Chapter 3: Goodnight Kiss
She is sitting on her chair and starting to lose her sanity while her head was resting on her desk. They could not talk to her properly because she is out of her mind for a few days. She can still hear his voice in her mind. It started when she was 18 years old. At first he rarely calls her name but now it's frequent and its freaking her out.
"Astri- I mean Leigh. Sir V wants to talk to you. He said you should go to his office now." She nodded reluctantly and immediately went to his boss's office.
They used to call her Astrid but she told them to call her on her first name because there is this feeling that the mysterious voice is the one who's calling her. That is why she often introduces herself using her first name only.
She hit the 13th floor as she entered the elevator. She rarely use the elevator because its always overload. Sometimes she just climbs the stairs because she is only on the 10th floor if their boss calls him.
She knocked on his door when she arrived. She didn't waste the time when he told her to come in.
"Have a sit Leigh." She politely smiled at him then sat on the chair in front of his desk. He clasped his hands and looked at Astrid closely as if studying her actions. Astrid immediately avoided looking at him because she thinks that he can read what's on her mind when she looks at his eyes more. He fake his cough before speaking.
"I can see that your attention is not on your work. You are always pre occupied and you are out of your mind Leigh. Whats wrong? This is not you." He calmly accused her.
Astrid took a deep breath as if this was her last breath in her whole life. She played with his fingers and focused her attention there. She is also ashamed of him because she made mistakes at work several times. Fortunately, she' not fired yet. She's also been out of her mind for a few days because of the weird things that are happening.
"I'm sorry sir." That was all she could say to him. Astrid just bowed because she couldn't look at him properly. Shes guilty because he is still kind to her after all the simple work she cant do properly.
"Whatever your problem is. You are free to tell me. I will listen. Remember I am also a friend not just a boss." He said sincerely. This time Astrid looked at him and smiled. He smiled back and leaned back in his swivel chair as if thinking deeply.
"Thank you sir but i will handle my problems alone." He just nodded and gave Astrid a pleasant smile. She admits that he is good looking. Gentle and smooth face. Eyes wide open that made him even more boss. Thick eyebrows and lashes that are even more beautiful than hers. Peach lips and a well defined jaw. So Astrid wonders why she doesn't have a girlfriend yet.
"Well, i suggest that you need a vacation leave then. A month is enough. Fix yourself Leigh. We need you here." She was no longer surprised by what his boss said because she expected it to happen and she would not reject it.
She thinks she really needs a break. She can no longer do her job well just because of the suspicious voices she hears. She need to bring back the real Leigh Astrid Ashford.
"Okay sir. I guess I really need this 1 month leave. Im sorry." She nodded as she got up from her seat and said goodbye. She still think about the previous conversation between her boss as she returns to her department.
Why is this happening? Am I getting insane? Or is it just pure hallucinations? She talked to himself.
Her office mates greeted her immediately when she arrived at her cubicle.
"What did sir says, Leigh? Did he fired you? Whats happening to you?!" Her co-worker Keira asked. They're friends but not so close, just right. Though Keira was the first one she has get along with on her first day on work. They are just next to each other in the cubicle and she is very talkative, to the point that she does not run out of new stories. Astrid just let it go, well shes not found on getting along with people.
"One month leave." She dropped his head on the table after she said that. Astrid does not know if she will be happy or not, because that the only way to get busy and now it will be temporarily lost. Or should she be happy because at last she can have a rest from all the things that stressing her.
"Get ready girl! Our damn boss is coming." Astrid sat up and pretend to be busy. Keira immediately returned to her seat when she looked at her.
Astrid glanced for a moment at what Keira was referring to and as usual shes wearing a killer heels and a tight dress. She is the son of one of the big bosses here in the company so everyone is afraid of her. She will definitely go to Sir V's office again.
Kiera told her before that the girl is doing a lot of effort to get the attention of Sir V but their boss doesn't care. It is obvious from his actions that Sir V has no interest but it seems that the girl is determined to persuade him. But whenever Sir V is comes out in his office he seems mad and irritated and the woman immediately follows him which makes her boss frown even more.
Astrid just finished the rest of her work so that she could pass her work to Keira after she left. She will just finish the rest of the time so that they will not think that she is very satisfied with what was given to her.
Astrid is expecting to hear the voice calls her again but when she finally got home she heard nothing. She did not even feel the eyes staring at her when she was walking her way home.
She thinks that maybe she's just tired. But she was 18 when Astrid first heard that. So it's impossible for her to just imagine everything.
"Leigh. Why are you standing there? Are you okay?" She was overwhelmed by the voice of her grandmother who was currently standing at the door. She did not realize that she was in front of their house. She shook her head slightly to make herself conscious. She immediately kissed her grandmother and smiled at her so she wouldn't have to worry about it.
"I'm fine, grandma. Don't worry about me anymore. I already told you. Worrying makes you ugly." She jokingly said. She slapped Astrid's arm slightly and laughed at
she said.
"You're really naughty! Get dressed so that we can eat." She went straight to the kitchen and Astrid went upstairs to get dressed.
The wind was strong outside so she closed the window first because it might suddenly rain again. She was nervous when she saw a shadow in the distance that looked like it was looking in her direction. But she just ignored it because it might be one of her fantasies again.
Sometimes she thinks of going to the psychiatrist to find out her condition but she doesn't have the money to pay because her salary is just enough for her grandmother and for their every day needs so she just let it go. Besides she is just starting to her job.
She went down immediately when she finished getting dressed so she could help her grandma to prepare what their going to eat.
Astrid was still wondering if she should tell her gradma, that she was on leave now or she would just open it just another time. She looked back and forth at her while she eat. Until she stopped eating and looked at Astrid intently.
"What Leigh?! Will you say it or not?" She said a little irritated. Astrid nodded and gasped because she cant really nothing to hide from her. Her grandma immediately knew everything. She is good about things.
"My boss gave me 1 month leave." Astrid said softly. She waits for her reaction but Astrid did not feel anything so she looked at her.
Her grandma just raised one eyebrow and seemed to be waiting for her to tell everything. Maybe it's time for her to know what's going on. She want to hide it from her for her condition but her grandma will not stop until she knows everything.
Her grandma's heart is weak so she don't want to tell her. She was attacked once so Astrid was very worried about her. Fortunately, she was rushed to the hospital and the staffs was able to cure her.
"I can no longer do my job well. I am always stressed and unfocused. I am always pre-occupied and out of my mind. That's why my boss asked me take a leave. It's a good thing I haven't been fired yet." Her grandma just listened calmly for her and Astrid is nervous because of her gradma's unconvinced look.
"What's bothers you Leigh?" She asked worriedly. This is what Astrid saying, that she will be very worried about her. She don't want her to worry too much about her because it is bad for her grandma's condition.
"Are you sure you want to know? Because its impossible to happen. You wont believe it. You'll just say that I'm just imagining it. That it was just caused by fatigue so it happens." Her grandma just nodded and held Astrid's hand so she knew she would listen and believe what Astrid had to say. She has this genuine but worrying look that makes Astrid wonder.
Astrid just took a deep breath and decided to tell her everything. The strange things she have been feeling and hearing since she was 18 until now. She also told her what she saw earlier looking at the shadow of the man when she closed the window.
Her grandma was just stunned and seemed to be thinking deeply. Astrid don't know if she believes her or thinks that everything she told her was just nonsense. Astrid held her hand because she was worried for her.
"Grandma are you alright?"
"Its time Leigh. They need you. You need to get back to them." She smiled because she seemed sure of what she was saying. Astrid was confused by what her grandma is saying.
"What are you saying? I can't understand you." She did not answer her and she only gave her a smile.
"You will understand soon Leigh. Wait for him. He will explain everything to you. Be with him darling." Astrid was even more confused.
Who? What is grandma saying? Who am I going with? She asked to herself.
Her grandma got up and she said that she was going to rest. Astrid never asked her again so that she could rest. She was the one who put away what they ate and then washed it.
Astrid went into the room dumbfounded and still thinking about what her grandma said.
What does she mean? And why didn't he seem surprised when I told him everything? Does she know everything? What I found out made me even more confused. She thought.
She looked at the window that was slightly open because she knew she had closed it earlier. The strong wind blew on her as Astrid approached and immediately closed it and locked it properly.
She saw a piece of paper that had probably come out during closing the window and the paper looks like it came from the Spanish Era because of its old look.
In 23rd Leigh Astrid Ashford
Astrid read what was written. She was shaking when she read what was written on the paper.
What will happen on the 23rd of the month?
She looked at the letter again and saw that it was slowly burning and turned to ashes. She immediately let it go in the air to avoid getting burned her hand on it.
What is going on? Is this another one of my imagination? Did my brain just make it?
Astrid go to sleep because maybe she was just thinking too much so that happened. She was swallowed up by drowsiness so Astrid let go because she was tired. She felt like someone was kissing her forehead but she just ignored it because she was so sleepy.
Goodnight Astrid ..
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