Troublesome Mr Marcello

The slow ringing of my phone wakes me up. I don't suppose the person calling me at this hour of the morning knew the weight of that crime. Nobody dared hindered my sleep. I could ignore it but for some reasons unknown to me,I reached for my bedside table and retrieved. The flashing name on the caller's ID causes me to sigh before picking it up.

"Good morning sir!"Becky's unmistakable voice greets from the other end.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine sir. I'm calling to inform you that my team and I are heading towards the office now. I already made arrangements to meet with Mr Pueblo of the Sky brothers investment and they'll be here shortly"

"I'll be there"

Dropping my phone on the bed,I stepped off my comforter.

In my 26 years of life,I've wondered what more life could offer. I had all the money in the world,all the women at my disposal but I still feel like my heart yearned for something. It's ridiculous,really.

I ran one of the top ten companies in the world. I have everything. What's more to that? I think nothing.

But first things first,I had a routine to follow. Taking a quick work out,I stepped into the shower and came out almost immediately. Getting dressed in my black suits and a shiny oxfords,I walked out,taking the elevator down to my sitting room where I spot Mrs Paula,engaged in setting the table. She's a darling and so far the only woman I've ever shown an ounce of respect to. At the age of 75,her skin was more wrinkled than I gave credit for and her grey-white hair is ever so neatly pamed on her head. She's been my cook for a really long time and most of the time she worked more than her pay,she took too much care of me,almost like the mother I never had.

"Good morning,sir"she acknowledges me.

"Good morning,Paula,"I sit on a stool "what's for breakfast?"

"Your favorite. Scrambled eggs and jasmine tea with no sugar"

I gave her a grateful smile before eating my breakfast while she excused herself to the kitchen.

Life throws series of opportunities to us everyday. You only get way layed by your own hands. Your own mindsets. That is why I never tolerated clumsiness or mistakes from anybody. A single mistake,regardless of how bad it is could cost you your life. That should never be made a lifestyle.

And today seems like a day for change. And driving my Ferrari for a change is just the right step.

Ashley's POV.

My dad always said that life is what you make of it. It's your own story to tell AMD you're not one writing it,molding it up until it fits the way you want it to.

I quickly begin to realize that my dad hasn't thought about my best friends' existence when he said that,Katie's voice still lingering on my ears,accompanied by the ear bleeding screeching sound of a guitar which has just woken me up from my short sleep. It's like I freaking closed my eyes just an hour ago and Katie's waking me up all again.

I jolt up to a sitting position before flying my duvet from my lower body and stepping down from the bed,the early morning's cold running up my exposed legs causing me to quickly regret leaving my bed.

Cornering out of my room and into the sitting room,I see Katie in the sitting room. The first two disoriented things I noticed is : one,Katie's voice was slowly about to drive me to the edge and two,Luca is just standing there and listening to her. I mean,seriously? I barely slept through out the night because I'm busy getting ready for a job interview and they're here doing this?

They don't even notice me standing there!

"What the hell is going on here?,"I exclaim "it's fucking six in the morning,you morons!"

I couldn't have appreciated the now quiet peace more as Katie abruptly stopped stringing the guitar,Luca quickly hiding his behind him and throwing me a sheepish green.

Scratching the back of her neck,Katie muttered "um.....good morning,Ash........do we wake you?"

Of course you did!

"No I'm still sleeping and having a third dimensional sleep,as a result causing me to be here watching you right now!"

"Oh,"she puts two fingers on her chin like she was trying to reason something really important "makes sense. You know once during a yoga class,my teacher said...."

I watched her in bewilderment. Leave it to Katie to talk on and on.

"You know,I don't really wanna know!" I cut her mid blabbering.

She glances me face to toe before speaking,arms folded "someone woke up from the wrong side of the bed today" her lips are twisted,letting on all the sarcasm there.

"I wonder why" I fold my arms too,capturing her eyes in mine. Seriously,I just got woke up from a sleep I fought so hard to start,I have every right to be as cranky!

"No. It's because you haven't had sex for.......,"she looks up "like forever"

Okay,she did not just say that. Again. Katie would say any and everything!

"No! It's because of your were playing that stupid guitar! no,you were scratching it! At six in the morning! You even dragged Luca into this"

"He volunteered. My playing skills isn't so bad after all"

"Um,she paid me"Luca chimed in,more to me.

Kati turns a death glare at Luca,who supposedly just ratted her out and yelled "you traitor!"

Luca shrugs his shoulders and stepped back,just as Katie turned back to me and added "you know I've only started playing this thing so it's very normal to be inept. You wait till I'm so good and my music's all over the place" the stoic smile on her lips is one to laugh at as her eyes filled with imaginations. Imaginations of her being a popular music person.

And that is my best friend,Katie. Right from birth. We've been pretty much through everything together. She got a very big heart and I seriously can't stop loving her. Behind all blabbering,sarcastic talks are tender words. She holds the power to turn my storm into a flowering sky.

"Let's see how long that's gonna last" Luca chuckles.

And then there's Luca,my second best friend. Luca's timid nature would make you stumble over your own feet because he's the most timid man you'd ever know. He's shy,nerdy -makes me wonder how he even got through school,and he's still a virgin. Yep,at 23 he's still a freaking virgin and Katie never stops rubbing it on his face.

"What the hell are you implying?"Katie turns a scowl at him.

"I wasn't implying,I said it clearly"he replied.

"You know,a virgin at 23 like yourself really shouldn't have a say on matters like this!" Yeah,what do I just tell you about Katie rubbing his virginity on his face? Well,there you go.

"Stop bringing up my virginity every time you have nothing to reply!" Luca fessed up,obviously tired of her same old statement.

I face palm after watching them fight again. I can't do this right now. I need to get some sleep before 8a.m.

Slowly,I turn back towards my bedroom,ignoring the loudness in their voices as they yelled at each other. I'm gonna have to try to sleep with their voices swirling around me. What's worse?

Haaa.

My alarm blares at exactly 7a.m. i had to ignore the fact that I wasn't staring right at rambling roses entangling our bathroom's sink mirror as I brushed my teeth. Katie obviously couldn't keep her "green hands"-like she called it- to herself. Just a few days ago,she'd developed a sudden likeness for gardening and she hadn't rested even for one bit till she got her hands on these rambling roses staring right back at me. Honestly,her regular changes and likeness for hobbies scares me.

After showering and quickly throwing on a crop top,I hurry back out to grab a little breakfast before heading out. Surprised,Katie is sitting on the breakfast stool in our small apartment kitchen,a jar of cookie sitting in front of her,involved in a heated conversation with Luca. Finally,some quiet peace.

"Hey babe"I announce my presence since they obviously had no idea of it and reached into the fridge for a carton of milk.

"Oh,morning babe,"she gives me a sweet smile "I made you cookies!"

I stared at her with a raised brow. Katie,make me cookie? Katie hated cooking,well,because she values her meni padis over anything else,so she making me cookies? There's only two reason why she'll ever do that. One:it's an apology for something she did,two:she's trying to get something from me.

Raising a questioning brow at her,I asked "what did you do,Katie?"

"What?,"she chuckles sheepishly "me? No i didn't"

"She forgot something"Luca chimed in,obviously irritated by something.

Katie pushes him in an impulse and screamed "shut up!"

"What? Forgot what?"

Katie turns back a timid look at me,guilt all over her face,her fingers fidgeting. "I......okay,I forgot to pick you clothes from the dry cleaner! I'm sorry,I didn't mean to,I forgot!"

If I didn't look like a boiling lava that second then I just haven't mastered the art yet cause inside,my gut was melting into pits.

"Katie!" I screamed "you didn't just do that!"

"I'm really sorry,"her voices is trembling

"Katie,"I face palm "how could you forget? You know how important this job interview is for me"

She doesn't say anything. She just looks down uncomfortably.

"Katieeeeee.....I have my interview in less than fourty minutes. What am I gonna wear?"It was like my wall was falling apart.

"You can wear some of mine" she suggests,earning her a scowl from me.

"No way"

Wearing Katie's clothes is like wearing a tag at the front of my forehead that read "look at my body" . no way.

"You know what,I'll go get it" quickly rising up,I rushed towards the door.

"What about the cookies?!" Katie calls after me.

"Shove them up your ass!"

I thought I heard her say to Luca "that girl swears like a sailor" before I disappeared outside the apartment,sighing every step I took.

I made it to the laundry house just on time and collected my clothes. Seriously,using a public wash can be really annoying sometimes.

Crossing the streets as fast as I could,I decided to Make a stop at the Ambrose cafe. They served the best cappuccinos in town and I never get tired of it.

Even though there's always a pile of lines,I always wait to get that drink. I couldn't thank God enough when I saw there were just three women on the queue. Standing behind the last woman,I anticipated my drink and getting out of here. If I stayed any more longer than this,I'd be running late to my potential future job,that is if they don't kick me out for running late on a mere interview.

From a peripheral view,I could see a tall man well dressed in suits walk up beside the queue. I don't pay any attention though. I'm gonna be late.

"Popy,"his deep voice calls to the blonde behind the counter "get my usuals"

"Right at it,sir"popy batters her eyelashes at this man like her life depended on it,turning swiftly to prepare his "usual",whatever that means. Show off!

Like what the hell? He's so rude,standing there and demanding for his stupid usuals like we on the queue didn't matter.

"excuse me suit man,but there's a line here" I say to him,resisting the urge to reach out and tap his shoulder.

He abrupt turns to me,his eyes devoid of any emotions,almost impossible to read.

Without as much as a word he turns back to popy,just as she called out his order to the back room.

Hm! I could feel my blood boil. The hell. You know I'm.not about to stand right here while waiting for my turn and have this arrogant,self centered man get served before me or any other woman on the queue here.

matching to the nearest person sitting at a table,I snatched his can of coffee and spilled it on this scumbag. He probably didn't see it coming cause he gasped before looking down at his suit.

"Next time,do wait your turn" I tell him before stomping out,every eyes watching me as the silence built.

I felt angry as I boarded a cab back home. Seriously,how could somebody be so rude. Now I'm gonna be late for my interview. I cursed under my breath till I got back to the apartment.

**

It's essentially necessary to make a good first impression when seeking for something as my Dad always told me. So I made sure to dress up pretty well for my interview. A deep blue blouse always did the trick,accompanied by a black slim knee high skirt,with my pump shoes of course.

I hold my long wavy chestnut hair into a messy bun behind my head,wearing a simple pink lipgloss and an eyeliner.

When I got to the twenty five floored skyscraper where I was taking the interview,I was directed through an elevator by the receptionist. Everything seemed to be going right. I felt positive.

When I got to the interview hallway,I was ushered to a seat where I met two other women. We exchanged a few pleasantries and they appeared to be here for the same thing. I was rest assured I'd get the job,I didn't really know why.

But I was about to be phased with the biggest shock of my life cause after the series of interview,I was called back into the conference room only to be told I didn't get the job. They had no genuine reason for not hiring me. My résumé was great,I myself really suitable for the job,like they said but they just couldn't hire me on spot today. Maybe some other time they said.

I felt my world fall apart. Again.

Walking down the side walk from the sky scraper,I felt like a stray cat who's been soaked by rain water.

Getting this job was my final hurdle into getting somewhere in my pathetic life. But now,it feels like I'm going right back to square one. This is all stupid.

I lost count of how many times I sighed before reaching the bust stop.