Ashling

Chapter 6

I try to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Which is actually the toughest thing I've ever done considering 1) there's not much crowd here and 2) do I look like someone who would hide himself? No way.

Damn, she walks fast. Her walking speed is approximately my jogging speed. I'm already sweaty and this is not helping me with my hygiene at all. She takes a left. Where in the world is she going on a Sunday morning? She can't possibly be going to work.

After some more turning, she heads towards a building, "Manhattan's Childrens Centre". She opens the entrance door and goes inside. Well, I can't go in, so I decide to wait outside. I spot some trees next to the building and go sit under the biggest one.
I don't know how long I sit there, watching some squirrels make their way on the trees. I take a thin branch of the tree and break it. Gosh, I'm bored. This is crazy. I don't know a thing about her, she has probably established the opinion that I'm some weirdo, and here I am waiting for her. God help me.

My back hurts and my butt is sore. I slowly get up and stretch myself, wincing at the movement. I really want to go home, but for some reason, I can't make myself to leave. I can't just go. What is wrong with me?

At 06:00 pm, exactly 6 hours from the time she went in, the door opens and she comes out. But she's not alone, she has a kid holding her hand. They both are laughing about something and seem awfully close to each other.. Oh, no. No. No, no, no, no! HOLY SHIT! PLEASE DON'T TELL ME THAT'S HER SON! I swear a lot and kick the tree angrily as I see them. I can't even comprehend why I'm so distressed and angry at the possibility that she might be a mother. She might be married! Just as I'm about to have a nervous breakdown, a lady comes running towards them with a huge smile on her face and sweeps the kid off the ground and hugs him tight. She then gives a sideways hug to the mystery girl. Yes, I'm calling her the mystery girl.

"How have you been?" The lady asks her.

"I've been good, thank you. Alex here did very well today." She replies back. Damn, her voice.

"Is that so? Really baby?" The lady coos her kid and looks back saying, "So we'll see you tomorrow?"

Mystery girl grins and says, "Absolutely."

The lady walks away with her kid. I don't think I have ever felt so relieved. Phew, that scared the shit outta me.

"Hey!" I focus my attention on her as she calls out, walking towards me. She seems pissed off, this is not gonna go well.

"What the hell are you doing here? Have you been following me?" She's literally fuming with anger. Before I can say anything, she starts speaking, "What is wrong with you? I swear to God I'm gonna call the cops right now and tell them that you're stalking me."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on! I'm not stalking you!" I tell her.

"Care to explain why you're here then?" She still has her phone in her hand. Honestly, I'm a bit scared. Because I was actually following her and I have no legitimate excuse to save myself.

"I, well.. I just, um.. Look, I'm a lawyer." I blurt and mentally face palm myself.

"Great then, you can fight your own case." She replied smugly.

"Okay, stop. I'm sorry. I am. It's true, I followed you. But I promise I mean you no harm. And I am not a stalker. I'm a lawyer at a well established lawfirm. I have my own apartment, my own car. I have insurance." What in the name of God am I saying?!

She just looks at me with a blank and bored expression, like she doesn't give a damn in the world about who I am. She looks me up and down, scrutinizing, and I swear to God I have never felt so self-conscious. I have always been confident around girls, never have I ever cared what I'm wearing because they just always fall anyways. But her, the way she's looking at me right now, makes me wanna wish that the ground would crack open and swallow me in.

She nods in slow motion, and calmly says, "Look, I'm gonna go now. If I see you anywhere near me, I'm gonna report you."

I gulp and nod. She gives me a nod in return and takes a step back. Then she turns and starts walking briskly. I'm literally glued to my spot, unable to move. Just as she's about to disappear from my sight, she turns around and looks at me. I don't know how to describe it, but I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me. She stares for a beat too long and then goes.

I shake my head and slowly start walking. This turned out bad. Crap. I was expecting I'd get to know her and talk to her. But I just gave her the impression that I'm a pervert and a stalker. Great. I can't wait to get home and bury myself in my bed, where I can whine like a little girl who just embarrassed herself in front of her crush.

Crush. Am I really crushing on her? Hell, I don't even know her. There is something seriously wrong with me. I reach home and and go for a shower. This is the only thing that can calm me down right now, a hot shower. Water is so good for the soul, I swear.

I turn the tap off and get in my bathrobe. Just as I am about to dive onto my bed, I realize that I have to make a report on the Ms. Andrews case. Sam is gonna kill me if I don't do this. I curse out loud and start working on it.

Luckily, the case is easy for me. So I get it done in no time. I push the file away and sprawl out on my bed. I think of that girl and groan. I still feel so embarrassed by what happened. I am never letting this happen again, I can't lose my cool like that. I look out at the sky and gradually drift off to sleep.