Chapter 5 - Missing us

**Ping Ping*

"Why has your phone been going off for the last hour and you're not checking it?" meddled Carlos

"Why are you not minding your own business" I scoffed

Annoyed, I checked, to find several messages from a guy I met on Facebook a while back.

"Hey are you okay?"

"I know you said you don't want to talk, but I just want to know if you are fine"

"Hey, it's me again, say something"

What's his problem! It's not like we are dating.

"Am fine" I aggressively typed back.

Things weren't always like this though.

I stumbled on a post he made on Facebook, and I thought it was interesting.

He was talking about the fact that people fantasize about what love really is instead of embracing the real sacrifice that it takes to truly love someone which he believes is the reason most relationships don't last.

I agreed and he slide in my dm's to further the conversation.

I was apprehensive at first because I haven't had someone slide in my dm before.

Everyone I talked to I met in person, it was weird and intriguing simultaneously.

We talked everyday and with all honesty, I enjoyed the chase.

"Hey good morning, what are your plans for today"

I woke up to this text every day.

One day I thought I would return the favor.

"Hey good morning" 7:05 am

"Hey" 2 pm

Not again.

So, I allowed him to send messages, because I realized he liked doing it and not so much receiving.

We talked way too much on the phone about every and anything and it was exciting every day.

Until it wasn't.

Things got too real.

I wanted to know how he think and not just have fun all the time, but that's what he wanted so everything started going downhill from there.

Our conversation went from everyday to every other day then once a week to now where we talk every two weeks.

I was job searching and I mentioned it to him.

He offered to reach out to some of his contact on my behalf and outsource a job.

I thought it was so sweet and I went along with it.

"I got an opportunity for your friend. Have her call Jena Martin at 123-456-789"

A message he forwarded from his contact .

"Okay, what is the job"

"Honestly, he didn't tell me"

"Can you please find out? I cannot call someone not knowing how to approach the conversation"

" Just tell her, that Andrew Mackney said to call because she is already expecting you"

"I will call tomorrow. I at least would like to know what position it is before I call blindly though"

"Aren't you looking for an accounting job"

"Just so you know, there are different types of accounting jobs."

"Right, well he didn't tell me of anything specific, so I guess you'll find out what openings she has when you call"

When I called it was a guy, and I told him my salary requirement to which he responded, "oh wow".

During our conversation he scheduled an interview at five pm which was five hours after I got off the phone.

After gathering enough details to run a google search, I found out the job was part time, so it made sense why he thought my salary requirement was bizarre.

Got home just in time to meet the five pm call. The phone rang, he answered I told him my name, he asked me "Okay, what do you want".

I reminded him that I had the interview and a few seconds later, he told me he couldn't hear me and the phone cut off.

I called again; it went straight to voicemail.

I was infuriated.

I called Miguel, told him about what happened, and he assured me it was a misunderstanding because his friend would not refer him to someone like this.

I should have followed my gut from the beginning and just not called it would have eradicated the problem.

He told me he would reach out again, I told him not to and he still did.

"Hey Miguel! The accountant? He said he was overwhelmed, and he didn't realize he was being rude. Have her call him one more time!"

"Thank you for reaching out again, however, I am going to decline the offer"

"Seriously, Promise, you know you could need this. Why turn it down?"

I considered. Swallowed my intuition once more and called.

"Martin Accounting, how can I help you?"

"Hey, it's promise, we spoke last week and I am calling regarding the job you have available"

"Okay, I am glad you could get reconnected. I have a job for you right now. I will be sending over some contracts for you to sign with a NDA agreement and the following email will have your assignment, instructions and a check because we pay for assignments on the same day"

"Okay, I will be on the look out for that"

"Alright, welcome to Martin Accounting, enjoy your day!

That was weird, who gives a job to a stranger without even interviewing them?

I told Miguel, he was excited, while my intuition was still telling me this was not good.

The due date of the project went by and after reaching out to Martin Multiple times, I still haven't received the documents he assured me he would send.

Funny thing was, I told Miguel about the issues I was having, and he told me, he doesn't know the full story and he had friends who sabotaged themselves before.

Short for saying I was a liar.

That was enough to drive us apart because no matter how much I explained what was happening he still wanted to believe his friend would not recommend someone who was problematic.

I stopped talking to him for a week and even though I missed talking because we were at it every day, I felt peaceful, and I wanted to have that again, so I released my desire.

I feel annoyed when he messages me, and clearly he picked up on my vibe and he is no longer interested as well, yet he keeps texting me every other week, giving me sob stories that he is busy or preoccupied that's why he isn't texting me.

HAHA.

I am busy and preoccupied, but I need no excuse to not text him.

~

My bus came and it was so packed, I could barely see the passage.

It did not stop.

I have been waiting for two hours.

"I can call us an uber" said Carlos to the rescue

"That would be nice, thank you"

I got home, checked the mail and something had my name on it.

I snatched it and sat on the lawn to gather myself in case it was Ronnie.

It wasn't.

It was my bank reminding me that my account was negative.

Eyes closed, sigh!

Of course, it is the bank!

I grabbed my bag up and strolled inside.

~

"The people who sleep on you the most are the people closest to you" something I will never forget that a friend said to me about ten years ago.

Though not word for word, the bible tells us to expect this, but taking practical steps is way more challenging.

"Hey, morning, where is the number?"

"What number?"

"For the transaction"

"I don't have it; I heard your brother gave it to you over the phone"

"That did not happen, he wrote it in your WhatsApp and send it to me, he did not call and give it to me over the phone"

"Just say you don't remember"

"Why would I say that, and that is not what happened? Just come off my phone with your foolishness"

*Beep Beep Beep*

I lost my cool talking to Ms. Eva and as I stood outside awaiting for my uber I could feel my ears smoking.

Pacing around, I recalled the conversation to ensure I was not wrong.

I called my brother and asked him if he called the day before and gave me the tracking number.

He confirmed what I knew, he said no.

Should I have lost my cool?

Should I have hanged up the phone out of anger?

NO.

So even if I had the right to my argument, my approach was wrong.

I should apologize.

*Phone ringing*

"I got through with the transaction"

"Oh"

"I am sorry for hanging up the phone and getting upset, but what you were so sure of didn't happen"

"Whatever you say"

The only thing worse than being accused of being wrong when you are right is having to apologize even when you were right.

That is what it's like having someone to die for.

~

Only if Travis was here. I could have someone to cry with.

Here we go again, am sure Travis forgot about me and is so moved on with his life, yet all I can think about is him being the only one that I trusted with me.

*Phone ringing*

"Hello"

"Hey, promise"

"Ronnie" I muttered through my tears

"What's wrong?" he asked concerned

Awkward pause

"Nothing am good. What's up?"

"Don't lie to me" he commanded

"You're right, I am lying. Now is now a good time, I think we should talk tomorrow"

"Okay, if you're sure. Call me as soon as you want to talk because I have something to get off my chest"

"Okay" and I hanged up the phone

I wanted to tell him everything, but I knew I was vulnerable, and it would not be the best choice. I kept my composure and as he said, I can always talk to him about it tomorrow.

What did he want to talk about I wondered? tomorrow seems too far.

I guess it does feel good to hear the authority in his voice when he figured out that I wasn't okay. It was almost as if he genuinely cared.

It doesn't matter, everyone that hurt me, sounded authentic.

That is the whole point.

I should give him the benefit of the doubt though, he hasn't given me any reason to think he is like everyone else. I shouldn't search for reasons, right?