Welcome to Texas

Chapter 2

'Why would you bring this file? Are you stupid? Or do you think this job is a joke?' Amy shouted at the secretary who stood trembling at her mercy.

'I am sorry'.

'Sorry is all you would say? You almost lost your job, and you are just sorry?' Amy threw the file on her and walked away.

'How cute! Even when she is angry'. A male worker commended.

'She does that when she gets hitten'. Another female worker said ruefully.

'Hitten?'

'Yeah, I mean, when men break up with her. She comes to work and lets out her anger on her secretary. Poor Hazel'.

She suddenly turned to Brian- the male worker- angrily. Angry at herself for having explained everything to him.

'Are you a fool? Why don't you understand common things?'

'Because you will explain them to me I guess'. He shrugged.

He raised his head at her ' How else do you want me to learn when you have got that big sense? I save myself the bother'. He smiled tauntingly.

'I hate you!'. She didn't hide the disgust on her face.

'Who cares? But why would she allow men to break her heart as they want?'

'And what is your concern if I may ask?' She walked toward him, almost in a waltz.

'She is beautiful!'

'See who is talking about a woman!' She shook her head.

'I hope she will just stop hurting herself and come to us. I have been waiting for her all these while, and will continue to. ' Brian cuddles himself.

'I only hope you will not die while waiting'.

'What?' He glanced at her.

'I mean, I hope you will not die waiting for her, because….' She moved closer to him.

'She will never see someone as stupid, ugly and… damn it! You are the worst'. She said and strode off.

'What! Am I as bad as that?' Brain brought out a mirror from his face and looked at himself in it.

'Not bad. Must have been thus hair, always falling out of place'. Putting the mirror back in his pocket, he signed.

'I have no choice but to shave my hair off. Seems like Amy…' He glanced around for the sight of anyone.

'Seems director loves hairless men'.

Brian put a finger on his lips. 'But Gel, what could be wrong with her? She got angry when I mentioned Amy. Could she by any chance….' He grasped.

'I am really dumb. I should have noticed the tingle in her eyes anytime she sees me'. He hit his head.

'Hey Gel, let's get things solved!' He ran after her.

'Momma it hurts'. Amy broke down in tears.

'You will hurt yourself more by crying. Look at your pretty face, it is a mess!' Clara wiped at the tears with her thumb, and gave a tissue to her.

Amy dabbed at her nose and looked into Clara's eyes, she could see worried lines on her face. The last thing Amy wanted was for her mom to be worried.

'We can stop it anyways' Clara said painfully.

'Since they are all the same, we might as well stop you from meeting them'.

'Momma, what do I do?' Amy tried to keep the tears from falling, but they fell on her clothes as crystal - she wished they were- her eyes were red, her face swollen from crying.

'We have got to stop them all'. She brought out a file from a bag on the table. It contains the name of the men she had scheduled earlier for Amy, to go on blind dates with her.

She tore the sheet and put them in a waste bin near her.

Her phone rang, Clara picked it, a rueful look on her face, she stood up and hurriedly went outside. Amy could hear the sound of the car as it drove out of the compound. The woman had some other things to do, other than sit with her all day, just because of her miserable state.

Once in her room, Amy was on her bed, brought out her diary and wrote down what had caused the break up. She closed the diary and cursed under her breath.

A voice told her to go and check her face in the mirror. She almost screamed at what she saw.

Her ringing phone saved her from further screams.

'Hey girl. Want to come to a party with me?' Emily's voice said excitedly at the other end.

'Not in the mood'. Amy drawled lazily and jumped on the bed.

'You want me to get you out of there? Trust me you are definitely coming with me'. Emily hung up before Amy could complain.

Just as she had said, Emily found her way inside her room, got her walking to the car.

'I am really not interested in this'. Amy complained.

'Who cares?'

'I do!' Amy cried out.

'Sorry girl, we have got to do this'.

'I hope you are not setting me up on a blind date again'. Amy muttered almost to herself.

'That is the last thing I will do. Just wait, you will be surprised at what you will see'. Emily's voice had a happy note that Amy wished she would get- ever get.

'Tada!'

'Oh. Doesn't surprise me'. Amy shrugged.

'Why?'

'Why should you bring me to a theater when you promised to take me to a party?'

'To surprise you of course!' Emily narrowed her glance at her.

'A little surprised'. She indicated with her hand.

'I got you! You are surprised'.

'I wasn't!'

'Amy is surprised!' Emily shouted and got Amy laughing.

Emily held onto her hand and the two walked in. Emily pointed to people, said funny things about them to make Amy laugh. In her mind, Amy doubts she would ever be happy as her friend. In a second, she wished she could do anything like her, and live her life freely.

'I hope it is not scary'. Amy said as soon as they sat down.

'Trust me girl'.

'How can you be so sure? Pretending to have watched the movie before'. Amy tugged at her friend's clothes.

'Yeah'.

'What do you mean?' She raised her head to look at Emily.

'I paid them to show it, so you had better watch it'. 'Carefully' she added.

'Oh wow!'

Amy had a good time watching the comedy movie. Once Emily waved her goodnight, she almost got in when she saw a figure pacing around.

He strode towards her, hands in his pocket.

'Hello Amy'. He waved his hand in her eyes.

'Hi there'. Amy did not hide the flippant tone.

'Are you still angry with me?' Evan narrowed his eyes on her.

'You have not done anything wrong. I rarely fight with strangers'.

'Unless they cross their boundary- the ones I lay down for them, and I am afraid someone is going to cross that boundary soon if he does not get his ass out of this place'. Amy made sure to pronounce the words longer than she ought to.

'Have you forgotten about me already Amy?' Evan pointed to himself.

'I forget the shit in my life'. Amy shrugged.

'Hey Amy. You get angry faster than anyone I have seen'. Evan chuckled.

'Angry? You cheat!'

'Are you referring to me?'

'Who else? Guess you have got sense to tell you we are the only ones here'.

'Alright Amy, let's forget the past and move on. We need to make the past belong where it should be if we gotta move on'.

'And that is what I am trying to do! You are the past that I will not allow, even a second in my future'.

'That was a mistake Amy. You can bet I was drunk!'

'Mistake? That sounds like an excuse. Have you forgotten the contract? Once you cheat on me, we forget about this! I guess you have the file with you'.

'I have forgotten the damn contract. I thought we had moved past that. Why would you bring it up again? It's been over a year for crying out loud!'

'It seems you don't understand me. It is the end. I hate those who cheat, and would not give a damn to erase them off me'.

'You will never get anyone to love you with this attitude of yours. All men cheat. Before your beauty gets to your head- not as if you are beautiful, just kind of managing it- remember you are getting old. I am better off without you'.

'Yeah, sounds great. I had better not date anyone than settle with someone I cannot even trust'. The words gave her the confidence she thought had been lost.

Amy flung her clothes around, got into the bathtub. Stupid Evan had spoilt her day. She could hear his voice at the back of her head.

'What if all men were cheating, just as he had said?'

She frowned 'I am done with men. I should just imitate Emily. Sounds better'. She muttered to herself.

Already in her pajamas, her phone rang, checking the caller, she picked it. She held the phone between her shoulder and her head, and apply moisturizing cream on her face.

'Amy, consider moving to Texas'. Her mom said out of the blue.

'Why?' She sat lazily on a chair, and stared at her reflection on the mirror.

The branch over there needs a few things, and you can tell it is not a good reputation for our company. I need someone there to keep everything running smoothly'. Amy could tell her mom had a frown on her face.

'I will think about it Mom'.

'Don't think about it. It is either no, or yes now. I was thinking a change of environment might make you have a different few of men'. She paused. 'What do you think?'

'Great idea Mom, but I'm done with men'.

'Are you going, or I should forget about it?'

'I cannot decide now, I will call you later'. She hung up and climbed the bed. Holding her Teddy close to her, she signed.

'Angel, what do you think? It might be a great idea. You know, leaving the last behind and focusing on the future'. She mused at her Teddy.

'It is nice right? Come to think of it…' she adjusted her head on the pillow.

'I might even become the opposite of what I am right now. Show them I can be like a guy too. I would ensnare them on my web, make them fall for every trick, and break up with them'. Amy smiled, pulled the Teddy closer to her chest, and reached for her phone. calling her Mom again, her phone was switched off.

'Damn it!' She dropped the phone on a table close to her bed, holding the Teddy to herself, she adjusted her head on the pillow, phew! She rockets to dreamland.

Amy placed the phone on her ear and waited patiently for her Mom to pick the call.

'Mom, I wanna work there'. She said excitedly.

'Good thought girl, I will get everything you need for traveling ready. You are going today'. Clara said at the other end.

'Love you momma!'

Love you too. Hey, drive slowly…' Amy hung up, her Mom was sure working her ass out. The least she could do for her is to help her where she needed it.

'Emily guess what'. Amy said immediately she saw her getting out of the car.

'You are going on another blind date'.

'Far from that. I am going to Texas!'

'Wow! The beginning of a new turn'. Emily beamed a smile at her as the two walked to the sitting room.

'I hope so'.

'Be a good girl. And remember always, no guy again. We need your heart to heal'.

'I am kinda sad, I was expecting myself to be happy, but it is the opposite'. She sat at the edge of a sofa, Emily sat beside her.

'It is normal. A part of you still wants Evan back, but I guess a larger part wants him off'.

Amy nodded her head thoughtfully.

'I am burning here'. Emily stood up and reached for a drink, she set the cup to her mouth and drank the content in a gulp. She poured herself another, and filled another cup. She brought the two glass cups to the table, gave one to Amy and held onto the other.

'Cheers to your new life'

'I will never give another man a chance in my life, talking less of allowing anyone to break my heart'. She giggled and drank the content at once.

'So this is a goodbye?' Emily said ruefully.

'Sort of. I am gonna miss you'.

Emily pulled her in an embrace.

'Remember no man'. Emily said over her shoulder. Amy nodded.

The journey had been long, with Amy not sleeping a wink.

She pulled her box after getting out of the plane and stared around.

Just then, someone stepped on her.

'Have you got no eyes? You just stepped on me. Are you okay?' Amy adjusted her sunglasses.

The man had blue eyes, Amy blamed herself for noticing, and deliberately frowned her face. She bet the man could feel it, even when he wasn't seeing her eyes.

'Walk with your leag, not your eyes'

'I sorry'. He muttered.

'Sorry?' She gave a sarcastic laugh.

'Is that all you have got to say? "Sorry"?'

'What else?'

'Get another shoe for me'. Amy adjusted her sunglasses and looked away, trying her best not to look at his eyes, in case she got lost in them.

The realization got her more angry with herself.

'Oh! You must be joking'. The man attempted to go.

'Be ready to go to jail' Amy found herself saying.

'What?' The words stopped him right on his track.

'I am going to sue you for….' She searched her head to the right word to use, finding none, she looked at him and shrugged.

'Just be ready to sleep on jail tonight'

'That is the last thing I want. I am almost late for work'. He said hurriedly.

'It's evening already. What work?' Amy spoke the words before realizing it, her inquisitiveness had pulled the part on her.

'I don't tell strangers about myself'. He growled, looking at her intently, it almost made her flush.

'Whatever'. She coughed.

A quick walk got them to where they could get the shoe for her. Checking for the one she wanted, the man paid for it and stretched it to her.

Suddenly overcome with disgust, she glared at the man, and walked off, leaving him in amazement. She checked her phone for the house address she was going to stay at.

'Hey your shoes are here'. The man shouted after her.

'I bet you can see that I am wearing one. Whatever shoe with you now is not mine'. Amy didn't bother to look back.

She smiled at her new found lifestyle. The guys should be prepared for it because she was going to get back at them - all of them.

With the traveling box crawling after her, she stared at the huge 'WELCOME TO TEXAS" billboard in front of her.