Chase Parker was just rounding up the draft on a new business strategy he was due to submit by tomorrow when his door opened quietly.
Startled, he looked up and saw...
"Shelly." He never knew her as one who made a quiet entrance. She was always loud and loved the spotlight.
"It's me." She smiled and stepped into his office. "I came to drag you away from here."
"Uhm, I've got work to do that needs to be submitted tomorrow." He replied, thumbing through some documents.
"Leave it, I'll just tell daddy to give it to someone else." She snapped.
"Shelly!" He exclaimed.
"Ok, I'm sorry." She groaned. "Fine. I won't mention daddy again, but let's go have fun. It's my birthday."
"No, I've had enough of you always bossing me around!" He yelled. "I want to live my life the way I want it."
"Ok, darling you will." She nodded, trying to avoid drama.
"No, Shelly." He shook his head. "You don't understand."
"I do. Baby, just hush, and let's go." She hated outbursts like this. She rather preferred 'suck it up' but she was here to be nice and apologize.
"You don't, I hate this job," he said quietly.
"You do?" She gasped while clutching her chest dramatically.
"Yeah, I want to be an author."
"I've told you there is no job for authors." she laughed. "You're still holding onto this fantasy of yours."
"Typical Shelly." he clapped his hands dramatically and Shelly squinted at him, wondering if a spirit possessed her boyfriend. He wasn't the overdramatic type.
"You think my dream is funny?" Chase stood up from his chair and glared at her.
"No, I think it's impossible." She replied dryly. "I'll just ask daddy to change your department."
"Once again daddy!" He was furious now, every shred of sanity gone. "I'm done with this shit. I'm done with you, your dad, and this job. I'm done with this life, I'm done with you trying to turn me into someone I'm not."
"Ok, deep breaths." She tried calming him down.
"No, Shelly it's over." He threw the documents at her and packed his suitcase.
"You don't mean that right?" She blinked as fast as she could, trying to process what her boyfriend was doing.
"I can't do this anymore, Shelly I'm sorry," he said quietly and her heart broke into tiny pieces.
"No, I'll make things right. I'll change it. You don't have to end things, I'll give you space." Shelly cried, securing her hands around his arm.
"I'm sorry, Shelly but this is you. The real you." He snatched his arm from her and tried to exit the office, but Shelly stood teary eye in his way.
"It's my birthday, Chase."
"Yeah, it took me that long to figure out that we're total opposites." He replied. "Now leave my way."
"Chase, you don't have to prove anything to me." She said with a shaky voice.
He laughed. "You're the one who keeps trying to prove something to everyone. I'm just trying to be myself and live my dreams, I hope you can do the same."
"Chase!" She yelled, but he walked out on her.
Shelly watched him till he was no longer in sight.
"But I love you," she said quietly to no one.
The door burst open and her friends rushed inside.
"Shelly, are you alright?" Cindy asked.
"I'm great." She snapped, pretending to be fine. "My boyfriend of five years broke up with me on my freaking birthday."
"I'm so sorry, Shelly." Kiara and Cindy chorused.
"You wanna know how it feels like to be twenty-one, Cindy? I feel like a grown-up, I've experienced my first heartbreak and I feel great. While you at twenty one will experience the disappointment of not being asked out by anyone." Shelly ranted. She was hurting right now but she wouldn't break instead she'd make others feel bad especially her nerdy, virgin friend.
~*~*~*~*
Cindy ran out of the room in tears and bumped into Chase.
"Whoa! Slow down." He steadied her.
"I'm sorry." She croaked out.
"Are you crying?" He asked, clearly concerned.
"No. I'm just going to the bathroom." She lied.
"I'm going to the coffee shop, wanna come?" He offered.
"No, thanks." she walked away.
"I'm sorry I made Shelly snap at you," he called after her.
"It's not your fault." She gave him a wry smile and stopped.
"Nah, we all know how Shelly gets when she's upset." They laughed.
"For what it's worth I think you did the right thing in pursuing your dreams and I hope Shelly respects it." She said.
"I doubt she would." He frowned.
"Shelly's my friend, I know she'll come around," She stated quietly.
He stared at her for a while before nodding. "You're right. Thank you."
"No problem, I'll be going back now." She smiled and turned on her heels.
*~*~*~*~*
Mr. Roy Champman took long strides to Chase Parker's office. The nerve of that boy to resign without bringing a replacement. He was one of his best workers in this company but now he's going to waste his talent by becoming an author! Unbelievable!!
Opening his office and ready to give him a piece of his mind, he stopped dead in his tracks. The ever business-minded man in his late 40s was close to tears at the sight of his beloved daughter.
Ever since his wife left them when she was just ten years old and absconded with low life, he had made sure to provide her with everything she needed including making her happy.
But now, the sight of his beloved daughter broke his heart.
"Princess," he called her quietly. That was the pet name he gave her.
"Daddy." She flung herself at her father and finally broke down sobbing. He was the only one allowed to see this side of her and the moment she saw him, she forgot about Kiara's presence.
"Oh my little girl, hush now," he consoled her patting her hair.
"Daddy, he b-broke up w-with me," she hiccuped, "on my b-birthday. He couldn't wait till tomorrow."
"It's alright, I'll send for him and speak with him," her dad consoled her.
"No," she shook her head furiously, "I don't want him I hate him!"
"Ok, I won't." Her dad caressed her back while Kiara stood awkwardly feeling out of place in the father and daughter tetè a tetè.
"Daddy, doesn't he know that I love him, he's so stupid for leaving me," she ranted.
At this point her poor father was confused. She had just said she hated him, now she loves him. Which does he accept? He looked around helplessly until his eye fell on Kiara, and he pleaded silently with her to help.
"Hush now, darling," Kiara said pulling her away from her father's bosom.
"Kiara, am I bad news to him?" She asked quietly.
"That depends on your definition of bad news," Kiara replied cockily and Shelly cracked a smile.
"You girls go home ok, I'll be home soon," her dad urged. Then asked after a second thought, "where's Cindy?"
"She's uhm around somewhere." Kiara shot Shelly a look begging her for help, Shelly ignored her and faced her dad.
"Alright, dad," she nodded as Kiara sheltered her out, "I'll see you at home."
"What do I get for you, princess?" Her dad asked.
"Lots of ice cream," she replied.
"But there are about five plates in the refrigerator." her dad looked surprised.
The look she gave him, had him nodding quickly and walking off. If it was ice cream she wanted, he was going to get her a whole load of it.
Chapter ThreeShelly and Kiara took their time before getting into her car. She had composed herself before leaving and gave the most radiant smile. She wasn't about to break down in front of strangers.Getting to her car, she saw Cindy leaning on it. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face had lost its radiant smile."I didn't mean to snap at you, it's not your fault," she said quietly.Cindy stared at her surprised—she hadn't expected an apology from her, but it was Shelly, after all, she'd never apologized directly."It's fine." Cindy smiled."Alright, let's go," Kiara said, already seated on the driver's seat.Shelly sat down in the passenger's seat, handing her keys to Kiara. She wasn't in the right frame of mind to drive.Once the car pulled out of the driveway, Shelly slipped into her thoughts. She wondered why
Shelly moaned in her sleep--she hugged her pillow tightly as if she was clinging unto life itself. Grrrringgg! Grinnnngggg!!Something was shrieking like an alarm clock. Tossing and turning, she located the little devil interrupting her sleep and threw it away.The ear-splitting noise it made, had her sitting up in bed. Frowning, she rubbed her eyes and yawned before seeing a blurred shape of an alarm clock on the ground.Rubbing her eyes again, she looked around and saw nothing but blurry shapes."Uhm, guys. I didn't kill you all right so why do I feel blind?" She asked no one in particular.Swinging her legs down from the bed, her barefoot touched the cold ground and she screamed."Who the bloody hell took away my slippers and why is this floor so damn cold!"Her scream attracted people because she heard shuffling of feet and her door swung open. She was barely able to make out the blurry shap
Shelly peeled her eyes open and groaned before shutting it. She tried again, but this time a hand was shielding her eyes from the sun rays."I just had the weirdest dream ever." She yawned and looked at the owner of the hand shielding her eyes and screamed."It's not a bloody dream!" She screamed bloody murder as the woman jerked back immediately."Shelly, what is the problem?" The woman who claimed to be her mom asked."You are my problem!" She shrieked."That is no way to talk to your mother, young lady." The man named Lucas also claiming to be her father snapped."Mr. Hillary, I'll handle this ok." She heard a familiar voice and almost wept with relief when Kiara walked into the room."Kiara, I'm so happy to see you." She hugged her and the couple left the room."Ok, what's going on with you?" Kiara asked.Shelly ignored her and looked at her fascinated. She still looked th
Chapter SixShelly opened her eyes, her surroundings blur, and a massive headache tormenting her as she remembered the strange incidents happening."...not stable right now to be left alone." She heard the doctor's voice as he spoke not fully hearing all nor understanding what he said. So she listened more intently."Your daughter is going to be fine, it's just stress there's nothing to worry about," the doctor was saying, "and it's too early to start conducting any test on her."Wait! What tests are they talking about? She was perfectly fine and didn't need any doctor or hospital. She just needed to confess her feelings to Chase and get the hell out of this universe—world—whatever the fuck this is.Holding the edge of
Chapter SevenAfter years of never feeling left out. Years of always being the queen who dictates how things go, Shelly was not used to this new feeling.The feeling of rejection. It felt so odd and painful. Running towards nowhere in particular, she found herself standing in front of a cliff overlooking the sunset.For once in her entire life, she noticed something that had seemed irrelevant before. She noticed how beautiful nature was. She watched as the sun sank into the horizon displaying an orange golden color up in the sky. It was so beautiful."It's mesmerizing, isn't it?" The soft velvet voice pulled her out of her reverie.Looking beside her she saw him. The one she had been waiting for stood in all his glory beside her staring—not at her but the sunset and she was supposed to answer him but she was tongue-tied!She just stood there staring at him. He looked more handsome than she re
Chapter Eight"Can I speak to you for a sec?"Shelly was on her way out after the argument she had with Kiara and Laura. She just wanted to leave this house and go somewhere quiet, not for a soul searching even though Kiara's words still rang in her eyes every second.Stopping in her tracks she turned and faced him. "Sure." She took a seat opposite him at the dining table."Shelly, what's going on with you?" Lucas placed his big palm on the back of her hand.Shelly flinched but didn't pull away. "I don't know." Her voice was barely a whisper."I know you've got a lot going on in your life right now," he began, "but don't let it consume you and the people around you.""I don't understand what you're saying to me." Shelly frowned.Lucas furrowed his brows at her trying to get a closer look. "You're hurting your mom."Shelly felt the tears fill her eyes again. "Alright, I'll stop.""Shelly, darling I do
Chapter NineShelly would never forget that voice. Even in her dream or in this alternate world she would always remember it, and that was what stopped her dead in her tracks. She couldn't move or say anything, she just stood there frozen in time.Kiara noticed her friend's distress and was quick to come to her aid."Hello, Mr. Chapman to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" Kiara smiled at him while Shelly remained quiet staring at the spitting image of her father only this time, he wasn't her dad."As charming as always, Miss Kiara." He chuckled."So customers are not supposed to be in here." Kiara pointed out."I know my dear, I took permission from the manager. I came to see Miss Shelly."This time Shelly moved but not in the right way. She jumped up and screamed. "Daddy! I know you'd come to my rescue!!" And she fell on his chest and wept for joy.You know at that moment when you feel like the ground s
Chapter Ten"I've been waiting for you to bring my fruits and veggies and you're here fraternizing with this—thing."Shelly stared in horror as the she-devil herself walked inside the store creating a scene around them."Cindy, she was only showing me the veggies section besides she's not a thing she's a human being just like you." Chase cautioned her frowning.Cindy huffed. "This crazy is nothing like me.""I'm not crazy!" Shelly finally found her voice."Of course you aren't I made a mistake the other time I thought you were crazy." Cindy tutted. "I should have known that you're also a slut!"Gasps were heard from the crowd as all eyes focused on her. Shelly had been embarrassed before in the cafe by Cindy but this was on a whole new level. Lots of people were here even the ones who didn't know her and she could feel all eyes judging her."Yes, that's what you are." Cindy continued unperturbed, "A slut who