My Only Regret

Familiar Yet Stranger

Avery’s P.O.V. (Continued)

“She is talking about her breakfast, then a brunch, and then her lunch,” Connor teased Tessa while laughing, earning a hit from Tessa. Alex eyes widened in surprise, making us laughed more. “It’s not like that. I am just hungry,” Tessa yelled while trying to suppress her embarrassing blush. I shook my head and looked in front of me outside the car.

“By the way…. We are going to work together for the next three months, and it’s possible that we cross each other in the company. So, I think, it will be better for us if you know us by our names instead of calling ma’am,” Tessa said while changing the topic. I nodded in agreement. Alex is one Sebastian’s secretaries. So, it can be a possibility.

After that, Tessa was the one who introduced herself first. After that, Connor and others gave their introduction to Alex. I could feel that Alex was now at ease with us. It was the best thing about my team that they won’t hesitate making new friends. Alex responded them in a friendly way too. He was really an easy-going personality.

“Umm… about the meal. I know a good restaurant. Do you want to try if you like?” he suggested and looked at them through the mirror. “Of course we can trust you in this matter, Alex. This is our first time here and you can be our guide for today,” Tessa chirped immediately.

Alex smiled widely while looking at her through mirror. “I can assure you that you will feel satisfy. I have dined there so many times and food is really good in taste,” he replied to her, assuring us about the quality of food. “If there is no problem then, let’s go there first. We will take our food from there today,” I suggested in a calm tone. “Yeah… this will be better. I don’t think that I will be able to eat anything before taking a refreshing bath,” Britany said in an exhausted tone this time. “Yeah… Let’s take away from here,” Sandra also agreed with Britany.

I smiled and looked back at the front once again. My heart skipped a beat when I saw a familiar place in front of my eyes. This was the busy street in the heart of New York. This was not a problem for me. The problem was that Dave has one of his branches here. Today was Saturday but it was not a problem with a workaholic like him. What if he is also here?

My heart skipped in fear. I was still not ready to face him. As it was weekend, the street was not as busy and hence it increases the chances of our meeting. “Here it is,” Alex said, pulling me out of my worries. He stopped the car at the side of the road. My heart was now pounding hard against the rib-cage. Dave’s company was near to this place.

“Yey…. Let’s go,” Tessa yelled enthusiastically while opening the back door. Alex also unbuckled himself and got off. “What are you doing? Come out,” Sandra said to me in a confused tone when I didn’t get off the car.

“Uhhhh…. Just buy something for me. You know my preferences. I am not feeling well,” I made an excuse while leaning my head back on the backrest, and closed my eyes. I didn’t want any accidental encounter with Dave or someone known here.

“Are you sure? Do you need any medicine?” Sandra asked me in a worried tone while leaning on the window on my side. I lazily opened my eyes and looked at her. “I will be fine after some rest… don’t worry…. Go and come back as soon as possible,” I answered her with a small genuine smile on my lips. She was still not convinced but nodded in the end.

She then walked away and entered the restaurant. I took a deep breath and looked around, still having my head on the backrest. Nothing changed here except a few more shops and business places here. I felt that time had stopped here for me and I never left this place. There were a few people on the street. They were strangers. What would I do if I find any familiar face here?

I sighed in defeat as I knew that answer very well. I closed my eyes once again while straightening my neck. I heard a knock on the glass of the window. I slowly opened my eyes and looked at the person standing on the other side of the car. I saw a middle-aged man there, signaling me to lower the glass. I was a bit scared as there was no one around us. With a furiously beating heart, I lowered the window a little bit.

“You have parked your car on the wrong place, Ms. You will get the ticket,” he said to me in a gentle tone. I looked around immediately and saw no parking sign a little far from our location. “Th… thanks, Sir. I will call my driver right away,” I thanked him while bowing my head a little and immediately called took my phone out from my jacket pocket. “Can’t you drive?” he asked me but I didn’t pay attention to him and called Sandra.

“Sandra…. Send Alex out please,” I immediately requested her in a panicked tone. “What happened? Are you okay?” she asked me in a worried tone immediately. “Yeah… I am fine… we parked the car on the wrong place,” I answered her immediately, suppressing my panic this time. “O… okay,” she replied to me before hanging up.

I looked out of the window and saw that man still standing there while looking at me with furrowed brows. “I… I am really sorry….. I can’t drive,” I answered him apologetically when I remembered that he asked me something earlier. “O… okay… are you new here?” he asked me once again and I was now really annoyed with him.

I wanted to snap at him, but restrained myself. “No, sir… I am native here, but due to some trauma, I can’t drive. My brother’s office is on this street,” I answered him, still keeping my tone calm. I took a breath of relief when I saw Alex coming out of the restaurant hurriedly. “Your driver has come. I will take my leave now,” the man said and then walked away before Alex came to us.

He immediately hopped on the driver’s seat. “I am really sorry. I forgot to see the sign board,” he apologized immediately while starting the engine. “No issue, Alex. Take it easy. Uhhhh… I guess you can park the car there,” I replied to him and signaled towards a familiar alley. He nodded and drove there.

My heart skipped a beat when a familiar car over take us when we were about to enter the alley. I shrank on my seat while gluing my eyes on that car. “What happened?” Alex asked me in a worried tone while turning the car in the same place where the next car was going. I remembered that there was an underground parking there at the corner of that alley. Dave and his employees used to park their vehicles there.

Alex stopped the car at the side of the road and I saw that car entering the parking lot. I felt tears in my eyes but I blinked hard to back them off. “I guess you should come with me, Ms. Hopkins,” Alex said in a concerned tone. “Yeah… I … I guess I should go with you,” I replied to him in a low tone.

We both got off the car. I looked behind in the direction where that car gone. My heart skipped a beat when I saw a familiar face standing outside the parking lot. I immediately looked in front of me and walked hurriedly with Alex. “Excuse me,” I heard someone calling us from behind. I knew this voice. I tightened my grip on my phone in panic. “Yes, Sir?” Alex answered him in a polite tone.

I heard some footsteps but I didn’t move towards that man. “You dropped your wallet, young man,” he said to Alex in a light tone. I lowered my eyes and moved my head lightly in his direction. “O…. thank you… thank you very much, sir,” Alex thanked him immediately while taking his wallet from him. I felt a piercing gaze on me but didn’t look at him.

“Be cautious next time,” he said to Alex in the same tone. Alex thanked him once again and I moved my head in front of me once again. “Let’s go,” Alex said to me, and I just followed his lead. I glanced back and saw that man still standing in the first place. I felt that he was trying to see through me. I gulped hard and tried to calm myself down.

I smiled bitterly and scolded myself internally for thinking that he would recognize me. He couldn't, even if he wanted to because I was not the same girl he knew. My face has changed to an extent. He could feel the familiarity, but he couldn’t recognize me. I was not the same girl. I was now Avery Hopkins, a stranger whom he didn’t know.