'After all, he was your friend!'

Soon the office hour was over and Alysa was exhausted from the work. She collected her belongings to leave when she noticed Reagan coming out of his office cabin. She quickly turned off the system and went to Riya's desk in a jiffy. Riya who was relaxing in her chair after finishing a task assigned was taken aback when she suddenly felt a presence behind.

"Hoo, Alysa, you leaving already?" Riya asked as she saw Alysa's bag.

"yep, Thought we can leave together. still not finished?"

"I'm also finished. wait for me." Riya replied as she started to gather her things.

"okay."

Alysa agreed as she stood beside the desk but all she could concentrate on is the man who was walking towards them. She prayed he wouldn't approach her, it was also the reason why she came to Riya, in case he wanted to talk. she sighed inwardly when Reagan just passed by her. And hoped he would do the same here on.

The Man who just left his office informing his assistant that he had other pressing works to do, didn't have any option but to pass by her.

He noticed how she ran to the other girl's desk as soon as he came out. He frowned thinking if she did that on purpose, however he dismissed the thought assuring himself that she wouldn't have done that intentionally and for a second he considered to approach her but decided against it in case it put her in the spotlight in the company because of him.

--------

Back home, Alysa sighed for the nth time as she sat on the couch with the beer can. When she reached home Claire was cooking dinner for them, so she helped her and by the time they finished cooking Ashley also came from work. They had dinner together and tried to catch up. however the other two were getting annoyed with Alysa at this point.

"Can you stop sighing and tell us what happened?" it was Claire who couldn't hide her annoyance anymore.

"well, what do i say?" Alysa said with another sigh.

"Anything apart from sighing like this." Ashley said with a frown.

Alysa nodded, " I saw Reagan."

"Reagan who?" Claire asked in a confused tone.

"How?" it was Ashley who threw the question. Of course, Ashley knew who he was. how can she forget the one who put her friend into unwanted drama in the college.

"In my office. Apparently he is our new Vice president." Alysa said and took a big gulp from the beer can, wincing at the bitterness.

"Wow!" was all Ashley can say.

"Whom are you both talking about?" Claire still felt lost, but she had a feeling that she knew this person. and when she saw Alysa and Ashley looking at her without saying anything. Her eyes widened.

"Your Bully?" Claire asked in little too much surprise to which Ashley nodded her hands folded in front.

"Technically, he didn't bully me." Alysa said with a cringed expression at how Claire remembered him.

"But He was the reason though." Ashley replied as she sent a glare towards Alysa for defending him.

"But he is your Vice president? How? Didn't you say he might have discontinued studies?" Claire asked more intrigued this time.

"Even if he continued his study, how can he become VP just in five years?" Ashley thought it was unnatural for some normal person to go to that higher position.

"even if he was too good at his job, the highest position could be Manager. that's all." Claire nodded as she also thought about it.

Alysa looked at the two and took another sip of beer before dropping the real bomb. "His last name is not Lee, But Cadel."

There was no response from both the girls. if the first piece of information wasn't shocking, now this was surely shocking enough.

"The Cadel as in The Cadel corp? " Claire asked just to be sure. Alysa nodded.

"No surprise he is a VP." Ashley commented.

They just enjoyed their beer for a long time in a complete silence.

"But Why are you sighing if he became the VP?" It was Ashley who voiced out, making the other to look at her with the 'are you serious?' expression.

"Well, as long as he doesn't disturb your peace, you shouldn't worry about anything." Ashley said, and Claire also nodded.

"But How can i face him after what happened? Even though it was years ago and even I thought, I have forgotten it all But no, when I saw him, it all came crashing as if it just happened yesterday."

Alysa was overwhelmed with all that she was feeling from the moment she saw him, as she said, even though she moved on from them, she feared everything happening again. Today morning when he tried to talk with her, she was afraid someone will see. what if people started calling her names again? And he is not even a Lee anymore but a business Mogul's heir at that. The fear and anxiousness was overwhelming her.

Looking at her teary eyes, Ashley and Claire didn't say anything and just hugged her patting her back soothingly.

"I'm sorry, I said that since I didn't want you to look weak in front of him and also how long can you avoid him?" Ashley apologised as she loosened the embrace.

Alysa also calmed down slowly and narrated everything that happened in past two days. By the end of the flashback everyone was silent as they sighed together now.

"What do you think of doing?" It was Claire who asked as she sighed again. To her, it looked like Alysa wanted to quit, which mad her feel sad. It hasn't even been a week since they are started living together.

"Whatever you wanna do, you do. But no quitting." reading the room, Ashley said seriously. To her, it was enough that she had regrets about so many thing that she didn't do or backed off from. so she didn't want her friends also to be like her instead she wanted them to face everything head on.

"How about you talk it out with him." Claire suggested.

"Yep, I do think the same, listening to you tell us how he tried to initiate a talk today morning, I do think he will try to approach you again. So how about you make it clear to him that you are not interested in talking with him."

"Establish a clear boundary with him." Claire also added her thought.

"Do you think he will listen?" Alysa asked skeptically.

"well, he should otherwise his further actions will be considered work place harassment." Ashley replied.

Alysa pursed her lips together nodding her head.

"Don't worry too much, weather he is a Lee or a Cadel. who cares? It's your job which you worked hard to get, so don't think about quitting because of a man who doesn't even take you as a friend." Ashley tried to motivate her.

"Yes, you can do that Alysa, we are with you. If he disturbs you after that also, i will beat him up for you." Claire said with a puffed up chest in a resolute tone.

"I will bring an hockey stick." Ashley said with an straight face which made Alysa laugh.

"Or would baseball bat do?" Claire asked with a serious look, and the trio ended up laughing, also giving Alysa her lost courage.

after that they all chatted for a little while and headed to their room.

Alysa now was back to normal and made her mind to take it head on,'Don't be afraid Alysa.'

'After all, he was your friend!' she added as she drifted off to sleep.