章 2: Chapter 2- Hazy memories

"What's this?" I held up the files to her face. "I'm surprised George didn't mention it to you, he was pretty insistent that I take the job. No sooner had I returned to town than George came crawling and pleading with me to be your P.A and I accepted." She clasped her hands together and smiled in self-satisfaction as though she had just mentioned an achievement.

"And you accepted?" I repeated after her, an incredulous look on my face. Scratching her nose, she drew close and whispered, "Yes I did… and you don't have to worry about what we had in the past."

My eyes widened in surprise, I wasn't expecting her to bring that up considering how things ended. "I thought we were behind that already," I replied. She sighed in disappointment as she rose from her chair with fluid grace, her posture radiating confidence and poise.

"Wait Ava, we need to talk about this!" I spoke authoritatively when she turned her back. "I won't sit here and watch you ramble, I'll resume tomorrow." She retorted, walking away.

"Gosh you're so annoying!" I said exasperatedly. "And that's why you love me." She retorted sarcastically. Ava's hips swayed seductively as she walked away, her curves accentuated by her tight-fitting gown.

My mind reeled with shock and disbelief. How could George have done this to me? Ava Taylor, of all people... the girl who had once been my closest friend, my confidante, my first love... and now, my P.A?

I felt a surge of anger rising within me, hot and fierce. My hands clenched into fists, and I had to resist the urge to throw something. This couldn't be happening. I couldn't work with Ava, not after everything that had happened between us.

I let out a deep sigh, as I slumped back in my chair, defeated, my mind reeling with anger and confusion. I was not a boy anymore, why would George arrange a Personal assistant for me?

George was my dad's elder brother, and ever since my dad passed away, he had been watching out for me. He had originally owned the bank, but since he fell sick, he handed it over to me. However, he still had some amount of control over it. I was appreciative and I loved him, but this? I could not tolerate this.

"He had no right to do this. I am the boss, I call the shots here." I exclaimed, kicking hard against the table in anger and frustration. My emotions were a roiling storm of anger and shock, each battling for dominance within me.

I picked up my phone and dialled George's number. The call was declined twice before George finally picked up. "George I'm not a kid." I blurted, as soon as the call connected. "Boy learn some manners." He said, interrupting my spiel. "You need a P.A."

"And I can always get one myself, old man," I scoffed. "Come on, you said that three months ago… the workload is too much on you." There was a deafening silence after he spoke. "George, you do not tell me what to do." I uttered. "You've sacked three Personal assistants in the space of nine months boy. I won't let last month's incident repeat itself."

My mind flew back to September 9th; I was so fatigued that I slumped and lost my consciousness that evening, in the presence of the press, just as soon as I stepped out of the bank. "And you blame that on my not having a P.A?" I asked angrily. "Yes." He replied. "Look old man, I'm not your boy anymore," I challenged, but only silence greeted me from the other end. "Say something." I said.

"Ava is not new to you, you both will get along pretty well." Before I could reply to his statement, he hung up on me. I couldn't believe the old man hung up on me. I buried my head in my palm, gritting my teeth. So there was no deal to close after all. I picked up my briefcase and swung my suit over my shoulder.

Jordan drove me home, the drive was completely silent, allowing me to replay the meeting in my head, I still couldn't believe George had hired a personal assistant on my stead and one I was intimately familiar with nonetheless. Getting home, I took out my frustrations on a bottle of whiskey and before long, I lost count of the amount of shots I consumed.

I had no idea how much time had passed, but when I woke up, it was already dark outside. I woke the little miss sleeping beside me. She shrugged for a while before fully awakening. "You can leave now." I said, dismissing her. I glanced at her reflection as she passed the mirror; the girl that was sent to me last night was way hotter than this one.

As I stood in the shower, the hot water cascading over my body, my mind drifted back to that summer so many years ago. I remembered the way Ava's hair had glinted in the sunlight, the way her laughter had filled the air like music. I remembered the way my heart had raced when she looked at me, the way my breath had caught in my throat when she touched my hand.

I remembered the day we stayed behind in the locker room, the way our lips had met in a furtive, trembling kiss. I remembered the thrill of being alive, the dizzying sensation of first love. But most of all, I remembered the pain. The pain of leaving Ava behind without saying goodbye, the pain of knowing that I had broken her heart.

Ughh! That was twelve years ago; before I flew out of the country to further my studies. I never thought I'd see her again. I staggered out of the bathroom, my hand on my throbbing head, indeed work was tiring without a P.A. I fell down to the marble tiles and sank against the side of my drawer. Every muscle in my body cried for rest and soon, I drifted to sleep.