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Chapter 2

Looking back, Ashley felt cold towards the message she had just received, maybe she was feeling angulated for what had happened on Tuesday and wished she could start the day afresh with the memories of yesterday being deleted; if wishes were horses beggars would ride. Ashley decided to vent her anger on where she felt she had power over, and the message that came in—There came a time when we all lose family members, but at least she would deem them lucky because they had nothing to fight for nor did they have anything that would keep them up all night.

The dead did not think about things they could do differently, or do the same thing over and over and expect the same result, they just laid forever and had eternal rest. She ignored the message from the man who now had a name to his face, though his character was questionable, for he had acted very arrogantly when they met and sounded sweet over a text message—a message she had chosen to ignore.

Ashley remembered her father who always said "Be kind to everybody for you never know who is struggling to keep the nice guy facade, please make their job easier".

"What a nice man," Ashley sighed. "What if all this was a dream?" She asked herself and wondered how amazing this would be.

Picked up her phone, scrolled through her massages and found the message of the man Logan seating at the top. She threw her head back to the bed and covered it with a duvet, scared and worried about an arrest. Soon reality hit Ashley, suddenly she recalled that she had to get ready to go to work, she might be late as usual even after the stern warnings. Today was supposed to be a day of hope for her to lead a better life, maybe she will try again tomorrow.

"Oh my God, I hate my life!" She exclaimed.

After much deliberation on what her life would be like without her job and trying so hard to take her mind off whatever was troubling her; she finally decided to get up from the bed and get ready for what seemed like a long day ahead. She laid in all day yesterday and there was no progress except for the fact that she felt the day being wasted. Ashley knew she was going to be late but as the saying goes "Better late than never".

Sad for the fact that she had damaged her car the day before and the bus which she detested a lot was her only option. She hissed and began to prepare.

Ashley walked into the cubical office, wearing her big dark shade, trying so hard to avoid eye contact with everybody in the office, especially her boss. She was successful until she sat down on her chair, forgetting the number one rule "Put your phone on silent". The stranger she had given her number out of despair yesterday decided to call as soon as she settled in her seat. The sound from her phone could be heard from all the sections in the office. Everyone fixed their gaze on Ashley, who struggled to cut the call.

"Phew, that was close." She released a loud sigh.

"Ashley." A masculine voice called out to her.

"Yes, Mr Johnson?" she raised her head and saw Mr Johnson; her boss staring down at her.

"Ashley, what has gotten into you?" He asked.

"Nothing, Sir," She said.

"What has happened to my reports? You haven't sent anyone in throughout this week." Ashley realized how the week had run, today was Thursday.

"I am so sorry, I had a lot on my plate, but I believe I am over it." She pleaded.

"Are you?" He asked, "If I were you, I believe you wouldn't come to work by this time." Ashley looked at her silver-coloured wristwatch and realized it was a few minutes past eleven.

"Oh my God! I am in a very bad place in my life right now."

"We are all in a bad phase of life right now, but let me do you a solid by making everything easier for you., I will give you a few weeks off, get your shit together. When you get back I want the amazing journalist that I hired to be back."

"Okay, thank you sir but do not fire me, I need this job" She begged.

"Prove it." He answered as he turned his back and left where she stayed. Ashley rose from her cubicle and bowed to her boss as he walked out of the office.

Ashley picked up her stuff and left the office. She felt free as she roamed the path that led home.

"Fire on fire, we normally kid, with this much desire together we sinners..." Ashley looked at her phone which chimed, and it was the same number that had sent her message in the middle of the night, the same person who had disgraced her in the force and also who had made life a little hectic for her a day before yesterday, the same one who made her ride the bus, although Ashley admitted that was her fault.

"Hello!" She shouted out of the phone.

"Whoa, take it, easy young lady." The man on the other end of the phone tried to calm her down.

"How much does it take to fix your car?" She asked.

"Erm... I did not call you for that," he said.

"Okay but that is the only reason why I gave you my card," Ashley said and hugged over the call. As she continued to walk home, she switched the phone to silent mode and tossed the phone into her bag. Ashley began to think of what next she could do; her next move.

How could she bounce back from this rejection? she thought about what to do next, how would she live her world without a man of any sort, the only man she wanted to loathe her to the core because she was just a mere human, Ashley couldn't help but wonder what her specie had to do with finding love, why was finding love this hectic?

Getting into her sitting room in her home, the already exhausted, Ashley threw her keys on the center table that was made of glass and sat on the coffee brown coloured carpet, threw her bags on a single chair and laid flat on the three-seater and was about to sleep off when she decided to check her phone if Andrew had changed his mind. She was surprised to see twenty missed calls and a message that said:

"Have time for us to discuss or I will buzz your phone forever ~Logan".

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