ABOVE & BEYOND : IF WE ARE MEANT TO BE

CHAPTER 10

ERYX

"Welcome back, Dear Ery." Sky's voice almost gave goosebumps. She dyed her hair, the first thing I noticed. It was a mixture of black and pink. It feels like she changed a  lot or she didn't change at all. She smiled and hugged me. I also wrapped my arm around her. "How have you been, Sky?" "better..now that I've seen you." She winked. She remained the same. She was the most extrovert and adventurous person I've ever known. She is always up to trying new things. No fear of judgement, no shame, no regret.

Minutes passed and here I was, in my car with Sky over my lap. "So we're starting again where we left off?"  "we sure are." I said before taking unbuttoning my shirt .

DUAA

"No bitch you didn't!" Afra gasped as I told her what happened at the supermarket. "Yes. I did." Afra laughed out loud this time. "Was he handsome though?" "he was very handsome, dude. You should have seen his eyes. They were dark grey." I replied as I was combing my hair. "What is his name?" "how am I supposed to know that? Especially after calling his brand shit." "wait, which brand did you say he owned?" She is the detective one in our friendship. "Dew drop" I replied, finding my outfit for tomorrow. Blue or green? Green it is. "Okay I found him." I looked at my phone which was on loud speaker mode. "What did you find?" "well..just his name and age. There is no photo of him though. His name is Zain Ahmed and he is 28." "Afra darling, thank you so much for finding this unnecessary information but I gotta go now. Byee." "byee gurliee."

"wait Afra, don't hang up. Are you free this weekend?" "don't know. Gotta check the schedule." "it has been almost a month since we met. Spend the weekend with me." "kk. I'll try to make some time but if I can't can you come over to mine?" "nah babes I can't. Sunday is Alif's birthday. Even though we don't do anything, me and mom gotta make his favourite dishes." "oh damn I almost forgot his birthday. How old is he gonna be? 16?" I laughed slightly. "Nah. 18." "what? Are you shitting me? Last I saw him he was 14." "yea well... You're gonna be shocked af if you see him now." "then I'm spending the weekend at yours I guess."

I was thinking what birthday present should I get for Alif when all of a sudden my mind drove back into the old memories, when I used to ask him about almost everything. What colour should I wear, which necklace should I put, what present should I get...everything. He was my everything. Every single memory of him, of us, is almost unforgettable. I still thank god, to this day, for saving me.

It took me years to survive the trauma he caused. And without the support of my family and Afra I could have never done it. How can someone tell you that they love you so much and back stab you at the same time?

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I was reviewing some documents when a knock on my door almost startled me. "Come on in." Dumbo barged in "hey there, brownie." What's up with that happy face? He walked towards my desk and sat on the chair. "So what are we doing today?" I just sat there in silence. Observing him. "Have you got any idea what time it is?" He looked down at his watch. "It's 7:51 am. Don't tell me I'm lat.." "you're late." "how on earth I'm late. Everyone literally enters at 8 or something." "well..everyone isn't a manager nor an assistant, are they?" "so when should I come? At 5? Oh oh ..even better, Let's stay here all night." I threw an eraser at him to shut up which he caught pretty smoothly. "Don't throw stuff at me, brownie. Just say that you wanna see me shirtless like before." "oh my god, shut up!!" Working with him feels like arguing with Alif. No professionalism at all.

"Okay listen to me.." "yes, ma'am." "I'm serious, Eryx." This time he didn't say anything. He just raised his hands up in the air. "Since you're my assistant, you gotta come before me. So at 7. Ah ah..I'm talking. Don't try to interfere when I'm talking. So where we were, you being here at 7 in the morning. You gotta prepare my schedule for the whole day. You also have to check every floor once a week, making sure everyone is doing their job perfectly. Every two weeks, we gotta do the grocery together and you have to register the invoices for it.  This is what you have to do for now. I'll think about the rest later. Any questions?"

"There are more? Are you freaking kidding?" "since you're not laughing I don't think I'm kidding." He sighed heavily, thumb over his jaw and index and middle finger over his eyebrow. "You're gonna be the death of me." I chuckled a bit. "Well...there is some good news for you though. You will get a cabin of your own." "well..show it to me then."

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Days passed like hours and it was already saturday. I was at a cafe with Afra. We decided to have breakfast together before heading towards my house. Afra went to order while I was chatting with none other than dumbo. We exchange numbers on wednesday. And since then we have been having little chattie chat here and there. It's mostly him sending me memes related to work. Just like the one he sent me now. He sent me a picture of a dude who seems like he got an electric shock and under it was written "when you wake up late but still manage to make it to work on time." I chuckled before replying "you never made it at 7 o'clock."

"And who is the reason for that smile?" I looked up at Afra. Smile? Shit..why am I smiling? "It's nothing." She fake gasped. "Nothing is the reason?" I chuckled at her over dramatic ass. "It's Eryx. He is stupid." "well, tell me more about this stupid." "yea lemme see. He doesn't like to work, hates coffee, screws around, smokes and yea..that's it." "oww..we have got a red flag here I see." "he is one. He is kinda funny though. Working with him isn't work at all. He makes it funny and easy." "oh is it? Do you have a picture of him?" "nah. He has an alien as his profile picture."