THE USB DRIVE

Her room was a complete mess. The drawers of the table, which served as her study space and sometimes an office space, was overturned. Her wardrobe was ajar and her limited edition dresses were strewn all over it and on the floor too.

Even the book shelf, which hung on one side of the wall, in a corner of the spacious bedroom, was a total mess. Some of its books were on the floor, while the rest just lay scattered all over the book shelf.

Shirley was bent over a box, which was on the floor, searching for something. There was a pained expression on her face as she literally threw away all the contents of the box, and let out a frustrated groan.

"Why can't I f*king find it!" she kept mumbling as she moved to her school bag, lying on the floor beside the table. She opened it and started to take out its contents, one at a time. Another frustrated groan escaped her throat when she was done emptying it.

Standing up and stretching fully, she drew a sharp breath and started for the door. She opened it and stepped out, her heart started to beat like a drum again as she stared into the cold eyes of her father.

"Where is it Shirley?" he asked in a voice, colder than his eyes.

She heaved in a deep sigh. "I... I can't find it dad," was her reply. Her voice shook as much as her heart did.

"What the hell Shirley! What do you mean you can't find it!" Mr Lucas Blakes was now speaking at the top of his voice. 

Shirley shivered involuntarily as she took a step back from her father.

"I kept it in the second drawer of the table in my bedroom I swear... I don't know why it isn't there..."

Shirley's eyes had already welled up with tears as she spoke in a hushed tone.

Mr Blakes just stood there, observing his daughter. A frown formed on his face as something occured to him.

"Did you by any chance ever let that boyfriend of yours see where you kept the USB drive?" he asked as his gaze on her sharpened.

Shirley furrowed her eyebrows as she pondered on his question. "Dad come on, are you trying to imply what I think you are trying to imply?" she asked, her expression clouded with doubt.

"Are you stupid?" he asked and she frowned.

"His family runs a fashion company, which so happens to be one of our biggest competitions... How could you let a stranger know about where we keep the company's confidential information!" Mr Lucas asked, his expression grim.

"He is not a stranger dad... He is my boyfriend," Shirley defended.

"One I never did approve of in the first place," he said.

"Like you have ever approved of anything I do," Shirley said with a voice laced in sarcasm.

"Do you realize that your boyfriend have stolen that USB drive?" he asked, his tone solemn.

No dad... Charles wouldn't do that to me. He wouldn't. He loves me. It wasn't him... It couldn't have been him dad!" Shirley blabbered on, shaking her head in disbelief as she spoke.

"You are unbelievable... I can't deal with you right now... You keep disgracing me!" Mr Lucas spat and stormed away.

"No... No... No Charles wouldn't... He wouldn't do that to me," Shirley started back for her room as she mumbled inaudibly to herself. She sat on the bed and reached for her phone.

After two rings, the phone beeped. A text message had been sent. She immediately opened it. It was from Charles and it simply read, "I don't want to be in a relationship with you anymore. We are over. Please do not contact me again."

Shirley's eyes widened in disbelief. Was she dreaming? She wondered. Mumbling to herself that she got to be dreaming.

She kept dialing his number, it kept going to voicemail. Shirley couldn't believe what was happening to her. So the guy she had been dating for the past four months had been what? Deceiving her? But he had been at the ballet the previous day... He had been there to support her. Even bought her chocolates and gifts. A hysterical laughter escaped Shirley's throat.

She suddenly sprung to her feet and started racing for the door. She almost collided with Emily who had been coming into the bedroom with her dress.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked, searching Shirley's face.

"I am such a fool... My dad is right, I am so stupid... I am the biggest fool!" Shirley was tugging on her messy hair as she spoke.

If Emily was being honest, at that point, Shirley Blakes, the respected and famous celebrity, looked like a lunatic. She had never seen her like that before.

"Shirley, the function is in an hour," Emily reminded and Shirley scoffed.

"Do I look like I care about the function? I need to see that a**hole Charles! I need to look him in the eye while I promise to make him pay!" Shirley blurted out.

"You mean threaten him? Wait, what did Charles do?" Emily was confused. The way she creased her eyebrows told that much.

"He broke up with me," Shirley said.

"What?" Emily blurted out with her eyes almost popping out of its socket as a result of her shock.

"And that's not even why I am mad. He stole something from me. The USB drive containing all the new designs I was supposed to present at the board meeting today. The brief board meeting we would be holding right after the appreciation event. Now my dad is mad and I don't know what to do except feel stupid," A tear escaped Shirley's eye as she ended, drawing a sharp breath.

"I am so sorry Shirley," Emily said. 

Emily had been working as Shirley's assistant for almost a year. Although, she couldn't exactly say that they were friends, they had a good relationship. Even better than the one Shirley had with her father.

"What do you think I should do? My dad is really mad... I keep messing things up..." Shirley's voice trailed off as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

Emily stepped forward and placed a hand on Shirley's shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself. This wasn't entirely your fault. You didn't know," Emily said.

"But I should have... I should have known," Shirley said.