AlexaThe paireirs slowly transformed to endless rows of corn fields and cotton farms. The air took on the signature scent of manure and I knew we were in the country. The landmarks took on a fond familiarity. ‘Fifty Miles to Idaho,’ the reflective green road sign announced. We should be home in an hour. We’re getting home, at last. But it wasn't a happy homecoming. I looked at my friends with dread and returned the same. Emma was biting her nails while sweating bullets, Ava eyes were dark with bags and red like she spent the whole trip crying which she did. Even Sophia who was the ‘cruelest’ amongst us look like she was walking towards the gallows. Her eyes were pressed together tightly and she was muttering something under her breath like a last prayer before her head was cut from her body. She felt my eyes on her and she stopped immediately. She opened her eyes, sighed and called the others attention. Her face transformed to a grim resolve. She took a deep breath and being the mos
AlexaThe ride back home was the longest and most uncomfortable one I have ever had the ill fate of talking. No one talked to each other. The tension was so thick you could taste it. James kept looking over his shoulders to look at us, instead of at us. I found myself wishing we would get into an accident. That would be a coward's escape from having to face the people back home. Emma moved over and reached for my hand. I took and and she squeezed hard, her hands warm and reassuring in mine. I squeezed hers back, hoping to give her the same reassurance I felt with her. “You didn't tell me how last night was,” she whispered.I looked at her, “Not now.” She nodded and went back to being quiet. My mind went back to the handsome stranger I gave myself to last night. My feet tingling at the thought of him. The rush of heat to my face and the roots of my hair at the trail of kisses he left on my neck. I lost myself last night. I let go of the worries of tonight and let the memories wash ove
DerrickA hush came over the room as i entered, the hush wasn't one of admiration or respect rather it was one of contempt and rage. It was the silence that came before the stoning. I looked around the room as I walked towards the head of the table. Trying to work the room, I tried making eye contact with the people. I patted Meredith on the shoulders, winked at David and Joe. Meredith shivered and the men refused to reply or acknowledged my effort at levity. After the initial address to them late evening yesterday where they still insisted on selling their stakes in the company. I spent the entire night downing coffee and poring over the details of a new contract with Joshua, David and their lawyers who came to represent the interest of the shareholders. We finally settled on an agreement that would benefit both parties. “Good morning, everyone, I’ve been in conversation with David and your legal representatives. They represented your interests and you fought for it. You've raised y
AlexaI laid beside Emma, resting my head on her chest, she held saying nothing. We just laid there together in silence reminiscing on the events of the past days and its consequences. If Hazel had been here things would have been different we might still be in Las Vegas because she might have convinced us to stay. It sad how a single event could change your life. Emma and I slept after while I had another dream about Hazel in Las Vegas which woke me up. I turned and rose quietly from bed to avoid waking Emma up. She needed the rest, it was clear she was more bothered from the disappearance than she was letting on. I took the cold food downstairs to warm up for her when she wakes up. James was at the kitchen island when I got downstairs. He pulled out a chair for me beside him. I took it and gave him a nod. Sitting beside him feels awkward after I hugged in last night when he came riding in his truck like some kind of red necked savior. I wasn't close with James at all even if Emma a
AlexaJames was not back when we left Emma’s house so we locked the door and left the key under a flower pot for him. We bagged a pecan pie into a paper bag and took along with us to give Ava’s parents when we got there and a couple of apples and a slice of sandwich for the long road. Em noticed the weird looks sooner than I did on my way here. She asked me if I noticed it.“Yes,” I said. I had forgotten to tell her about them. The looks were more intense and openly sinister now. “What do you think they think we did?”She asked.“That we came home without a friend and refused to look for her.”Emma sighed, “That's true but these looks are too intense for that.” Em was right people had gone missing and the anonymity towards their friends were this open or unveiled something else that we don't know must be happening. We walked on in silence, the food in our arms as people went out of our way on the sidewalks like we carried a plague. They removed their babies and strollers from us like
AlexaAva washed her face and put on a new cloths. We were going to visit Hazel’s parents. We haven't heard from them in a while. She walked out of her I pretended to fix my shoelace and pulled Em back. I asked Em is he thought Ava could handle the stress of seeing people out in town. Emma assured me it was alright and that Ava was stronger than we gave her credit for. I nodded and went back outside apprehensive on what was to happen. Ava took a deep breath when we got outside like she was enjoying the fresh air for a while. We locked the door behind us and made the long journey back to the downtown area of our tiny town. We started seeing more people as we got on the asphalt road. The looks had gotten more hateful and intense. More so than when we were on our way to Ava’s. It felt like the rumor had suddenly developed another thick layer in its lies. Ava wasn't as quick to notice it but she eventually did when only her waved to the shopkeeper at the corner and he turned his back on
AlexaThree weeks later and the town was still buzzing with the news of Hazel’s disappearance. The hate from people had gotten worse if only the manifestation was on their faces. Two weeks later we held a wake for her at the only church in town. Sophie and her family came back from their hideout to attend. Emma and I were not invited and we denied entry when we tried to sneak in to pay our last respects to her. Despite our best efforts to witness it. Ava tried livestreaming the service but the her phone was taken from her before the first bible reading. We had to content ourselves with watching it from the otherside of the road, far from the crowded church. Crying over memories of Hazel as we sat in Em’s tractor bed and munched on sloppy joes. The town held a mourning period of two days for her where every storefront and non essential buildings were closed. Mrs Harris wore going from house to house, thanking everyone for their attendance and wonderful memories of Hazel. When they aske
AlexaHazel’s disappearance has disappeared, urspued but a meatier topic of controversy. The news of pregnancy has spread across town like a forest fire. By morning my parents were bombarded by calls from lairs posing as friends calling to warn about such scathing rumors Mrs Harris was spreading around town. I wasn't spreaded from the barrage of calls either. At a point in the morning, over breakfast, we decided to switch off our phones for the sake of our sanity. Mum and I still weren't speaking and we avoided making eye contact all through the awkward breakfast. By mid afternoon we had over thirty people over to pay a welfare visit to us. After Alex lets them in they drop the microwaved food on the counter and strained their necks looking for me or any bits of gossip they could find to relay to the other nosy fellows. The ones that were lucky enough to see me looked directly at my stomach trying to see how far along I was with the invisible bump. We drew the curtains and locked the
I left the office to go to Russia, partly because I wanted to shield away the temptations I was having whilst being close to my Secretary, but the increase for her only seemed to worsen, I spent both day and night thinking and reminiscing about the two of us being together, and I so wished for it to happen.I couldn’t concentrate solely on the work I had in front of me, I had managed to convince Mr. Ragnakov of how much work I’d done for him, when in reality I had done nothing.The person I was trying to shield myself from was the one that kept haunting me day and night, but I’m a good way.The past weeks I spent here were to only torture myself more as I yearned more for her now that she wasn't within my reach, she wasn't a call away like it used to be.My mind drifted off slowly to Diana, and I wondered how she was faring now. I had intentionally left my private line back at home so I wouldn't be bothered by their constant disturbance.I made a mental note to send flowers to her as
It’s been two weeks since I last set my eyes on Derrick, he informed me he was traveling a day earlier and wouldn’t know when he would be back and just like a puff of smoke, he vanished, for two weeks, without looking back, even though the office was run successfully without his presence, the office still felt void as I came here every morning.And every morning I came to the office, I hoped I would see him slouching on his chair or concentrating on his work as he always does.I hated to admit it and I didn’t even want to admit that I missed him so much. It was completely lonely and empty without him at the office, to boss people around, to make snide remarks at people, or even boss me around.Aside from Derrick, my life was completely going according to plan, I had gotten some new pieces of furniture for the new house and painted Henry’s room. I had Olivia come check out the house and she was just as excited as me and Emma.She also helped in picking out some exquisite furniture for
After Derrick left the office, I dived back into my work like no man's business.I was so intrigued by the development of building a new software that I lost track of time. When I finally looked up to check the time, I saw it was far past and Derrick hadn't gotten back to the office. He said he was just stepping out for a minute, but I was glad he wasn't here because I faced no distractions in the morning and I had done an incredible amount of work since I was alone.Since it was already lunch hour, I got up to get something to eat when I received a call from the house agent telling me he was ready for me to go see my house.Excitement washed over me and I immediately sent him my office address so we could meet outside, and we would go together to see the house, I quickly snacked on the sandwich I brought from home.I was done eating in no time and Mr. William pulled up to the front of my office and put a call across to me. Since there was no sign of Derrick yet, I took the initiative
I had reservations about Alexa’s capabilities when it came to giving her a tough job to handle, and I knew the main reason why I pitched the job to her was mainly because of the encounter I had with the Prince yesterday.It wasn’t a big task, it was a very minute task but I still had doubts in my mind.I found it funny that just yesterday the prince came into my office and brought up the idea of buying Alexa for himself. It looked to me like ages ago.The events that had taken place right after made it look like ages ago. As much as I was not willing to give her something she wouldn’t be able to handle, I did it to make her stay and not get swooned by whatever promises the Prince might have made.I would deal with Diana much later, except for the fact that my mother has been buzzing my phone nonstop since she heard the news of Diana’s accident. I wasn’t ready to deal with that just yet.Despite my hesitation about Alexa, I forwarded her the emails and everything she needed to work wit
I woke up to check my time and I saw that there was no way I wasn't going to be late for work today, going to work late was a thing, facing Derrick was another.I quickly got out of bed and rushed to Henry's room to get him ready, darting to the kitchen to make a quick fix for breakfast before heading to the bathroom to have my bath.In no time, I was ready and so also was Henry. We Bid Olivia our goodbyes and I made a quick stop at his school to drop him off. Then I headed to the office.Thankfully, Derrick wasn't in his seat and that was so unlike him. I went to the receptionist area, made a hot cup of black coffee, and headed straight to Derrick's office. Setting it down gently, I took a good look at his office, even though his office was breathtakingly beautiful, it lacked warmth. Just like Derrick himself.“What are you doing in here staring like that?” The Husky voice made me wheel myself around.The sight of him was almost a nightmare. He looked so tired and stressed out with h
I was still perturbed about what happened back at the office, I sat quietly in my room in pitch blackness wondering how she was feeling and if my actions had forever strained any relationship I might have with her in the future.I should have waited till she was ready and I wished in a corner of my mind she had accepted for me to stay over for tea but I understood that after what transpired in the office, she might be feeling a little bit uncomfortable around me.A part of me liked that I kissed her and wanted more, but a part of me also felt that wasn’t the right thing to do. I kept thinking of her, what was going on in her head, and how she reacted to my touch.Every attempt to remove her from my thinking proved abortive. I tried working but I couldn't concentrate on anything. Images of her beautiful yet innocent face kept flashing in my head and I caught myself smiling when I envisioned her face.She had even sympathized with me about Diana and I knew she felt that was the reason
I heard the noises outside and rushed to the window to get a better view of what was happening. Not in a million years did I picture the image that was displayed right in front of me.My boss’s girlfriend just had a fatal accident, and I witnessed the heroic show that Derrick put into saving her life. And I wondered what could have transpired between them,They were just ogling over themselves a few minutes ago, and now she was lying helplessly in the middle of the road. I silently prayed that she wasn't dead because I was sure it would cause Derrick to be torn into pieces and my work might become more insufferable.I waited patiently past closing hours, even when the other staff had all dispersed home, I had to wait for Derrick to come to the office first. I was in serious doubt as to if he would make it back to the company or if I should just leave. If the accident was very fatal, I doubted Derrick would make it to the office again. I decided to time myself and if Derrick wasn’t bac
I looked at the lifeless body of Diana and I felt I was in a dream, I had the premonition that something like this would happen, yet I still let go. And I partially blamed myself for what happened. I could have had her board a taxi before leaving her but I still left her on her own unprovoked after I’ve said some hurtful things to her.The streets were thrown into a mishmash as everyone wanted to know what was going on. I slow-paced to the scene of the accident and was almost happy as I noticed there was still a slight pulse on her breathing, I immediately sprang up into action.Thankfully, Andrew brought my car in the nick of time and I slumped Diana over my shoulders while Andrew drove over to the hospital like a lunatic.“Diana, please live”. Was the only word I kept muttering to myself.I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to her because I was the only one who could have averted the accident but I chose to ignore it. I could have been nicer to her, or maybe
I got a call from a strange number and I was tempted to pick it up, but I couldn't, my hands were shaking, I could feel my body vibrating from anger and my mind wasn't sturdy enough. I watched the phone ring till it broke off.I got another call from my mother. I knew I was supposed to take her to dinner today but why was she calling so early? It was just past lunch hour. Despite my reluctance, I picked up the phone.“Hi, mom”Hi darling, how are you? Her voice was so breezy and it calmed me down a bit. But what she said next had my heart racing ten times faster than it should.“I just got off the phone with Diana, it's such a delight to speak to her after all these years, isn't it 4 years now?”“Diana? What the hell are you doing talking to her?”.Why would my mother still talk to Diana, they had gotten along 4 years ago but that was in the past and I intended to keep it that way.“And Yes, Mother, it's been 4 years”, I said, grimacing.“What do I need this piece of information for?”