Chapter 41

Riccardo's POV.
Ashley has been going out into town and meeting with Frenchie even while she stopped working with me and last night at the party,they kept talking and talking and seemed so acquainted to each other. I think it's only fair to think the obvious. And then there's Michael whom she talked with like she knew so well. What was I missing here? What the fuck is Ashley keeping away from me?
I hate to keep an eye on her,I swore I wouldn't ever do that but at this point,after what that woman who pretended to be miranda did,I think I have every right to do that.
Miranda. . . . The thought alone hurts me. Turns out her actual name is Catherine Pearson and she's been working for the Mafia family since she was fifteen. She'd known exactly how to get to me. Through Miranda Morales who was infact a nice and harmless young business woman. And she had lured me out in victoria's name and had attempted my execution. She knew I'd fall for it,it had to do with victoria. My anger began to surface again as I turned towards the city through my window. It felt so lonely staying at home,I wanted to reach out to my phone and call Ashley. I wanted her to be here,by my side. She's my worker, that's what I paid her for right? Keep telling yourself that,Ric,my inner voice teased.
I shook my head and thought about many things. Michael had planned my elimination so he could take over manhattan project. Isn't that just hilarious? And now. . . I'm gonna pay him back. He should know better than to make an elimination attempt and not execute it while he had the chance.
I grab my phone from the bed and went straight to Jasmine's number. I can't believe I'm actually calling her right now.
Ashley's POV.
The voice of Ric apologizing to me kept ringing in my ears. Each time I finally stopped thinking about it,his face appears in my head again and I'm back to thinking about so many scenarios that had happened yesterday. How he pulled me closer against his body on the dance floor,how he danced with me,how he whispered into my ear,how he seemed jealous. . . .
My smile faded as my last thought took me back to the conversation we had before leaving for New York. He'd been jealous over a woman. Another woman and I'd stupidly thought I got him there. How much stupid could I be?
I never told Katie about our fight even though she was on me all day to tell her every little detail about the ball party. How could I tell her that I was jealous over his love for a woman I didn't know not ever talked about by him? It was simply pointless.
Luca got a job at at a government intelligence company. He worked with the 911 now for his great hacking skills. It's always been his dream and it hurt when he told us he would be moving out soon. I guess nothing lasts forever. Friends never last forever. He promised to be in touch when Katie went all hysterical but I understood. He has to grow too.
Just when the thought of Ric started coming into my mind,my phone beeped from beside me and I thanked heaven for the distraction. I turned down on the bed and grabbed my phone. I got a text message from Robin.
Robin:hey, Ashley. I tried calling Katie but she's not answering. I promised to be at your place and I'm almost there.
I shoot up from the bed immediately and looked at the time. It was freaking past 7p.m already.
I hurried out to find Katie in her bedroom, checking what looked like her email on her laptop.
"Oh hey, Ashley. Come see this"she calls as I entered.
"Katie, there's a problem"
"Problem? I thought you were sleeping already"she sat up on her bed.
"Robin is on this way here. Now!"
"What?!"
"Yes he said he called you but you didn't pick up"
She looks around the bed for her phone then stopped abruptly and cursed "damn it,I left it in the kitchen when I cooked dinner"
"Well get ready!" Robin was definitely not meeting her in this maroon rached top and the quarter jeans she's wearing. Plus her hair isn't exactly looking nice right now.
"Ashley,what am I gonna say to him?"she asked fearfully,eyes watching mine pleadingly. I assumed a seat beside her and faces her.
"All you've got to do is keep things short and simple. He may not even talk about the past except to catch on so just play along and don't let your emotions get the better of you,okay?"
She nods "okay. What if he talks about us?"
"Then give him the answers he deserves. Let him explain the incidents that happened to you which led to your break up and if you feel you do not wanna talk about it,tell him so,no pressure. And if he did explain,tell him it's okay now since you do not wanna get back with him. Just play nice okay? Follow his lead"
She nods repeatedly again.
"Now get dressed. He'll be ringing the door in no time!"
I pulled her into her walk in closet and helped her pick a dress. After she changed into the blue t-shirt and a black skinny jeans,I heard the doorbell ring and Katie tensed. Oh boy,this was gonna end up badly. I quickly made her blond strands into a low ponytail for her before dashing out to get the door.
I opened the door to Robin. He's smiling,well dressed in jeans and an orange crew top,a square doughnut box in his hands.
"Hi Robin!"
"Hi Ashley. I,ah. . . . brought you this"he pointed the box at me.
"Thanks!,"I gave him an appreciative smile as I took it from him and pulled the door wider "come on in"
After he stepped in,I shut the door and set the carton box on the kitchen counter before walking back to him.
"Have a seat,"I told
him and he sat on the nearest couch to him "I'll go get Katie"
I hurried back into Katie's room to find her surprisingly calm. She had her chin up. It was the look in her eyes whenever we were about to have a long swim back in highschool. While I was scared that we were gonna lose again to the other swimming team,Katie always stood out with so much confidence that made the other teams scared. We always lost in the end though. Laugh to that.
Katie nods at me before walking out. I followed her and went straight into my bedroom to give them some privacy. I jumped back on my bed and tried to busy myself. I should've brought the doughnut Robin bought with me.
I just laid there for a while,my mind blank. All I was hearing was the soft mumurs from Katie and Robin from the sitting room and I couldn't quite make out what they were saying. I turned away,not wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation.
When my phone started to ring,I couldn't thank the caller enough. When I checked the caller's ID,it was Trevor. The smile that crossed my lips was unbelievable to me.
"Hi Trevor"I spoke first, leaning back against my pillow.
"Ashley. How are you doing?"
"Good,good. You?"
"I'm. . . . Alright"
I nodded,even though he couldn't see me,unsure of what to say next. Something about his voice made me to stop and listen.
The last time we were together he'd kissed me in his car and apologized. I suddenly wanted to face palm myself.
"How was the ball party with Mr Marcello?"he asked.
"It was alright,"I smiled "I had a really nice time"
"With Mr Marcello?"
I opened my mouth to reply but didn't know what to say. I remember not wanting to be at that ball at all and at some point I did enjoy being there. And it was because Ric was there. Because he'd let me tend to the wound in his arm, because he'd been at that party with me. . . . . dancing with me.
"With the ball party"I lied.
I couldn't believe I was actually trying to protect Trevor's feelings.
"That's really nice to hear. I did miss you while you were gone though"
I laughed into the phone and he chuckled back before I replied"I missed you too"
"Really? Are you free to go out on Friday night?"
I found myself rubbing my forehead as I thought of what to say.
"Listen, Trevor,about the kiss. . . . . "
"I know and I'm . . . "
"Don't apologise,okay? It's only gonna make things awkward. I don't regret kissing you back and I don't hate you for it"
He started to laugh "I probably look like a high schooler right now"
"No,no, it's cool. I just don't want what we did to stop us from being friends. . . . "
I finally face palmed, realizing he was the one who's supposed to be saying this to me,not the other way round. I'm being too fast and it's because my mind was a confused mess right now. In all these swirls of thoughts,a particular thought actually occurred to me. A thought that I might just be attracted to Mr Marcello. And. . . . Trevor. But I'd kissed Trevor right? That has to be something.
"I promise you, Ashley,"he spoke again "we're still friends. So Friday night?"
"Friday night,"I replied with a smile "where are we going?"
"I Know this place. It's a restaurant and I bet you've never been there"
"Uww try me"
He laughed"alright, Ashley. I'll. . . See you at work tomorrow then"
"Yeah,bye"
After the call disconnected,I felt a huge relief inside me. I started to smile at my phone till it's light went off and I slid down from the pillow and laid supine on the bed again, watching the ceiling.
It's awfully quiet. I can't hear Robin and Katie's voices anymore. I sat up and listened for any voice. I thought of stopping and just minding my business. What if they sorted things out and were making out somewhere out there. I cringed at the thought.
That's when I heard it. Muffled sobs.
I hurriedly flinched off the bed and hurried outside to see Katie seated on the couch alone,Robin nowhere in sight. She was sobbing quietly,hard palms covering her eyes and face as she cried.
I quickly sat beside her, cradling her in my arms and placing her head against my chest as her crying intensified.
"What happened?!"
She doesn't say anything and just continued to sob. I looked around for Robin but he was gone. My mind raced about the possibilities of what had happened while I was gone and on the phone with Trevor. I shouldn't have left her alone. Suddenly,I felt guilty wash over me. I'd known from the start that this meeting wasn't gonna go down well and I just left her alone.
"What the hell happened here,Kay? Where's Robin?"
"He left"she managed to say between gulps "he left, Ashley"
"What did he do? Did he say anything to hurt you?"
She started to nod and I urged her to speak up till she finally said "he asked me to come back and I refused. Then he got upset and just left"
I sighed, somehow relieved. I put her head back on my shoulder and patted her hair and down her back.
"It's okay, Kay. Everything's gonna be alright"
Damn it, I still shouldn't have left her alone.
I knew for sure that Katie still wanted him back.
But it's been so long. There's been distances and all and definitely several people has been in and out of the duo's lives. And yet. . . . . . . They'd still want each other back.
Was there such true love?
I never told Katie about our fight even though she was on me all day to tell her every little detail about the ball party. How could I tell her that I was jealous over his love for a woman I didn't know not ever talked about by him? It was simply pointless.
Luca got a job at at a government intelligence company. He worked with the 911 now for his great hacking skills. It's always been his dream and it hurt when he told us he would be moving out soon. I guess nothing lasts forever. Friends never last forever. He promised to be in touch when Katie went all hysterical but I understood. He has to grow too.
Just when the thought of Ric started coming into my mind,my phone beeped from beside me and I thanked heaven for the distraction. I turned down on the bed and grabbed my phone. I got a text message from Robin.
Robin:hey, Ashley. I tried calling Katie but she's not answering. I promised to be at your place and I'm almost there.
I shoot up from the bed immediately and looked at the time. It was freaking past 7p.m already.
I hurried out to find Katie in her bedroom, checking what looked like her email on her laptop.
She looks around the bed for her phone then stopped abruptly and cursed "damn it,I left it in the kitchen when I cooked dinner"
"Well get ready!" Robin was definitely not meeting her in this maroon rached top and the quarter jeans she's wearing. Plus her hair isn't exactly looking nice right now.
"Ashley,what am I gonna say to him?"she asked fearfully,eyes watching mine pleadingly. I assumed a seat beside her and faces her.
"All you've got to do is keep things short and simple. He may not even talk about the past except to catch on so just play along and don't let your emotions get the better of you,okay?"
She nods "okay. What if he talks about us?"
"Then give him the answers he deserves. Let him explain the incidents that happened to you which led to your break up and if you feel you do not wanna talk about it,tell him so,no pressure. And if he did explain,tell him it's okay now since you do not wanna get back with him. Just play nice okay? Follow his lead"
She nods repeatedly again.