26 Lucid Fantasies

Tasha inserted the keys to her house and turned it twice before the door creaked open to a dark lonely room. Sighing, she clicked the lights on with her free hand and radiant white light illuminated the small dining table, a work desk in the corner and a messed up bed thrown to a side.

Thud.

She dropped the box on the table, and some papers fell out of the box, swaying in the air before falling flat on the floor. 

Her face was still in astonishment. For two whole years, she had worked loyally with him. Only to be sent away without reason. She couldn't comprehend why he would do this, especially when matters were so tense. She was one of his sole hooks to sanity, she knew. Without her, the burden on his head would only multiply three fold. 

"What did I do to offend him?" She sighed and stepped into the small washroom. 

She used to earn a reasonable amount as the CEO's secretary, but if you ever visited her house, you wouldn't be convinced. It was a small studio flat on the third floor of an old building, a little deeper into the city. She chose it because it was close to the bus stop. She wouldn't have to spend money on a car or a bike either, 

The rest of her salary was spent on her sister's college education abroad. That way, it got used up pretty fast. Without the well-paying job, she didn't how to make ends meet. 

She pulled the rim of her shirt up and slipped out of it before hanging it on a bar. After slowly taking off the rest to shower, she caught sight of her body frame in the mirror and pulled the band holding up her hair. It opened up and bounced down on her bare shoulders. 

A wave of cringe ran through her. How long had it been since she was single? Two, three years? She caressed the skin she saw on the mirror. How she wanted another, stronger hand to do the same. To hold her like only she existed in the world. 

Water slapped down on her face along with the harsh reality. She would never get love. All she knew to do was work and negotiate. To pay the bills, to scold her sister for spending too much. Anything more than that was beyond her. 

Which normal man would love a woman like that? 

She wrapped a white towel around her naked body and she stepped out of the washroom when she heard her office phone ring and vibrate on the bed. Not wanting to miss the call, she dashed for it and pressed the accept button without checking who it was. 

"H-hi. Is this Ms. Dawson? Tasha Dawson? Secretary of Systema Games CEO Mr Darren Hermann?" a shaky voice said on the other end. It was a very low voice, like a whisper.

Suspicion ran through Tasha as she answered tentatively, "And what if I am Tasha?"

"I-I heard you got fired."

What? The news had spread so quickly. Tasha frowned. Who was this guy? 

"Who are you? What do you want?" She walked over to the bed to crouch and take out a few clean clothes stacked under it. She had always wanted a wardrobe, with a dresser and all. But she was only one person in this apartment. What was the use? 

Nobody even visited her. 

"I'm Haffar. You know me. From HR. I-I have some things to tell you."

She thought she knew that name. It was familiar, but it was her first time talking to him. "If it's related to the company, I'm not a part of it anymore, so you need to find someone else. Sorry."

Tasha almost cut the phone when she heard Haffar scream. "Please! Don't hang up on me!" then he returned to his quiet voice again, "I-it's about the traitor issue."

Tasha sighed. She had spent so many hours with the private detectives trying to make out head or tail out of the issue. All the CCTV cameras are missing accompanied with no evidence at all. And there were no witnesses either. What could Haffar know?

"What about it?"

After a slight pause, he said even more quietly, "I saw the traitor. I was there."

........

Saye didn't know I was there. I should have just left her alone. But it was the first time I saw her crying. It surprised me. So I stepped towards the pool and sat some four to five feet away from her on the edge of the pool.

She snuffled and looked up at the person who had disturbed her pity party. 

I thought she would get angry and shoo me away. But this time, she simply rubbed her nose and stared at me in sadness. "What are you doing here? Aren't you sleeping?"

"I-"I was hesitant. Saye sounded like a normal teenage girl! And that surprised me.

"I-I couldn't. Came here for a walk…what are you doing here?" I narrowed my eyes at her. 

She shrugged. "Same as you."

I wasn't going to beat around the bush anymore. I took in a deep breath and looked at her. "Why are you crying?" 

Saye pulled her knees close to her chest and hugged it tight, wanting to bury her face between them. "I'm sorry." 

My heart stopped for a while when I heard those words. A little hesitant now, I continued, "For what?" 

She listed the things she was sorry for and I could do nothing but listen silently. I watched the wind make ripples on the dark blue waters at the deep end of the pool. The smooth silky water twinkling under the clear night sky as Saye went on and on about how she suddenly felt guilty about hurting the people she loved, how she let her family down, got bad grades for a term and her mom constantly shouting at her because of all the stress.

I listened to it all. 

When she finally stopped, I smiled. 

"Why aren't you saying anything? Why're you smiling?"

I smiled even wider at her. To an extent it might have come off as sardonic. "I thought I was safe from now on. But out of all the things you said, none of it included me," I stared back down at my feet, "Guess I'll have to bear with you a little while longer."

I wheezed. My smile had turned into a grimace as tears fell down from my cheeks and became one with the water under me. "Why do you even do this to me?" My voice was barely audible now. "What have I ever done to you?" 

Saye bit her lip and looked away. "My mom, she is a very viole-"

I stood up, my hair flying around me, "Again! Excuses! You shouldn't blame anyone but yourself! It isn't your mom who makes decisions for you! You do the things you do. Don't you understand? You are the monster here. Not your mom, or anyone else you know."

I take in a breath in surprise. Wait, did I just say that? My eyes diverted to Saye as she got up, tapping the front of her dress. She was about to say something but stopped and her eyes widened as she saw me walk backwards, away from her.

I lifted my hands to cover my face and looked away, "Please. Don't hurt me…I'm sorry. I won't say it again." I curled up and flinched once more as she took a step towards me.

I caught a glance of her flawless face. It was in a frown, her eyes set determinedly. Fear branched out through me. I looked around. What is she going to grab to throw at me.

Then I saw the huge pool right under us. She was going to push me in. I knew. She was coming closer to me, she was going to push me and I'd be wet and she'd walk away without turning back, leaving me to drown.

Oh, Ashe. It's just a pool! Just swim your way out! 

How can I? Saye knows I can't swim. 

She grabbed my hand and I prepared to meet my end when she would pull my hand and swing me into the pool. 

A few seconds passed.

But nothing happened. 

"Huh?" I opened my tightly shut eyes to look at the girl. She pulled my hand. But not to swing me into the pool.

But to hug me instead. 

I raised my eyebrows in confusion and my hands lay limp on either side, unable to move. 

"You're right," she whispered, "I am in the wrong. Sorry for making excuses and finally, sorry for making your life miserable."

Warmth spread into me from her unexpected embrace. It was genuine, I knew. You always know when somebody hugs you just for fun and when someone hugs you when you mean something to them. Those two are feelings from two different worlds.

"So you won't hurt me again?" I asked back, still in her arms.

"I'll try my best not to. There are a lot of people here. I don't think I'll be able to even if I wanted to," she pulled back and retreated her hands back to herself nervously while I just simply stood there. 

Should I give her a second chance?