"Hey, Jason. How are you? Well, I'm fine. I can't complain. Can you call me back when you hear this?"

"Hey, it's me again. Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what I did a few hours ago. I don't know what made me do that."

I sighed, playing the last voicemail messages that were never ending. It was hard for me to ignore them. Curiosity is a very dangerous trait that killed the cat. By the way, did I mention that curiosity didn't kill the cat, but ignorance did? So, if I ignored the voicemail messages that he's sending me, that might backfire. This was a sweet disaster and I was kind of ready to plunge into it. See where the wind was going to take me. I needed answers, but I was not sure if I was ready to hear them. Indecisiveness seemed to be the only thing that I was good at.

When I came back from the chemist, I had planned on taking my meds and going to sleep. My plan went out the drain because Chance kept on leaving too many voicemails that I couldn't resist but to listen to them. I played the last one, listening intently.

"Please, Jason. Can you answer your phone? I just want to explain myself. Please."

That was a minute ago. I had half a mind to answer his call, but the other half was bitter. I didn't even want to think about what happened because that was just so... so disturbing...

The phone rang, Chance's name flashing across the screen. I was startled a bit, my fingers sliding across the answer button by mistake. I was not ready to hear him out. Shit! There was no going back now. I'll just hear him out and swallow all the lies that he'll feed me like the fool I am. Why do I always assume that he's going to lie to me?

Trust issues are a thing not to be messed with. As long as I have them, paranoia will always be my shadow, following me around wherever I go. Unless it's at night where there's no light because the shadow will disappear.

Oh man, what an I thinking right now? This is not the time to be thinking senseless shit.

I placed the phone on my ear and before I could get a word out, his nervous voice had already started talking.

"Hey, Jason! Thank you for picking up. I am so sorry about what happened. I don't know what had gotten into me and why I did what I did. It's just that I haven't..." he rambled on, saying everything and nothing at all. I tuned him out and stared at my bedroom wall, looking at the display of pictures that I hung up a while ago. His nervousness was making me nervous.

I let him go on and on about how sorry he was and how he regretted what he did. When he finished, I asked, "Are you done?"

His line went dead, getting me to wonder if he had hung up. "Are you still there, Chance?" I asked, clearing my throat to get rid of the lump that had formed. I could hear the uncertainty in my voice, praying that he didn't hear it.

"I'm really sorry, Jason. About everything," he said, starting to irritate me.

"It's fine, man. I know you didn't mean anything by it. Can we just forget about it? Let's not even mention it, okay?"

"Y-yeah. I-I can do that. Am I forgiven?"

I rolled my eyes in exasperation, but still smiled nonetheless.

"Goodnight, Chance. I'll see you tomorrow,"

"Wait! What were you doing there at the chemist?"

I hung up and put the phone on the nightstand, then got out of bed and headed into my bathroom. I opened the cabinet and the two bottles stared at me as if thanking me that I've brought them home. Well, it's good that they are home. I wouldn't trade them for anything. I took out one of the bottles out and popped the lid open, taking out two of the pills as said in the dosage instructions. I placed the bottles back and took my meds, feeling content that tonight I will sleep with ease.

************

Friday came too early for me. Jack had sent the details on Thursday and I was not ready to go out. Maybe it's because I told Chance about it and he didn't approve of me hanging out with a guy I just met once at a bar. Of course I didn't care about his opinion or anything, but still something nagged at me to not go. I didn't know what, but I had showered and put on my clothes. I had put on black pants, a black t-shirt and my leather jacket was ready on the couch, waiting for me to just put it on.

Only an hour was left before Jack would come and pick me up. I didn't know why I was a fidgeting mess. Maybe it's because I was going out of my comfort zone and trying out new things. Hanging out was technically not a new thing because I've hung out with Chance before, but it was still different. I was lounging in my kitchen, drinking orange juice to just pass the time. I hadn't eaten because what's the point if I'm going to a restaurant in an hour?

A knock at the door had me checking the clock on the wall above the fridge. It couldn't be Jack because he said he'll get me at 7, but it's past 6 now.

I gulped my drink and put the glass in the sink. The person knocked again, a bit louder.

"I'm coming!" I shouted, straightening out my shirt. I went to open the door to be met with a petite lady that had on a dazzling smile. She was beautiful and damn...

"Good evening, Sir. I'm Sharon, Sharon Millers," she said, extending her hand out for a handshake. I shook her hand, dumbfounded.

"I'm Jason Jones. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Sharon."

She chuckled, saying, "Sharon will do, please. It's cold out here. Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Oh, sorry. Come on in," I said, leading the way into my living room. I picked up my jacket and put it on, sitting down. She sat down opposite me, shrugging off her coat and placing it on her lap.

"How may I help you, Sharon?" I asked, smiling a bit. She was staring at me, her eyes having that glint when she smiled. There was something about her that screamed danger. Maybe it's the way she held herself, like a very important figure. She was flawless and had elegance written all over her. Her smile was different than when I first let her in. It had a touch of something in it. That made chills run down my spine.

"How can you help me? There's nothing you can help me with, Mr. Jones. I'm here to make you an offer you cannot refuse," she said, that smile never faltering at all. In fact, it got bigger and more disturbing.

I shifted in my seat, feeling restless. "An offer?"

"Oh yes! Do you know Chance Hughs? What am I saying? Of course you know him! Did he mention that he's got a fiancée?"

My eyes widened like saucers, realization dawning on me. This was not a coincidence. I felt all the blood leave my body and rush to my head, filling it to the point where a headache started to develop.

"Oh yes, I know. See, Mr. Jones, I saw you two. No, no. I saw you shove your tongue down his throat like the whore you are. Shame on you," She pointed a finger in my direction, a sneer taking over.

She said everything like she did not mean it. She was playing with me, taunting me to feel guilty. And the worst part was that it worked. I tried to explain myself that she misunderstood everything because I was not the one who initiated the kiss. Chance did.

"Cat got your tongue? Or you left it in Chance's mouth?" She chuckled, wrinkles forming around her eyes. My mind was numb, thoughts seeming to hide themselves, locking themselves away so that I couldn't reach them.

"I'm here to tell you to leave my fiancé alone because you don't want to break a happy family, do you? If you don't back off, all hell will break loose. Back off."

She stood up, putting on her coat and leaving, before banging the door shut on her way out, she said, "By the way, we never had this conversation," then left me speechless, paralyzed to the point of no return.

Did she just threaten me?

This was a disaster! A catastrophe!

At the corner of my eye, I saw a piece of paper on the coffee table. I picked it up. It was a cheque. A cheque that had six digits!

I think I'm dead because in no world of mine was this possible. This is not possible. I am dreaming.

A frantic knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts. I put the cheque into my jacket's pocket, going to open the door.

"Hey, Jay! Sorry for being late. Are you ready to go?" Jack said, smiling widely at me.

For a moment, I forgot about Sharon and nodded, checking to see if I had everything. The time on my phone said that it was 19:15. I locked the door and followed Jack into the elevator. What had my life become?