Chapter 2

She opened the door to her apartment. What a day. Just when she thought everything is stabilizing a bomb gets dropped. But guess that's her life.

She took one step into the apartment and felt something beneath her feet. She looked down to see two envelops. Guessing from the color, she knew what they are.

She picked them up and tore them open. One was her electricity bill and the other was for the apartment rent. Both of which are unpaid from the last two months.

Berry groaned. This is getting worse and worse. She has to pay them this month. She doesn’t want homeless added to her list of misfortunes.

She opened her phone and checked her account balance. And she found what she already expected. She would only be able to pay these bills.

How is she supposed to pay the nursing home bill this month?

She left her purse and the bills on the coffee table and lied on the couch. Ah damn, now she has to borrow money from grandpa and she hated it. Although she knows he wouldn't even think twice before lending her the money.

But it's not right. She always asks him for the money. She hasn’t even returned the last amount she had borrowed from him and now she's asking again.

She started having a headache. So, she decided to have a cup of coffee.

She came back with a steaming cup of coffee and opened her laptop. She found an email from Mr. Wild.

She quickly scanned through it while sipping her coffee. It says that they have to organise a party for the new CEO which is going to be his retirement party as well. And Berry have to take care that everything goes well.

She closed the laptop and walked towards the balcony. The view is not out of the world but she loved it. It was her house, her space. Everything about it is something that she cherished.

Just then her phone started ringing. She picked it up to see her Nona's face. She smiled as she connected the call.

"Hey Nona, how are you?", She asked with a smile on her face.

"I'm good how is my little Cherry Berry?"

"I'm living. How is grandpa?"

"He is fine, out for a walk. And what do you mean by living? A girl your age should not be just living. She should be enjoying; she should be reckless and wild."

Berry rolled her eyes, "You know I cannot afford to be any of those things even if I wanted to".

"Now why would you say that? You can do anything you want. Why are you always burdening yourself so much? You're only twenty-five. Loosen up a bit".

Berry chuckled humorlessly. "You talk like you don't know my situation"

"I know all that. And I also know that you have a flair for melancholy".

"Nona...", Berry whined.

"No, let me finish. I think what you need is love. It's the solution to all your problems", she said.

"Don't be so dramatic Nona. You know it as well as I do that it's not the solution for everything".

"Well at least it is a soothing balm for all your pain"

"That balm can get you addicted and kill you in the end. Love is worse than weed", Berry started getting worked up.

"Now, now don't be so cynical. It doesn't suit you. Love is not a bad thing. It's a beautiful feeling."

"How can you say that? Even though she was your daughter. Have you forgotten that?", Berry complained appalled at her carelessness.

She went quiet. Then she heard a deep sigh.

She said, "I haven't forgotten. But that doesn't mean I have to stop living life and lament over what happened in the past. Berry don't do this to yourself. Don't become this rigid, cynical person who is always seeing the downside of things. I love you that's why I'm saying this. Go out with someone. Have a life. Take your mind off these things.

You have never been in a relationship. It's high time you get one. It's for your own benefit trust me".

"Hmm okay Nona. Well, I'm cutting the call now tell grandpa I said hi. Love you"

"Love you darling".

Berry cut the call and took a sip from her coffee. It was cold now. She went inside the kitchen and threw it in the sink. Half at the verge of tears.

She went inside her bathroom, stripped her clothes and stood near the shower. Tears flowing from her eyes.

She knows, she knows that she has never had a boyfriend, she has never been for a fun day out, hell she doesn’t remember if she ever had a dinner with her friends. She has never had the kind of fun that people her age used to have.

Berry have always had a lot of responsibilities as a kid. She was an adult at sixteen, maybe even before that. She used to work two shifts after school every day. Even her weekends would be occupied.

She never had friends. She would always be so occupied with her work and problems at home that she was never able to keep any friends.

It's not like she doesn’t want these things. She wants these things and more. But it’s like she have accepted her fate.

Berry shook her head. There's no point being so cynical.

She came out of the shower and wrapped a towel. She came out of the bathroom and looked at herself at the full-length mirror in her room. She's not ugly. She knew that. She was not very pretty too but she does look good on a good day.

Standing at five eight, brown wavy hairs that reaches mid back. Her eyes, a peculiar shade of dark blue and green which she never liked. Her upper body was too thin and lower body, too curvaceous with big ass and thighs. No amount of exercise can tame these fatty beasts. That's why she never wears skirts or shorts. Only pants for her.

Berry have a round face. Her cheeks are too chubby for someone her age. Cheeks which have a permanent blush.

She doesn't hate her looks. As long as nobody looks at her legs and ass, she's good.

Taking a deep sigh. She went to the kitchen to make something for dinner. Maybe Nona is right. Maybe she appears too cynical that's why no one asks her out. Maybe she should try to be a little more open.

She should get nicely dressed up for Mr. Wild's retirement party. Normally she would attend it in her office clothes but this time she could make some efforts to look nice. Maybe someone will notice her.