Two

Chase Parker was just rounding up the draft on a new business strategy he was due to submit by tomorrow when his door opened quietly. 

Startled, he looked up and saw... 

"Shelly." He never knew her as one who made a quiet entrance. She was always loud and loved the spotlight. 

"It's me." She smiled and stepped into his office. "I came to drag you away from here."

"Uhm, I've got work to do that needs to be submitted tomorrow." He replied, thumbing through some documents.

"Leave it, I'll just tell daddy to give it to someone else." She snapped. 

"Shelly!" He exclaimed. 

"Ok, I'm sorry." She groaned. "Fine. I won't mention daddy again, but let's go have fun. It's my birthday."

"No, I've had enough of you always bossing me around!" He yelled. "I want to live my life the way I want it."

"Ok, darling you will." She nodded, trying to avoid drama.

"No, Shelly." He shook his head. "You don't understand."

"I do. Baby, just hush, and let's go." She hated outbursts like this. She rather preferred 'suck it up' but she was here to be nice and apologize. 

"You don't, I hate this job," he said quietly. 

"You do?" She gasped while clutching her chest dramatically. 

"Yeah, I want to be an author."

"I've told you there is no job for authors." she laughed. "You're still holding onto this fantasy of yours."

"Typical Shelly." he clapped his hands dramatically and Shelly squinted at him, wondering if a spirit possessed her boyfriend. He wasn't the overdramatic type. 

"You think my dream is funny?" Chase stood up from his chair and glared at her.

"No, I think it's impossible." She replied dryly. "I'll just ask daddy to change your department."

"Once again daddy!" He was furious now, every shred of sanity gone. "I'm done with this shit. I'm done with you, your dad, and this job. I'm done with this life, I'm done with you trying to turn me into someone I'm not."

"Ok, deep breaths." She tried calming him down. 

"No, Shelly it's over." He threw the documents at her and packed his suitcase.

"You don't mean that right?" She blinked as fast as she could, trying to process what her boyfriend was doing. 

"I can't do this anymore, Shelly I'm sorry," he said quietly and her heart broke into tiny pieces.

"No, I'll make things right. I'll change it. You don't have to end things, I'll give you space." Shelly cried, securing her hands around his arm.

"I'm sorry, Shelly but this is you. The real you." He snatched his arm from her and tried to exit the office, but Shelly stood teary eye in his way.

"It's my birthday, Chase."

"Yeah, it took me that long to figure out that we're total opposites." He replied. "Now leave my way."

"Chase, you don't have to prove anything to me." She said with a shaky voice. 

He laughed. "You're the one who keeps trying to prove something to everyone. I'm just trying to be myself and live my dreams, I hope you can do the same."

"Chase!" She yelled, but he walked out on her.

Shelly watched him till he was no longer in sight. 

"But I love you," she said quietly to no one. 

The door burst open and her friends rushed inside. 

"Shelly, are you alright?" Cindy asked. 

"I'm great." She snapped, pretending to be fine. "My boyfriend of five years broke up with me on my freaking birthday."

"I'm so sorry, Shelly." Kiara and Cindy chorused.

"You wanna know how it feels like to be twenty-one, Cindy? I feel like a grown-up, I've experienced my first heartbreak and I feel great. While you at twenty one will experience the disappointment of not being asked out by anyone." Shelly ranted. She was hurting right now but she wouldn't break instead she'd make others feel bad especially her nerdy, virgin friend. 

~*~*~*~*

Cindy ran out of the room in tears and bumped into Chase. 

"Whoa! Slow down." He steadied her. 

"I'm sorry." She croaked out. 

"Are you crying?" He asked, clearly concerned. 

"No. I'm just going to the bathroom." She lied. 

"I'm going to the coffee shop, wanna come?" He offered. 

"No, thanks." she walked away. 

"I'm sorry I made Shelly snap at you," he called after her.

"It's not your fault." She gave him a wry smile and stopped. 

"Nah, we all know how Shelly gets when she's upset." They laughed. 

"For what it's worth I think you did the right thing in pursuing your dreams and I hope Shelly respects it." She said. 

"I doubt she would." He frowned. 

"Shelly's my friend, I know she'll come around," She stated quietly. 

He stared at her for a while before nodding. "You're right. Thank you."

"No problem, I'll be going back now." She smiled and turned on her heels.

*~*~*~*~*

Mr. Roy Champman took long strides to Chase Parker's office. The nerve of that boy to resign without bringing a replacement. He was one of his best workers in this company but now he's going to waste his talent by becoming an author! Unbelievable!! 

Opening his office and ready to give him a piece of his mind, he stopped dead in his tracks. The ever business-minded man in his late 40s was close to tears at the sight of his beloved daughter. 

Ever since his wife left them when she was just ten years old and absconded with low life, he had made sure to provide her with everything she needed including making her happy. 

But now, the sight of his beloved daughter broke his heart. 

"Princess," he called her quietly. That was the pet name he gave her. 

"Daddy." She flung herself at her father and finally broke down sobbing. He was the only one allowed to see this side of her and the moment she saw him, she forgot about Kiara's presence. 

"Oh my little girl, hush now," he consoled her patting her hair. 

"Daddy, he b-broke up w-with me," she hiccuped, "on my b-birthday. He couldn't wait till tomorrow."

"It's alright, I'll send for him and speak with him," her dad consoled her. 

"No," she shook her head furiously, "I don't want him I hate him!"

"Ok, I won't." Her dad caressed her back while Kiara stood awkwardly feeling out of place in the father and daughter tetè a tetè. 

"Daddy, doesn't he know that I love him, he's so stupid for leaving me," she ranted. 

At this point her poor father was confused. She had just said she hated him, now she loves him. Which does he accept? He looked around helplessly until his eye fell on Kiara, and he pleaded silently with her to help. 

"Hush now, darling," Kiara said pulling her away from her father's bosom. 

"Kiara, am I bad news to him?" She asked quietly. 

"That depends on your definition of bad news," Kiara replied cockily and Shelly cracked a smile. 

"You girls go home ok, I'll be home soon," her dad urged. Then asked after a second thought, "where's Cindy?" 

"She's uhm around somewhere." Kiara shot Shelly a look begging her for help, Shelly ignored her and faced her dad. 

"Alright, dad," she nodded as Kiara sheltered her out, "I'll see you at home."

"What do I get for you, princess?" Her dad asked. 

"Lots of ice cream," she replied. 

"But there are about five plates in the refrigerator." her dad looked surprised.

The look she gave him, had him nodding quickly and walking off. If it was ice cream she wanted, he was going to get her a whole load of it.