Fast Forward

Chapter 2: Touch and Go

This is why Mason is my favorite between the two of them.

"Maybe!" I then sigh, putting my fury aside for a second. "I'm happy for you, Lai. I told you that you belong on the football field. The business thing isn't for you. How did this happen anyway?" I ask, pretending to be interested in the story.

"I just told you," he groans, annoyed.

"I just didn't listen," I retort back in sass.

"Some NFL trainers were watching past clips of our school team playing. They were impressed with what thy saw. They went to Mase first, understandably, but Mase turned them down, understandably. Other than being rich, he still has that past football injury of his. Thus, Aqueela, my dear friend, they came to me," he explains for the second time.

"So, you're second choice?" I tease him, stifling a laugh.

"So supportive," he grumbles under his breath.

"I'm kidding. Chill!" I laugh at him. "So," I clear my throat, "you're leaving Montry Enterprises then?"

He hesitates before answering. "I think so."

"Well, good luck, Lai. I'm proud of you." 

It's about time he follows his dreams instead of doing something that he doesn't even enjoy. The same can be said for a lot of us.

*~*~*~**~*~*~*

"You're looking mighty fine," Jay whistles playfully, taking a seat beside me as I finish painting my nails a vibrant blue -- the usual. It's unfortunate that Jay's pink couch is under the ground. Anyway, it's an excuse to make new memories. "Where to?" He asks me, intrigued.

I roll my eyes at the reminder. "Tim called me in. I have to show Dean the ropes because Melinda refuses to go in on her off day."

"I thought today was your off day?" Jay questions, confused.

I shake my head. "I just didn't feel like going in. I'm on maternity leave."

"You're not pregnant. Plus, you're chief photographer." Jay sighs and flicks me on my forehead. "I thought you would've understood how a job works by now. You can't just not go into work because you don't feel like it, Aqueela."

"Says you," I snort in disagreement. I can do whatever I want.

"That's different. Greg is my friend and you were sick," he carefully explains. "I was worried and he knows how much you mean to me."

"Point being," I emphasize the word, hoping for him to see it from my point of view, "Melinda is selfish. She couldn't just go in and work on her off day? Pathetic. I would have done the same for her."

"No, you wouldn't have," Jay argues.

"No, I wouldn't have," I immediately agree with him.

"When you said Dean, did you mean like our Dean?" He asks, still puzzled.

I nod. "I promised Lan I'd help him get a job. Tim took my word for it. The only problem is that Dean has no experience whatsoever. It's my job to welcome him into the company and take him under my feathery wing. I'm pretty much Keagen now, except I'll be way more fun than him. I'll be an awesome mentor."

Dean tends to hang around at Lan's work all day. Usually, Lan is okay with it. However, the other day, Dean accidentally dropped a spanner on Lan's boss when the poor guy was on his back, working under a car. He got hurt and threatened to fire Lan if he didn't get rid of Dean pronto, hence me stepping in to save the day like the superhero I am.