Chapter 6 DANE

I shook my head furiously. "Ali, I can't do that. I promise, when Archer's therapy ends, I will quit my job."

Her gaze narrowed. "For fuck's sake, Florence, listen to me! I'm doing this for your own good. Stop thinking about your damn ego for now and accept our help."

I bite my lips to stifle my cries. I know that they are just concern with my welfare. But I just can't help but to get hurt.

Rylee, who is sitting beside me, sighed. "Ali was right, Rence. We know you're strong, we witnessed how you able to withstand even the tallest of the hindrance of your life. But that doesn't mean you can't be vulnerable."

"And for the record, we will not help you for free this time, because I know that you'll just refuse to accept it. You're a hard-headed bitch."

I gave Ali a questioning look. "What do you mean?" I asked, ignoring her last statement.

She was about to answer when Aunt Cora suddenly appeared and served us some drinks and snacks.

"Oh, it seems like you guys are talking about a serious matter."

We laugh awkwardly.

"Business matters, Aunt Cora," Erin answered. The former just smiled at us before turning her back.

"As I was saying, I will help you and you can't do anything about it now. I will give you a work."

I arched a brow. "What job?"

She fetched something from her bag and throw it to me. "Contact that person as soon as possible. Stop worrying about your personal documents because you will not be needing those."

I look at the card and sighed heavily.

"You also need to resign as a waitress on my shop when you accept that offer." I was about to protest but she immediately cuts me off. "Don't worry because the salary that you will get from that job is much higher compared to your previous jobs."

"Make sure that Florence will be safe from that job, Ali," Erin warned her.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll bet Nimbo's life for it," she said.

Erin shoots dagger at her. "You bitch! I will kill you!" she said furiously and lunges towards Ali who immediately run to the kitchen.

Nimbo is Erin's dog. It was a Siberian Husky that her father gave her. She loves that dog so much.

We just chuckled at the two and continue eating the snack that Cleo's mother prepared for us. Just like that, the tension earlier disappeared. We did not talk about my issue even further, much to my delight.

Ali meant what she said a while ago. I'm certain that they will do everything to pull me out of the shithole that I created.

While looking at them, my swelled with happiness. I know that the rapid-fire decisions that they made is only to stop me from damaging myself even more.

True to Rylee's words, I'm letting myself get burned by doing something that reminds me of the past that I tried to forget. I'm lucky that I have them. They walked in when the rest of the world walked out.

I sighed. What would happen to my life now?

•••••

​

The late afternoon sun seeped through the window of my room. It's Saturday, and I spent the entire day cleaning the apartment. I'm currently lying on the couch while staring at the calling card that Ali gave me yesterday.

In all honesty, I'm still quite hesitant if I should accept it or not. No matter how much I tried to deny it, I know Ali was right. My ego and pride is the only thing that is stopping me from accepting their help. I know very well that they are genuine in lending a hand, but I can't accept the fact that up until now, no matter how hard I try, I can't still stand in my own feet.

I gaze over the white ceiling to stop the tears threatening to fall from my eyes. I'm almost thirty and yet I still have nothing that I can be proud of.

In the midst of my emotional breakdown, my brother's face appeared inside my head out of the blue. I smiled bitterly.

I heaved out a sigh and pulled myself up. I look at the clock hanging on the wall, it's already six in the afternoon. I wear the jacket hanging on the rack and went out of my dorm.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Cecile," I greeted the landlady.

She looks at me. "Oh, Florence. You're going somewhere?"

I nod my head. "I will just stroll around."

"Oh, alright. Take care, dear."

I smiled at her before opening the gate.

I look over the horizon and saw the evening sun casting long shadows on the ground. The slanting rays of the setting sun gave a warm orange tinge to the sky. I inhaled a lungful of fresh air and close my eyes.

I started walking, without any direction. My mind is currently in a huge maelstrom. I am bombarded with a lot of thoughts. I continue taking the cold pavement until the moon completely engulfed the sun.

People will probably call me shallow and petty for the reasons that I have for not accepting my friends' help. They will probably tell me the same thing that Erin and Rylee told me. I perfectly understand them, but I'm wondering if they understand me too.

For the love of pearl, I'm already twenty-six and prove nothing. I haven't accomplished anything yet. While the people around me is moving forward, I'm still stuck in this gloomy phase of my life.

Can they blame me if I want to refuse any form of help because I want to earn everything through my own blood, sweat and tears? That's the only thing that I could think of to at least alleviate my self-pity.

"What the actual fuck?!"

I was too engrossed with my thoughts that I bumped into someone. His irked voice pulled me out of my reverie.

I raised my head and look at the person with an apologetic expression. "I-I'm sorry. I wasn't looking at the way."

He furiously wipes the stains on his shirt. I bite my lips in anxiousness when I saw the splattered coffee on the ground.

"Look at what you did! My shirt was already stained!" he exclaimed and look at me.

I squinted my eyes on him because he looks really familiar. He also did the same thing. Our eyes both widened at the same time.

"That was you!" We screamed in chorus while pointing a finger at each other.

He hissed. "You ruined my shirt. What are you going to do with it now?"

I rolled my eyes. "You also ruined my day the last time that we met. Fair and square, isn't it?" I smiled sarcastically.

He chuckled. "Oh, so you still remember that? Should I be grateful?"

I snorted. "Whatever that makes you sleep at night," I said dismissively before turning my back. I wasn't even a few meters away from him when he suddenly hold my arms.

I shoot daggers at him and fend off his hands. "What else do you need, dummy?"

He pointed his stained shirt. "You need to be held accountable for this. But because I'm a kind person, I will just ask for an ice cream as a reimbursement for ruining my shirt," he said with a cocky grin.

My forehead creased. What is this guy up to? Since I don't want a further argument with him, I just rolled my eyes at him and beckoned him to follow me.

We went inside a nearby store and I bought two ice creams. It's a good thing that I brought a wallet with me.

I handed him the Mint chocolate ice-cream. "I hope you choke while eating."

He ignored my scornful remarks and claps his hands while smiling like a lunatic. "Heaven!"

We started eating in silence. Those negative thoughts start occupying my mind once again.

Maybe they were right. I was reckless to the point that I chose the dangerous decision rather than resorting to an easier one just to shelter my pride. I breathed heavily.

"You're troubled." It wasn't a question but a statement.

I look at the person next to me. If my memory serves me right, Dane is his name.

"None of your business," I replied scornfully.

He reclined on his seat. "Come on, tell me what's bothering you. Maybe I could help."

I scoffed. "You don't like someone who's good at giving people an advice."

He clenched his chest, feigning an offended expression. I shook my head and chuckled.

"Seriously. Tell me your problem. People often say that it's better to tell your afflictions to strangers."

I stared at him for a fleeting moment. This is only the second time that we met. I don't see any reasons for me to trust him. But I won't lose anything if I tried, right?

I laugh bitterly. "I'm at this age and yet I barely accomplished anything. I feel like my life has already flat lined and my timeline is failing me." Instead of directly saying my problems, I told him that.

Silence hover between us for a couple of seconds.

He smiles at me. "Do you know Jack Ma?"

My brows snapped together, bewildered with his random question. "N-No," I answered despite the confusion.

Dane's smile gets wider. "He's a chinese business magnate, investor and philanthropist. He is the co-founder and former executive chairman of Alibaba Group, a multinational technology conglomerate."

The lines on my forehead worsen. "Ok? And, what about him?"

"Did you know that he only got his big break and success when he was 35?"

I pursed my lips. I'm really confused so I just let him speak.

"Imagine the hardships and difficulties that he felt before. But look where he is right now? One of the richest man in the world. The things is, everything that happens in our lives happens in accordance to our own time."

Something seems to pinch my heart. I nod my head, finally having an idea what he wants to tell me.

"Some people that are ahead of you can make you feel inferior, that is inevitable. Nonetheless, don't let them make you rush your timeline. You need to remember that everything happens at their own pace. Don't let anyone or anything make you feel as if your life is already stagnant, and that you could not go beyond any further."