Chapter 12: Fishing for information

"Graham, there's a Keshia Harsen asking to see you."

Looking at Alice, he could see she was intringued. She probably recognized Keshia as one of Vicky's friend at the club the other night. It sure seemed weird she would come to see him. Graham tried not to give the impression he was worried and asked Alice to let her in.

"Close the door, please."

"Don't worry, I had every intention to close it Graham, I'm not here to cause you trouble."

" Then why are you here, Keshia? On a mission for Vicky?"

Keshia laughed and approached Graham's desk. She sat on the extreme right corner and turned to look at him.

"No, definitly not. More on a personal mission."

Graham pulled his chair back and walked right next to Keshia who stood up as well.

"What kind of mission? What do you want, Keshia? You're here to threaten me? Try to make my life a living hell?"

"Calm down, Graham, I'm not that kind of girl."

"Really, Keshia? Because I wouldn't put it past you, after all, you are Vicky's friend."

"Well, sometimes I wonder, you know. After what happened between us. How I'm often thinking what an horrible person she is..."

"Keshia, what happened between you and I is in the past. I don't know why you are bringing it up. We were suppose to put it all behind us and never mention it again."

"Easy for you to say, Graham."

"Don't you make me out to be the bad guy. It's not like I raped you or anything, YOU came on to me. And I...I made a mistake."

"I was drunk, you were drunk. I never told Vicky. I'm not about to."

"Good. Then why are you here? I don't have time for games."

Graham hated to be reminded that he hadn't always been faithful with Victoria. Just a minor slip and there he was. He used to think Vicky was lucky to have a friend like Keshia but now he didn't know what to think. She was part of the reason why he stayed with Vicky all this time. The guilt was stronger than he thought.

“Okay, here’s the deal. What are your feelings toward Victoria?”

“Is this a trick question? Why are you asking me that?”

Graham was losing patience. But he could see Keshia was about to lose her temper as well.

“Two years, I didn’t say a word and yet, you still don’t trust me?…”

She looked at him straight in the eyes, ready to burst.

“Maybe I do have an ulterior motive but I promise it has nothing to do with you. It does not really involve you. If anything, I need to know to protect you.”

“Vicky and I are over if it’s what you want to know. I don’t want her back. Not now, not ever. I can’t even seem to remember why I loved her in the first place.”

“Thanks, Graham. That is really all I needed to know. I’ll be out of your hair now.”

“Take care of yourself, Keshy.”


Alice quickly moved away from the door. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop. She never had before. She had an important message to deliver Graham. Just as she was about to enter, she heard Keshia asking about his feelings for Victoria.

He said he didn’t love her anymore. She was happy to hear it even if part of her felt horrible. She shouldn’t have heard, she shouldn’t know. But now that she knew, it was an undeniable advantage.

Chapter 13th: January 21st--

Chapter 11: Different Point of View

“Now why would you do that?”

“To teach Victoria a lesson.”

“Oh, so let me get this straight. You think that Vicky wind up all alone…and then maybe, just maybe apologize? But to who?”

“She humiliated him, destroyed his reputation.”

“Doesn’t remember and probably doesn’t care.”

Keshy approached Mandy.

“I know you are hoping you and Gary can be a couple. Tell me you are not blaming Victoria for the mess it turned out to be after you met him.”

“Well, just a little bit. He did say the fact that she was my friend didn’t help.”

“Mandy! Gary is a womanizer! He used you, had a good time and now, he’s trying to use you again. Hope you didn’t let him score this time. He had his chance but he chose to sleep with you and then put a disappearing act. You shouldn’t forgive him, much less help him.”

“Are you going to tell Vicky?”

“No. You do realize you are putting me in an impossible situation?”

“I do…But I also want revenge. Sorry if you have to be involved.”


Keshia just hated the whole idea. Victoria wasn’t an angel, far from it. She probably had it coming. Yet it was hard to let it happen. Mandy was betraying Vicky’s friendship and she also was.

Gary would be the reason Victoria would lose it all. Sure, she had left Graham but only because she believed the grass was greener on the other side. Only if he were to see her with Gary, it would be the end of them. No way back.

It was a moral dilemma; she had to know if Graham still loved Victoria. She still didn’t know if that girl he was hanging out with the other night was “just a friend” or something a little more serious.

While she was starting to approve the idea of Vicky finally getting a taste of her own medicine, she couldn’t help but think of how unfair it’s be to Graham if he still had feeling for her.

Chapter twelfth: January 16th --- Fishing for information

Keshy tries to find out Graham’s feelings

Chapter 10: A Cold Hard Look

Graham’s mind wandered to the last evening he spent with Alice. They both lay on the freshly cut grass starring at the sky. The full moon lighted perfectly her face and made her hair glow. She was more seductive than ever and Graham had to fight the urge to kiss her.

“You are starring”

“I didn’t realize, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

She smiled. He didn’t recognize that spark in her eyes. Was it ok to kiss her? He was so scared of making a mistake. He couldn’t lose her. She was gaining more importance in his life whenever he’d see her. He wouldn’t say he was in love quite yet. But it sure was close to it.

“I think you want to kiss me.”

“Stop reading my mind.”

“I suggest you read mine instead.”

Her tone was flirtatious. He finally stopped holding back. Graham rolled to his side now facing Alice. He starred at her a few more seconds before she turned to face him. He tenderly caressed her face from her forehead to her chin. He gently moved a lock of hair that had escaped her ponytail and leaned in to kiss her.


Graham kept remembering that moment since it happened three days earlier. For some reason, he felt bad towards Victoria. He’d told her he would wait a year but surely after that stunt she pulled at the club…He didn’t know if he should tell her straight up his offer no longer stood. For all he cared, she could keep the house, the free ride for a year but he definitely wouldn’t be waiting for her.

It was hard for him to even recall why he fell in love with her to start with. Sure, she was beautiful but there had to be more. Yet, nothing came to mind. As if the entire relationship was superficial. Sure, she was a determinate person and he found that very sexy. Still, it wasn’t enough to justify his proposal. It hit him hard. After three years of dating Vicky, he couldn’t find one good reason why he was with her for so long.

“Vicky, whenever you get this message, please call me back. It’s Graham. We need to talk.”

He picked up the phone again.

“Hi Alice, it’s been three days since we’ve seen each other. I can’t get you off my mind. Would you join me for a drink and a nice meal later today?”

“I guess that could be possible…I’d be very happy to.”

“Perfect. I will call you around 5 pm and I’ll pick you up soon after. Can’t wait to see you again.”


Chapter eleventh: January 11th --- Different Point Of View

Mandy exposes her plan to Keshy.