I couldn't do it.

I had made my mind up about kissing Blake, the moment I put my arms around him but now I wasn't so sure.

The images of last night flitted across my eyes. I couldn't get those dangerously beautiful blue eyes out of my head. I tried blinking but it didn't help.

I felt like such a fraud right now. I couldn't do this to Blake, to kiss him when I had someone else was on my mind but then, this is exactly what I needed. This was the confirmation I needed to know what happened last night was a mistake. This, right now, right here was what I was meant to do. What was right!

While I was torn between my conscience and my requirements, my subconscious suddenly kicked in.

I missed Blake's mouth entirely and hugged him instead.

Way to go Vanessa! First you lead him on and then you turn him down.

The moment I pulled away, Blake stood there frozen, still processing what just happened. But before he could ask me that horrendous question, "Why?", I smiled and said good night before going inside the house.

The moment I shut the main door behind me, I sighed with relief. I pressed my head against the door, letting the cold wooden surface rid me of my thoughts of hiding under my bed and dying.

I took a deep breath and walked upstairs, promising myself not to think of this. Atleast not right now.

It was as if my fate loved to play with me. I had done no such bad karma but yet it was being a bitch and made me run into Adrian.

He was leaving at an odd hour. It was safe to assume that he was meeting up with some chick. It was good that I had stopped him before things got too out of control. Of course, yesterday meant nothing to him. He was just playing around, like always.

A question popped into my head. One that wasn't for him but for me. I asked myself, did our kiss mean something...to me?

"This is it. Stop!", I instructed my cab driver as we pulled in front of the main office building of the The People Magazine.

Since I was on the cover of Eccentric and the front page of New York Times for the same reason, The People Magazine decided to go one step further and have a special segment in their next month's magazine edition featuring my interview. Well, good for me, more I was in the public eye, more I would be noticed by the board and higher were the chances of my getting the CEO position.

I walked inside the building and checked my phone for the exact venue. I had to go on the twenty third floor so after checking in with the receptionist, I headed straight for the elevator.

As I got in, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Ugh...I looked so tired. I blamed my last night's insomnia for that. I couldn't even sleep for a second. My mind was wandering off, again and again to what a horrible thing I had done to Blake. He even called today but I didn't pick up.

How could I?

He would surely have seen the magazine cover by now and would have most definitely pieced things together to explain to himself, why I did what I did and I was pretty sure I was not going to like his version of the explanation.

I shook my head to rid myself of these thoughts. I had to focus, I had a meeting ahead of me. I reapplied my lipstick and when the door opened, I smiled and walked out of elevator, ready to be poured with questions about me and my career.

It was three in the evening when we were done with the interview. I thanked the interviewer, shook hands with him and was about to leave when a women in her mid thirties stopped me.

"Miss, where are you going?", she asked.

"The interview is over. I guess that means I can go, right?", I frowned.

"No no no! You still have to have the photoshoot done."

"The what now?"

"Michael didn't tell you?", she said, bobbing her head to look back at my interviewer.

"I am going to have a picture printed beside the interview?", I asked. Seriously? This wasn't my most flattering outfit. Had she told me earlier, I would have asked Charlotte to help me dress up and would have worked in the gym for a bit. Yesterday's buffet dinner was surely going to show up on me.

"I am so sorry. We have been so busy lately with the Christmas magazine that I forgot to tell you that you are going to be on the cover for our magazine as well."

WHAT THE HECK!!!

Was I dreaming right now? Seriously, something was seriously wrong with people. Me, on another cover? I definitely have to party tonight!!!

"Oh wow! I didn't expect that, at all.", I said, shocked.

"I am so sorry. I hope you are going still feature for the cover.", she said, close to panicking.

"Oh! Without question. But I hope you have a different set of outfit for me, I am not getting clicked like this."

"That you leave to us. We'll have the best of the best designers style you. This way.", she said, pointing to the door.

I walked out the door and dialed Charlotte. Probably she could come and and help me out.

"Hey!", I said.

"Nessa, Hi!"

"You won't believe what happened."

"What? You kissed Adrian again?"

"No. Wait, what?"

"Mom told me about how she and dad found you both smooching upstairs. Ugh...I might as well puke. Why him?"

"Well, why his best friend huh?"

"Shhhh! Someone might hear you."

I laughed, "Geez! You better come clean soon."

"I will. I promise. But what about you? Kissing my brother and then dating his rival. Could you be any more fucked up than this?"

"Oh god! I know it is really wierd but trust me, what happened between Adrian and I was a one time thing. It is not happening again, okay", I said, almost whispering.

"I'll have to take your word for it.", I heard her rolling her eyes on the other end.

"Anyways, getting back to why I called, I am the face of next month's People magazine."

"Wow. That is great! Congratulations."

"Thanks. I was wondering if you could drop by and help me dress up.", I said, keeping crosses.

"Oh!, "Is heard a disappointed sigh.

"Please don't say no!", I pleaded.

"I wish I could come but I have a date with Bryan tonight."

"Oh! Tha...wait! So you aren't gonna decorate the tree?"

"We decorate it every year, Nessa and this date is important. I really need to talk to Bryan and figure out a way to tell Adrian everything, as soon as possible."

"But what are you gonna tell your family?"

"I'll them that it is a pesky client who wants the fitting done for her Christmas Eve party immediately."

"Oh! Have fun. I'll cover up for you, if required."

"Thanks. Stick to formals. Don't wear anything too baggy, too bright or too wierd. Bye!", she said and cut the call.

"Bye", I smiled as I put my phone back into my bag.

I went inside the dressing room where there were five racks on which clothes were hung, a large dressing table and a white door with the words "CHANGING ROOM" , was scrawled on in Black.

The lady, whose name I found out to be Lauren, said, "Pick anything you like and do get dressed withing twenty minutes. Then we'll have your makeup touched up before you head to the studio."

I nodded and began browsing through the clothes. There were dresses too but mostly formals. Most clothes still had their tags on them and ranged from 8 to 18 sizes. I finally settled on a pair of black pants with a gucci belt, tucked the white shirt I was already wearing inside it and put on a fancy A-line blazer which was black but had a white collar with a single black stripe running along its outline. It didn't have buttons, but in its place there was a thick golden chain that was to be hooked from one side of the blazer to the other. I paired this with a pair of black pumps before looking at myself in the dressing table mirror. If Charlotte was here, she would definitely say that I looked chic.

I opened the door and a girl with a huge makeup kit walked in. I sat down in front of the dressing table and she put a hair cutting nylon cape on top of me

Ohkay! I didn't know my face needed to be so badly fixed. I don't think I even knew half the products she smothered onto my face next. She even went so far as to straighten my already straight hair.

When I looked at myself in the mirror,the makeup was so subtle that I was honestly worried. What was she doing to my face for about two hours?

I looked back at her sceptically as she gave me a creepy smile. Before I could say anything, Lauren walked in and began praising that girl before almost dragging me to the studio.

There was a blank white backdrop and in front of it were three lighting kits. Several people were already there and a man was standing in the center, adjusting the camera on top of the camera stand.

"Please wait. You are up next.", Lauren told me.

Next? Who was first? I got my answer a few seconds later when I saw a pair of blue eyes.

The moment he recognised me, he frowned,"What is she doing here?" at the same time as I asked Lauren, " What is he doing here?"

"Oh! Stupid me. I didn't tell you, did I? You both are going to be on the cover together."

Ok! This wasn't a dream, I take that back. It was a nightmare and I really really needed to wake up!