ter

at fir

el'

l, I throw my half-eaten sandwich into the trashcan beside my desk, that's where such memories belong. It had been a boy’s mistake, I reminded himself wryly. I am now by

anders off to my current lover, a gorgeous French fashion model who went to great lengths to please me in bed

ou had as much as I now have? I might as well make something out of this distraction, I pick up my mobile

er this, there are some things I must not do not to mention I already promised and made a resolution to myse

the window. I want to know every single thing about how she lives these last six years. I couldn't

iver to pick the call, I tap my slende

ff voice speaks from th

anni we were introduction at a y

d day Mr. Giovanni h

ugh background check

ff voice echoes through the speaker in my phone. Such a grump! Probably not, it is business. I for one should underst

il with the necessary in

want this?" Mr.

nytime soon I mutter to myself " I require a

nothing without the trust of my clients" he a

easant day, M

a

o you want to eat t

ut I have a lunch

Hazel, are you sick?" Lily asks, he

didn't sleep w

ou an aspirin on my way back?” lily leans

nks” I plaster a smile o

n I get back miss hazel” lily tu

he started working with stohlman three months ago

rk hours three weeks ago, I came to get a file I wanted to wo

me that her boyfriend of two years the one she moved to Manhattan for,

a salary advance. The very next week she was able to move into a n

as become a little mor

e arrives at the restaurant at the opposite side of my office building. I wonder what is keeping her, knowi

time, her c

I just got to the restaurant I

on my

as quickly as I can, I scan the whole area for Maia, she is se

ly as she sights m

t arrived?" I poin

ven called you". She sips from the glass and

it you wante

I am hungry" Maia si

foot softly on the trend oak copper lam

e lack of eye involvement makes it obvious that he is faking

e hazel?” Maia pas

d a glass of what she is drinking” I

of his smile and turn

nails on a number on the men

out of ear shoot,

anymore get it

man I went on a business lunch

id was a potent

forward the necessary documents to his secretary so he can go over it

g my ass in rhythm. Maia mirrors my actions and throws her arms around my neck grinning from ear to ear,

irthday celebration,one the table in front of them sat down an enormous white cake with gold toppings

our celebration, I have half a mind to go over there and ask them for som

arrives with our fo

d business owner" Maia beams, she looks smug like

rning as hot t

re getting everything

aia mouths ac

was ultimately counting down to my eighteenth birthday wh

w months’ shy from her eighteenth birthday and freedom from where I was sta

part timer in a restaurant after school so we saved money and scouted for an affordable da place to live, it was going to be me and her against the world. While I was floating with no future plans or career goa

y day I finished high school we skipped town and moved to Philipsburg and paid for a small studio apartment we had secured

ecessities, our menial jobs as waitresses barely kept us afloat, I began to lose hope c

ity (Chico). That fall, I was inspired, she gave us useful information on how to get

ments. I finally had something to look forward to. Unlike me, Maia maintained that she did not need to attend college to fulfill

fees, I would have to pay for everything else, my books, and a space at the dormitory, but that was a small price to pay, I was confide

wins in matters relating to her business, she is so resilient, I love that ab

ory building, the ground floor would be used as a cafe and upstairs for a luxury

r the space alone costs a fortune and now she was on the brink of going broke, so she got in

one brought my walk in t

he furrows her brows in concentration, trying to

n 15mintues I am close” her red lips slowl

cks her Ted baker lead cryst

e to come in to fill a few forms, about the loan I reques

that I did not leave the office with anything; no purse, no cell phone I have no mea

ere without look

mortified. O