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Chapter 3

It's been three days since the interview. Thought Alice as she left her last class of the day. She was starting to worry she didn't get the job. Hoping for nothing. She sat on a bench under a tree and took out a book out of her backpack. As she was reading, her phone started vibrating. It was a local number. She quickly answered. "Hello?"

"Hi, may I speak with Miss Alice Fletcher?"

"This is her."

"Hi, Miss Fletcher. This is Matt Hayes. We met at the interview at Thomas and Clark's on Monday."

"Yes, hi, Mr. Hayes, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing well. I'm calling to let you know that you made the cut. Congratulations and welcome to the team. You will be starting on Monday. Come around 7am. You will need to sign your contract and get your credentials."

"Thank you so much for this opportunity. You won't regret it. I'll be there bright and early on Monday. Thank you." She said, hanging up. She quickly dialed her mother.

"Hello?" A man's voice answered.

"Dad? You're home early." Alice said to her father, Carl Fletcher.

"Hi, honey. I was done early today. Going to take out your mother tonight for dinner, would you care to join us?"

"Sorry, I would love to but I have to finish this book I'm reading and write a paper on it. I called with great news."

"What is it?"

"Thomas and Clark just called me. I got the internship!"

"Oh, honey. That is great news. Forget about that paper, we need to celebrate. Come out with us tonight."

"Alright, I guess I could use the celebration."

"Great, we'll be at Luciano's around 7pm. See you then."

"Ok, dad. See you later." She hung up and put the book back on her backpack. Looked at her watch. It was 5:15pm. She would have to hurry. She still needed to get to her dorm and shower. As she hurried through campus, she couldn't stop thinking about how happy she was. How this year was coming together.

She started remembering how bad the last year had been. She had broken up with her boyfriend of four years and failed two classes. She almost messed up her chances of graduating early. Landon Rogers, her high school sweetheart. She was sixteen when he asked her out for the first time. She couldn't believe it, of all the girls he had to choose from, the school quarterback chose her.

They didn't have the most perfect relationship. A year into it, she found out he had cheated on her multiple times, but they kept getting back together. Her parents loved him. And his parents thought they made a great match. Both sets of parents hoped to unite the two families in the future. They even got accepted to the same university so they didn't have to leave town. Everyone thought they were the perfect couple, but behind closed doors it was heartache for Alice.

They constantly fought, he wanted to control every aspect of her life. He needed to know where she was at all times. She would make excuses for him, saying he was sweet and caring, worrying about her all the time. But last year was the end of it. She walked into his dorm room and found him in bed with some girl. He walked towards her in a rage and slapped her because she didn't knock on the door.

She couldn't believe him. She had taken so much from him. But this was it. She was done. She told him right there they were done. He started laughing, calling her dramatic and that she would come crawling back on her knees asking for forgiveness. She left his room in tears. The next day, out of habit she almost called him. Patrice was her rock. He was the one that came crawling back asking for forgiveness and a couple of times she almost gave in, she was too weak and still loved him. But reminded herself, he hit her. He was trash, he was never going to change.

It took a while, and failing two classes, getting called into the guidance counselor and many drunken nights with Patrice, but she got over him. Now, she avoids him at any chance. He will still call and beg her to take him back. Even getting the parents involved, but without letting them know what really happened she just told them it was her life, and he wasn't part of it anymore. Now, this was her year.