Chapter 2 One More Text Message

Unlike simply passing a dismissing look to Bridget at her remarks before digging her eyes back on her work, Veronica waited for Bridget to leave. Bridget slapped the table and rose up almost knocking the coffee mug down.

"I am not leaving until I know what the heck is keeping you away from having a boyfriend! You can't run away from the topic. You behave as if it's the biggest sin of your life to have one!"

She took a pause before catching up her breath.

"You rejected the I.T. Department guy, Tim, who had asked you out and so happened with Mia!"

Veronica cut in sharply, "I am straight!"

Bridget raised her voice, "Noted! Then why did you reject Tim?!" Her hand went to her heart and she said, her voice breaking as if she would cry anytime when she said, "And how could you reject that cute boy from the HR Department? He worked so hard for you. He used to ask me literally everything that you like, dislike, till the point I was pissed off!"

Bridget's eyes reflected pure sadness and sorrow for the people that Veronica actually turned down, especially the last one. She regained her furious tone and demanded, "So, Veronica Cooper, why don't you get a boyfriend for yourself?!"

Veronica's clenched fists got loose. Unlike slapping the table and showing no mercy to the coffee that was dying down, Veronica rested her hands on the table. Her eyes flickered a mix of emotions that was indescribable.

She blew out a sigh and whined like a helpless kitten, "My life cannot afford a boyfriend!" Her tone filled with gloominess washed Bridget's anger away. Bridget stood there, her head low and eyes gazing at Veronica sympathetically.

Veronica grew teary as she said, "Why don't you understand? I can't have a boyfriend!" Before her tears would spill out, Veronica grabbed all of her files and rose from her seat.

Bridget's heart sank on seeing the pain in Veronica's eyes and her tone. She could clearly see through her at that moment. Veronica wasn't gruesome towards relationships. She would like to try out once, but something wasn't permitting her, but what was that?! How could she manage to keep her inner 24-year-old away from such spicy things that are bound to happen even in a stone-hearted human's life?

Bridget didn't attempt to stop Veronica. Her eyes saw her retreating figure. All of sudden Veronica's moving feet stopped on hearing a dinge on her phone. Following the sound, Bridget's eyes slipped down on Veronica's phone lying on the table.

Veronica closed her eyes for a second and thought, frustrated, "It has to be Mrs. Cooper! With her back facing the table, she waited for a few more dinges because it was her mother's hobby to torment her with an endless stream of messages. But to Veronica's shock, there were no more dinges.

Her mind thought, "Wait, isn't it that…"

Her mind's voice faded when Bridget said, "Hey, you have got one message!"

She sharply turned around and started walking towards the table. Her exhausted, drooping eyelids were wide open. She was no longer sad, tired or angry, but worried; something visible from her face and hastily moving feet. Just one thought was running in her mind, "Oh no! It is him!"

Bridget picked the phone from the table. Before she could see who was messaging her that late, Veronica snatched her phone away sharply, shocking Bridget out of her wits.

Her eyes lingered over her phone screen. "I knew that it had to be him!" She thought as she passed an unfading glance at the screen that had a notification popped up!

1 message from +2359-

Without running her eyes all over the phone number, she said in her mind, sounding worried, "2359!" And yes, she was right! Her eyes did confirm those last four digits. Veronica went ahead to open the message. Seeing that number alone already gave her chills and that message shook her to the very core.

She read the message in her mind:

"Don't be sad! I know your life is tough, but everything will be fine! Trust me, I will fix everything up, mate!"

"MATE!" Veronica's breath hitched in her throat. She had been receiving random messages from this untraceable phone number for one week now. Those messages did shock her. She felt as if she was being observed and heard every single second; something that was clear from the short crisp message sent by this stranger.

Just like any other day of the week, Veronica spun her head around to see if this 2359 stranger was around, but the office was dead empty with just two of them in the cafeteria: Bridget and herself.

All those messages did scare her, but this one was like a bummer.

Veronica thought, "Wh… Why is he calling me his MATE?!"