'And it's done' Ava sighed a heave of relief as she completed her report on her new project.
'Hazel? What do you think I should wear today?' She asked Hazel quite excited about her date tonight.
Hazel didn't hear a thing, she was lost in her own little world.
'Hazel?' Ava called out in a stern voice.
'What? What happened? Did someone call me?' Hazel asked as she jolted back to reality.
'Yes' Ava replied.
'Oh I am sorry, who called me?' She asked looking around.
'I did!' Ava replied quite annoyed.
'Oh tell me Ava, so sorry I think I was kinda not listening' Hazel replied projecting an apologetic look towards Ava.
'You think? I was talking here but all you did was dream. I really don't get you. You keep telling me that you are fine but keeping losing yourself into you trail of thoughts, half the time you don't even realize people talking to you. What is going on?' Ava yelled anxiously.
'Yes, I am fine. It doesn't bother me that Chris is here. I have adapted well and know how to face him now. I am not even nervous around him anymore, now am I?'
'Well no, but neither did you confront him. So it is Chris. That's why you are like this.
You can lie to yourself all you want but all you did throughout the week was, avoid any kinds of meetings or interactions with him and then what? Thrice, Ms. White, not once or twice, thrice when he came looking for you, you literally ran away before he could get to your desk and I had to come up with some sort of lie and get all the details from him, then when you get the guts to finally show up to your own desk you mail him the details he came looking for. Not to mention the sick leave you took in the past few weeks when ever you had to meet him personally.
Yes, I must say you were very brave and you are woman for your words as you faced him dauntlessly, CONGRATS Ms. White!' Ava answered in a sardonic tone.
'Enough with the sarcasm, Ava. Now tell me what you were asking me when I wasn't listening?' Hazel pleaded as reality pierced right through her.
'Don't try to change the subject Hazel, I thought you were over him' Ava asked her eyes filled with concern.
'I am Ava; let's not talk about this now, ok? Now tell me what you were asking' Hazel told Ava trying hide her pain with a smile.
'Fine, but promise me you will tell me tonight' Ava demanded.
'Not tonight honey, today's your date night. Did you forget?' Hazel asked grinning.
Ava's cheeks flushed pink.
'Ahaha... someone is blushing...' Hazel squealed enthusiastically.
'Hazel, keep your voice down' Ava hushed Hazel turning around to see if anyone heard them.
'Come on don't be shy, you have known Ed for more than a year now. Just go out there and be yourself because Ed fell for the real you so don't be anything you aren't ok?' Hazel told Ava who was biting her nails nervously.
Ava nodded like an obedient five-year old and turned towards her desk taking deep breaths telling her,
'You can do this Ava, it's just Ed, come on Ava'
Hazel laughed looking at her friend's childishness.
'Hazel' a voice called up.
Hazel looked up to see Jessica Quinn, Chris' assistant, standing in front of her desk.
'Hey Jessica, what's up?' she asked smiling.
'Mr. Finch asks to meet you in his office right now' she answered.
'Like right now?' Hazel asked growing pale.
'Yes, quick' saying this Jessica left Hazel's desk.
'Hazel?' Ava called shaking Hazel who just froze, out of fear.
'Just go Hazel; you can't hide away for a lifetime. Remember he doesn't remember you and neither do you. Just go and act casual' Ava advised Hazel.
Hazel nodded and left her desk walking towards Chris' office.
'Mr. Finch?' she called out entering his office.
Chris looked at her signalling her to come in.
'You called me?' she asked walking towards him.
'Yes, Ms. White. I haven't quite seen you in office lately. All your works are being turned in by someone else and you just mail me the details I asked for. Are you coming to office regularly?' he asked Hazel in a stern tone.
"It was because of you I had to hide and you interrogate me as if I am slacking at work?" Hazel thought to herself looking at him.
Hazel looked into his eyes, it was cold and lifeless. It was not the Chris she loved in college, the Chris she knew was someone who looked cold on the outside but was warm inside. His eyes were always merry and energetic. In college, whenever she felt down he was always there to cheer her up. He wasn't conceited like other rich people she knew; he cared more about the people around him. She knew that he didn't have a welcoming behaviour but when he was with his own gang he was the best. But the Chris sitting right in front of her wasn't someone she knew and love.
She cleared her throat before answering,
'Mr. Finch, I am sorry that I gave you a displeasing impression about myself it's just I was really busy this week and couldn't turn in my works by myself. And I am coming to office, regularly' she answered firmly looking at him.
'Ms. White, I was just joking don't get so worked up, I just wanted to know whether you were fine because it seemed kinda weird. If someone were to look from outside, they might say that you are deliberately avoiding me' he told her smiling lightly.
"Oh my, he didn't forget to smile? Well that sure is surprising" she thought to herself smiling back at him.
'Ms. White?' he called out as she continued to remain silent.
'No, Mr. Finch it's nothing like that' she replied humbly turning around to leave.
'Hazel' he called out.
Hazel froze in place, she didn't want to turn towards him fearing he would read her mind if she turned.
'I mean, Ms. White, I wasn't done yet' he told her.
Hazel turned to look at him, for a moment she thought he remembered her because the way he called out her name, it brought back hundreds of memories but when he corrected his sentence she knew that she was the only one living in the world of their past memories, after all he knew her only for like a year during their college.
'I am sorry Mr. Finch, I thought we were done' She replied looking directly into his eyes. She knew that sentence meant a lot than what it was asked for.
'No we aren't' He answered at once.
Hazel looked at him taken aback for a moment, it seemed like they weren't talking about the conversion at hand, their words held more weight to it.
Even Chris had to pause for a moment.
As Hazel kept wondering, Chris continued,
'I mean, I wasn't done. Actually, you will have to attend a meeting at 2 p.m. today instead of me. I will have to bail due to some personal issues so get the details from Jessica and ask me if there's anything else you need to know before 1 p.m.' he told her.
'You mean Ms. Quinn, right?' she asked
'Yes Ms. White, ask Jessica Quinn, my assistant' he explained.
'I knew that' she told him bluntly.
'Then? What's the doubt.....Ms. White?' he asked looking at her clueless.
'Well, it's...' she stopped herself before she finished.
'It's what?' he asked her muddled.
"It's that you are addressing her with her first name and you keep calling me Ms. White" she thought quite irritated.
'Nothing, Good day.....Mr. Finch' she told him managing to swallow up her original thoughts.
As she turned to leave,
'Ms. White' He called out.
She turned towards him giving him a "What now?" look,
'Jess... I mean Ms. Quinn is your colleague so I thought addressing by her first name would make you feel comfortable and nothing else' he explained himself.
'I didn't need an explanation, Mr. Finch, your way of addressing people has nothing to do with me' she walked out fighting back a smile.
'Still stubborn and childish' Chris said smiling as she walked out of his office.
Hazel returned to her desk smiling widely, Ava noticed her friend's sudden change in behaviour but felt that she should keep quiet and let Hazel have this moment and so continued working without questioning Hazel.
Hazel couldn't stop smiling for a long time as she noticed the hint of the old Chris today, the Chris who could easy read her mind without giving it a second thought.