A Smile and a Chance

17 DUMBASS

*UNEDITED

How do you find someone who doesn't want to be found? It's been two weeks and still no sign of Maia yet. I even postponed the meeting with the private investigator and asked her to help look for Maia at the moment. 

Do I really deserve what's happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?

I needed to distract myself, every single day, just so I would not think of her. And the only way to do that is to drive myself to exhaustion at work.

It was past nine in the evening. Everyone's gone home except me. I took a break from reviewing contracts by leaning my chair all the way back, until Maia's wish jar caught my attention. I sat up and reached for it. For a few seconds, I contemplated on opening it; then again, Maia's probably going to kill me for doing this, but if this is what it takes to make her come back, I'll gladly open the it.

I twisted the cap and stared at the jar, expecting Maia to march in angrily through the door and snatch the jar away from my hands and – nope. No one opened the door.

The jar was finally opened and I emptied the contents on my table. I untied the string on the first piece of paper my hands got hold of.

Honestly, I expected to read her wish, but I saw a picture of a cruise ship instead. I opened another one and saw a picture of a happy family – a mother, father and their son and daughter with smiles on their faces...I opened every piece of paper and saw only pictures. Pictures of books, the Eiffel tower, Tokyo tower, Petronas towers, pyramids of Egypt, a traditional Korean dress, Disneyland, Lego land, Universal studios, a fancy party, a pretty dress, high heeled branded shoes, a purse...

Does this mean that she wanted to go to all those places? She probably wanted books but didn't have the time to read, and the picture of a happy family...who doesn't want one? But it's different in Maia's case. So does this mean that she wants to meet her real parents? Or she wants a family of her own one day? And then, looking at the last few pictures, I just realized, those already came true. Those wishes were already 'granted'. The fancy party, the pretty dress, branded shoes and purse.

I don't understand. I unknowingly made some of her wishes come true, then she leaves?

What in the world is going on?

____________________________________

"How many shots have you had already?" I didn't need to turn to see who asked that question – it was Iris. The woman doesn't know when to give up.

I ignored her.

I chose this corner of the bar in our hotel where no one would recognize me, but surprise! The cheater knew where she can find me. Did she put a tracking device on me?

"That's enough, Liam. Come on, I'm taking you home." She said and took away the shot glass I was holding. I wasn't drunk but I knew I can't drive anymore.

"Why do you keep coming back? How do you even know where to find me?"

I gestured for another shot to the bartender but Iris told him it was enough. I have lost my will to argue; I didn't even feel like calling the security and have Iris dragged out of here.

I'm drained, in every aspect – physically, emotionally...I simply let her do what she wanted. So now, she's dragging me to where her car was parked.

To be honest, I'm like a zombie. A mindless creature who doesn't give a damn anymore. So what if it's Iris? So what if she's taking me somewhere? So what if she's with me again? I don't care anymore. I don't even know what time we got to my suite, I didn't even push her out of my place when she went in with me.