Green-minded (EDITING) ✔

T W E N T Y - F O U R: Haunted by the ghost of my past

There's an enormous bouquet of white flowers resting at the bar counter. Fear and bewilderment slowly intrude, my peaceful soul, as I sight the hundreds of Gardenia flowers that Travis is carefully arranging so as not to drop on the floor. They are beautifully placed in artful, rectangular red boxes with gold ribbons.

To whom and from who is not the question here but more of how and why. How did it end up here? How did he know it's really me? Why is he still rooting for me?

I find myself approaching the boxes of flowers with a dumbfounded look on my face.

"Hey, Amber!" Travis calls for me. FYI, He doesn't know that I'm Ash Myers, only my girlfriends do, I applied here with my new identity. He didn't read the note, right? If he did, it wasn't written that my name's Ash, correct? Yes, Josh won't reveal my identity here because he cares for me. So Josh got the knowledge that I'm Amber, and if he has access on resources to find me, it's not far out that people from my past will be aware of the new me. That can never happen, this is the life that I want to live, away from Tony, my broken family, my ruined career, and my real life. This is driving me insane! Chill out, Amber. You just have to face the revelation head-on.

Perplexed as to how I'll explain to Travis everything if he asks me, I carefully approach him, "Yes, you need me?"

"You've got flowers." This baby face beams at me but it doesn't reach his eyes, "Care to share who Josh is?" He hands me a card with a handwritten note on it that says, "Seven hundred forty-two gardenias for the seven hundred forty-two days that I've missed you. Love, Josh."

I already have a clear idea that it's Josh but getting the confirmation sends shivers to my spine.

"Uhm, just a secret admirer." I grin back, "Don't mind him."

"How can I not mind him when he sends you this awful lot of flowers?" He bites his lower lip, making him look sexier.

"Travis... I'm sorry, I told you-"

"Got you. I know you love someone else and I understand that I shouldn't be like this but... I can't control my feelings. Sorry about that. I mean, it's not my intention to pressure you or something, okay? Please forget what I just said. You may go dress up for work." He seems crestfallen, but I don't have the right to comfort him since I'm the one who made him like this.

"I apologize." That's all I could say. I turn around.

"By the way, the guys that are trying to find you, they won't bother you anymore. Don't ask me how but I've got it all covered, alright?"

"Thanks very much, Travis."

"My pleasure. Anything for you, sweetheart." He winks at me.

He's always genuine and reliable like this. Sometimes I ask myself why all these years I didn't fall for him, while it's only days for Tony to steal and own my heart, until now, he holds it in the palm of his hands. Travis is the perfect man any girl could wish for, maybe he's just not the perfect one for me.

It's simple, we have to accept the fact that the people we love is not always the one meant for us, just as Travis is with me and me with Tony.

My daily routine goes by quietly, trying to forget what happened at Tony's place.

*Start of flashback*

So we sleep together, not that thing that couples do, we just sleep side by side.

Then, morning came, I wake up after a stunning, blond girl opened his room door, she stares at us. She eyes me from head to toe, I said, "Sorry." I stand up carefully so as to not wake up Tony.

She smiles at me as I reach her at the door, saying, "Hi! Who are you?"

"Amber. Hope you didn't misunderstand. Tony helped me last night and I didn't sleep with him, I mean, I just tried to help him since he had a nightmare."

"It's okay, no need to explain. I'm Tony's colleague and childhood friend, Kelly." She smirks while giving me a handshake.

"Nice to meet you. I got to go."

"Are you leaving with that outfit?" She points at the huge T-shirt and shorts, "Let me get some clothes for you."

She enters the third bedroom and then goes back with a black mini dress on hand. So she stays here? With Tony?

Then it made me remember something important-- Tony's first love. She might be it. Wide eyes, I take a glimpse at her. Kelly is very ravishing like she's a living Disney princess or something.

The truth screams at me-- they're so meant to be together.

The dress fits perfectly. We have the same height and size, I notice.

I get out of my room, "Thanks, but I'm not sure if I'll still be able to return this to you though."

"You look fantastic!" She wiggles her brows to show her approval, "It's okay girl, you can have it. It suits you!" She shows a smile worth a million bucks. Tony and Kelly deserve each other. That hurts.

"But are you sure you don't want to wait for Tony to wake up?" She continues.

"No, just send him my heartfelt thank you." I place my hand on my chest.

She chuckles. She's so darn perfect for Tony. Geez.

*End of flashback*

"Miss Amber Cole?" A man wearing a costly black suit and blue necktie is approaching me with a catatonic stare, his voice is deep and emotionless as he says, "Attorney Rigor Mortem."

His name certainly suits him, his face is pale and his presence is like of the dead, ice-cold and chilly, that I sense trepidation running through my veins.

"Yes. I'm Amber, how may I help you?"

"You can't." He smiles but it was flat, "Let's talk somewhere private."

"N-no. You can tell me here."

"Okay." Raising a brow, he continues, "We're aware that you're also Ash M-"

"Shhh." I place my index finger in front of my sealed lips, "Let's get inside."

We enter a private room inside the bar, "Now, tell me."

"You're cordially invited to Mortem and Grave Law Office, Miss Myers."

That sounds bad. I'll not go there. Over my dead body. Oops.

"Why's that?"

"Starlight Entertainment wants to file a case against you. You may want to meet tomorrow,  Eight AM sharp."

OH NO. Just as I expected--trouble, trouble, trouble. President Rogers and Manager Kim already knows where I am. What case? I thought when they let me go, everything's settled. What's this now?

"Are you coming tomorrow?" His voice sends chills through my spine.

"Cool." I mean you're like cold as ice.