67

Ashley
“I like you. ”
Those were the words that I heard Emily say to Leo who dropped the cardboard boxes he struggled to hold on to. Before I was caught, I had walked towards the counter, reaching out for a bottle of water. I heard someone enter the bakery and a small smile swept across my lips.
“Hi, Belinda. ” I smiled at her while she touched the sides of her face. She wore a white starched shirt and a pencil brown skirt.
“I would like a coffee with little sugar,” she demanded, her eyes raking all over the bakery.
I nodded, turning around to fill up a cup with hot coffee when she asked.
“Where’s Leo? Is that his name? It’s been a while since I’ve been here. ”
“I don’t know,” I answered.
I took in a deep breath, trying to keep my hands from being jittery but I still couldn’t believe that the person whom she mentioned she had a crush on, was Leo, and the person whom she referred that he had his eyes on was me.
And at that moment, I realized the core reason why she was mad at me when I allowed him to comfort me.
She wanted him. She liked him and wanted to make sure I didn’t.
My train of thought was disturbed by the overfilling of the coffee content above the cup.
“Oh no. ” I muttered under my breath as I noticed Belinda walking outside to pick up a call. I used that period to get myself together and pour hot coffee into a cup without spilling it.
I turned at the right time and she was just there, waiting to receive it. I stretched out a hand to give it to her and she received it with a smile.
“You know what, Ashley, ” she said in between sips of the coffee, “I actually thought you and Leo were an item.”
“I beg your pardon?” I propped up a brow.
I watched as Belinda licked her lips, one of her hands reaching to fondle her neck before speaking,
“I thought he was your boyfriend. You seemed protective of him, the last time I came here. ” Belinda shrugged.
“I think you misunderstood me. You were the one who was flirting with my co-worker. ” I spread my lips to give a fake smile.
“Oh alright. You’re stubborn anyways so I’ll just leave. ” Belinda chuckled and turned around.
One of my hands balled into a fist as it connected with the counter.
“I wasn’t trying to change your mind. I was just clarifying. ” I answered.
Belinda shot a smile at me, raising a shoulder as she left the bakery. My eyes followed her retreating figure till I saw her no more. A frustrated sigh left my lips as I thrust my hands into my apron pockets.
I shut my eyes, still unable to believe that Emily liked Leo who I somewhat liked as well. My phone vibrated in my apron pocket and noticing that no one was in the bakery, I reached to pick it up and slanted it across my ear.
“Hi, Ashely, ” I heard Mason say. I looked at the phone screen wondering why he would call so early in the morning, “Are you busy, at the bakery, right now?”
“Not exactly but why?” I asked softly.
I could sense the hesitation in his voice as he cleared his throat before responding, “Can we talk around the alley just behind Harper’s restaurant?”
“Okay. I could go, right now if you really need to talk.” I answered promptly.
“Thank you, Ashely.” I heard Mason mutter. My arm dropped with my phone tightly gripped in my hand. I let out a deep breath, wondering what he was going to say when Nadia walked in, bringing in bowls and ceramic cups in a tray.
“Nadia,” I called, trying to gain her attention, “I would like to go outside and see someone. Could you help me around here?”
“Are you asking for my help?” Nadia asked, dropping the tray, gently.
A brief smile swept across my face as I nodded while uttering an inaudible, “Yes.”
“Okay. I could help you.” Nadia lifted a shoulder.
A relieved sigh let out my lips as I hurriedly took off my apron, giving it to Nadia while I edged closer to the door, dusting off my shoes with a rag and looking at my reflection through the glass window.
I walked out of the bakery with a lot of thoughts running through my mind.
When did Emily begin to have feelings for Leo?
I tried to remind myself that I was going to see Mason and not to trouble myself with the whole scenario.
I walked faster, taking a sharp bend before stopping at the alley. I found Mason there, waiting for me alone.
“Hi, Ashely,” he said.
I smiled at him, placing my hands behind my back as I took slow steps towards him, “Hi.”
He still looked as handsome as ever but as I looked at him intently, I observed the dark circles around his eyes and the wrinkles around his forehead.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m pretty good but it’s shocking how you wanted to see me this early. Don’t you have a meeting or anything to catch up to?” I asked with a raised brow.
Mason lowered his head and lifted it. For a couple of seconds, he said nothing and I then touched his shoulder, wondering what could be the problem.
“Is something going on, Mason? Is that why you called me here? Were you laid off from work?” I asked.
“Ashley….”
“Are you moving away from Midon? Is that it?” I continued to ask.
Mason placed a hand into his trouser pockets, his fingers sliding against his lips on nervousness.
“Tell me.” I lifted a shoulder. I was beginning to get worried that something might be amiss.
I watched as Mason retrieved his phone from his pockets slowly, holding it in his arms. I wanted to take a peek at it but I didn’t want to act out of line so I stood, waiting for him to speak.
“Hurry up and tell me, Mason. I’m getting scared. ” I muttered while biting my bottom lip.
Mason’s eyes darted to the side as if he was looking for something before he looked at me.
“Promise me that you’ll understand. ” he finally said.
I observed him with a confused expression written on my face as the corner of my lips sloped downward.
“Understand what?” I asked. My curiosity got the best of me when he reached out for my right hand, holding it tightly.
“Promise me. ” he pleaded.
I found myself nodding like a child desperate for a bucket full of sweets.
“My ex-girlfriend is pregnant, ” he started and I shook my head, dreading the next words that might fall out from his lips, “-With my child. ”
“What?” I uttered softly.
“I-I just found out five days ago. I had no idea that she was almost two months pregnant until she told me. ” Mason stammered the words out.
“I don’t understand you, Mason. Are you getting back together with her?” I almost yelled.
“No.” Mason shook his head.
“Then what?” My hands were outstretched and flaring around my sides, “Are you going to abandon your child?”
“You promised you’ll understand,” Mason interjected.
I mashed my lips together as I shook my head again, “I didn’t know you were going to say this, Mason.”
“And now I’m saying this because I like you, Ashley and I think that I see my future with you….”
Anger got the best of me as I cut him off in mid-sentence.
“You could have told me the moment you found out. Was that the reason why you couldn’t pick up my calls?” I asked him.
Mason tried to advance toward me and I took a step backward.
“Ashely, please stop ” he pleaded, his milky eyes almost seducing me
“You don’t get to decide how I react to this situation and if you really liked me, Mason. You would have told me from the moment you found out.” I yelled at him.
“I didn’t want to hurt you nor did I want to tell you over the phone. ” Mason responded.
“Okay,” I answered. I remembered when Elena told me about a couple of old women discussing about Mason’s girlfriend being pregnant.
So they were absolutely right.
“I need you to trust me. ” Mason begged.
“Would you trust me if I did the same?” I asked.
“I would. ” Mason answered.
I scoffed, my hands sliding across my eyes.
“No, you wouldn’t.”
“Ashely, I just need you to listen. ” Mason pleaded again as he tried to advance towards me.
I pulled out my cell phone from my pockets with a shaky head.
“Time’s up, ” I told him with my face void of any smile or expression, “I need to get back to work.”
I turned around on my heels, not looking at him as he called after me, hot tears streamed down my face, down to my cheeks, and absorbed themselves into my shirt. Occasionally, I wiped my face with the back of my palm not minding the eyes that kept looking at me while I continued walking.
I struggled within myself to understand why I was so unlucky with men.