip on the phone tighten.
This was… unexpected.
A real opportunity.
Something that could change her life.
But also—something that required money. A lot of it.
"I don’t know if I can afford that…" she admitted, voicing her concern.
Her supervisor seemed to anticipate this.
"If it’s about finances, I can lend you the money," she offered. "No pressure in paying me back right away. And if things don’t work out, you can always come back to the company here."
Her chest felt tight.
This wasn’t just an internship anymore.
This was a way out.
A chance to build something new, to step into a world beyond the one she had always known.
But it was terrifying.
She had spent so much of her life just trying to survive, never thinking too far ahead, never allowing herself to dream too big.
Could she really do this?
"Take some time to think about it," her supervisor added, sensing her hesitation. "But don’t take too long. Opportunities like this don’t come often."
She swallowed hard.
"Okay Miss Bennet," she said finally. "I’ll think about it."
As the call ended, she stood there for a long moment, the soft bubbling of the soup the only sound in the apartment.
She had always believed that her dreams didn’t matter.
That all she could do was survive.
But maybe…
Maybe it was time to reconsider.
- Writer
