A Little Kick For Confidence.

Corey felt tears flow down her cheeks by themselves. What she was trying to forget over the past few years has easily taken her off balance in seconds. If she knew that everything would turn out like this, she would never return to this park. To the place where Rick first said that he loved her and where he offered to date him.

It is impossible to convey in words how happy she was at that moment, but who would have thought that all this was his lie and play. And while she was looking at him with eyes full of love, his eyes were full of falsehood. If only he were honest with her, if he revealed himself to her, she would be able to accept him, despite the difficulties. They could start all over from scratch, but he preferred a different path, which eventually led him to a place with no return.

"Corey, what happened?!" Daniel got scared when he saw how the girl's mood changed.

"I ... I ... I'm sorry, I'll call you a little later," the girl could hardly restrain herself so as not to burst into tears in her voice, she turned and ran toward the exit.

Daniel rushed after her and grabbed her arm, "Corey, what the hell is going on?! I'm worried about you!" He had not seen her in this state for a long time, everything was fine until they arrived in this park.

Everything that they did and talked about in the last ten minutes flashed through his head, and there could be only one reason for such a sharp change in her condition, "Don't tell me that the man who those girls were talking about is-," and here he remembered the initials on the bench, R and C. The girl's confused face confirmed his thoughts.

"H-how did you...? Did you get into my head?!" Corey was scared, Daniel could always read her as if she was an open book, but now she didn't want him to understand her thoughts, she was ashamed and scared. It was terrible that she may seem disgusting in his eyes because of her thoughts about another person when he put so much effort to get her attention.

Daniel let go of her hand, and for the first time since they met, Corey saw a sincere resentment on his face, "Are you serious? Do you think that I am such a man who will take advantage of the weakness of another person to his advantage?! I don't have to go into the head of the woman I love to understand when she feels pain. And if you do not want to discuss this, I will not force you. But this does not mean that I do not care. You know, Corey, it hurts me sometimes too."

The girl bowed her head, she did not know what to answer. Daniel was absolutely right, she said without thinking, and immediately regretted her words. She was angry with herself that the ghost of Rick was still haunting her when she already thought that she had forgotten about him and was ready to start a new life.

In her own words, she offended the person who is close to her, and for this, she was very ashamed. With her emotions, she ruined such a wonderful date, to which she herself invited him, and now they were standing in silence, and Corey did not know what to do next.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you with my own words. Do you mind if I go home? I need to cool my head. I'll call you in the evening." Corey suggested but Daniel did not answer anything and shook his head, "If this is what you really want ... Come, I will take you," the man went forward, towards the exit from the park.

"No, don't. I'll take a taxi," the girl stopped him. Although they never had a fight, there were a few moments when they were arguing seriously with each other, but this was the first time that Daniel had reacted so indifferently in such a situation. And that scared her even more. She did not know how to alleviate the tension that arose between them through her own fault, and driving now in the same car would be a real torture for her.

The man did not say anything and silently continued on his way, he waved his hand, caught a taxi and opened the car door, inviting the girl to sit inside. Corey obediently sat in the back seat of the car.

"Write me when you get home," Daniel answered and slammed the door, the man turned and walked away.

Corey followed his retreating noble silhouette, closed her eyes and cried, 'Corey Williams, you are such a fool! How could you spoil everything like that! If he now breaks up with you, then it serves you right,' the girl mentally reproached herself for her weakness and cowardice. Weakness that succumbed to the provocation of past feelings, and cowardice that she could not say it out loud. To tell the one who supported her all these years more than others. The one she wanted to offend the least.

. . .

The taxi stopped near Elena's house, Corey got out and rang the intercom. Elena saw her friend on the screen and immediately opened the door, "What are you doing here?! Aren't you on a date with Daniel?!"

"Ahh, El, beat me, please! Kick me hard with all the tricks you know! Your friend is such a fool!" Corey threw herself into Elena's arms and cried, "El, what should I do now?! And if he says he doesn't love me anymore? And if he gets tired of me with all my issues?"

"Hey, hey, hold your horses, what happened? Explain to me normally so that I can understand what's going on," Elena brought her friend into the house and led her to the kitchen, passing the living room, where Ashley and Sean fell asleep during their game.

"Daniel and I went to the south park, the one where Rick proposed me to date him, I thought that it would not affect me, but there were this stupid gate and that bench. I knew about this, so I never went there again, but I did not know about these inscriptions. And when I saw our initials, Rick's and mine, and the phrase that he wrote in his farewell letter, I could not restrain myself and burst into tears," Corey continued to sob, shooting sentences one by one with the speed of sound. If Elena were not familiar with her manner of speech at such moments, then she would not have understood anything, because, from the side, Corey's monologue sounded more like a gibber.

"This fool, why did he do that?! Ok, so you decided to leave, then leave without looking back! Money, apartment, and now this park too! Why did he leave all this to me?! I didn't touch a single penny, I check the apartment once a month, but I can't make a decision to sell it. The realtor has already tortured me with offers, she keeps calling me every week, but I can't make up my mind about selling it or keeping it!" Corey wiped the tears from her eyes and took a sip of tea, which Elena poured while listening to her speech. This was the most effective way to calm her friend.

"But what is most terrible, under the pressure of all these emotions, I offended Daniel! I really wanted this date to be wonderful, our first night to be special, and now... If I were in his place, I would send myself to hell a long time ago," Corey sighed sadly, her eyes focused on little gulls dancing together in a cup.

"That is, if you were on his place, you would now tell yourself to bugger off and go look for a new passion to distract from all these heart problems? Hmm, I think it'll be easy for him," Elena scratched her chin in thought, clearly presenting this picture. She knew well about her friend's vivid imagination and all she had to do was observe how Corey's face instantly depicted the changing emotions.

"No, no way, I don't like this at all," Corey shook her head and felt how the fear, previously uknown to her, began to seize her. She was so used to the fact that Daniel was always next to her and did not show interest in other women, that it did not even occur to her to imagine him in the arms of some sultry stunner, who already flocked to him like bees to honey.

"You see. Rejoice that you are not Daniel. You are Corey, and you must act accordingly. If you feel guilty, then go and apologize. If you don't want anyone else to get his attention, show him that he is yours. Baby, don't you think it's time to start taking actions, huh?! Something I don't remember, so my Corey was so inert and melancholy," Elena ruffled her hair and smiled at her friend's tear-stained face with smeared mascara in her eyes.

She once again looked at her and slyly narrowed her eyes, "Hmm, I think the situation requires more drastic measures." The girl got up from the table and headed toward the living room.

"Hey El, where are you going?" Corey blinked, trying to figure out what her friend was up to.

"Baby, you urgently need a new make-up and a sexier outfit. In the end, you have to hit him with one blow. Although in the case of Daniel, in power, your appearance will be equivalent to an atomic bomb for him. Wait here and drink your tea, I'll bring everything now," Elena winked at her friend and left the kitchen.

Corey sighed and smiled, 'And when did she become such a master in relationships? Eh, my Ellie is already quite an adult.' Corey remembered how she used to drag Elena everywhere, behind her, and got her into various pickles. Who would have thought that one day Elena would become that magical kick in the butt, that would make the girl decide to take an important step in her life.

Elena returned with a dress and makeup and sent Corey to the bathroom to change clothes, after which she helped her with her hair and makeup.

Satisfied with her work, she patted her friend on the shoulder and, in all seriousness, stated in her voice, "So, now you will go to Daniel and you will patch things up together. Don't you even appear at home until midday tomorrow, you got it?"

"What do you mean, until midday? But what about Ashley, you will have to get to work tomorrow, right?"

"You don't even have to worry about this. Father and Jun have returned from China, and he is going to pick up the children tomorrow so that until evening, Sean and Ashley will be busy," Elena reassured her.

"But will Mr. Lee definitely not be burdened?"

Elena raised her eyebrows and looked at her friend, as if she had said some kind of really silly thing, "Everything is exactly the opposite, so come on, hurry to your boyfriend and have all the fun. Enough with the old fears already. Daniel is not Rick, and even if he screws up, I will kick his ass so hard that he will immediately run back to England."

"God, woman, who are you?! I don't know you," Cory laughed and hugged Elena tightly, for the umpteenth time she was convinced that her friend was the best, "Thank you! I love you!"

"I love you too, my blondie, so go ahead! Show some class!" Elena encouraged her.

Corey saluted as an ordinary soldier to her general, "Yes, ma'am. It will be done!" After which Elena escorted her to the gate and sat her in a taxi.

"Hmm, I see someone decided to work as a cupid part time?" David leaned on one of the columns of the veranda, watching his wife gracefully move in his direction.

"Well, something like that. Just someone needed a little kick for confidence, and I did what I thought was necessary. Then tell Daniel that he owes me a big one," Elena climbed the steps to the veranda and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck.

David gave the woman a seductive smile and mumbled back, gently nibbling her earlobe, "Mmm, I think we can send Sean off for the weekend to Daniel and go about our business. I do not mind spending a couple of days without leaving the bedroom. How do you like this idea?"

Elena squinted her eyes and looked approvingly at her husband, "Hmm, I find this idea quite interesting".