"We don't meet people by accident. Everyone is meant to crass our path for a reason."

❛❛「₪」❜❜

Ash's P.O.V.

"Ed?" I whispered under my breath. I was awestruck. So, was he. But why him? Before sitting down Jonathan had said something. It felt as if he had said "Candice".

"Huh?" I said in a rather shocking way.

"Ohh! Umm... Candies I mean. Such a big jar of uh... candies?"

"Oh. They are stress-busters. Not doing great today. That's why I had to call you like that on such a short notice. Sorry for that."

What was I thinking? Not everyone is like me

"No. It's okay. I understand. Health first." He smiled at me kindly and I wanted to smile back, but the wrinkles on my forehead didn't show any sort of kindness or gratitude. Well, it is obvious. I mean, wasn't Jonathan the 'Ed' in my dream? I am sure he was. How could I possibly imagine a face I had never seen before. This cannot be a coincidence.

"Jonathan Hunt." He brought his hand forward, breaking the ice.

"Ashleigh Bradbury, Manager of LUMA Times Square, and if you are lucky enough, your boss." I said, giving a formal approach and shaking his hand. When I touched his hand, all of a sudden, I was just lost in his comfort. His hand gave me warmth, and his touch gave me a feeling I had never had before.

"Lucky to work in LUMA or lucky that a rather beautiful and attractive young woman is going to be my boss?" He chuckled.

"No. I mean, lucky enough to be hired." I laughed. There have been many flirtatious boys I ran into, but I have never bothered myself with them. Jonathan had been different; and handsome, ever since I had seen him in my dreams as "Ed".

"Lucky enough to be hired by an attractive young woman, with a smile, which when touches her deep blue eyes, adds to her seemingly beautiful face, which can drive men crazy." He flirted again. Oh god!

I could say nothing. I just blushed. Although, I realized he was a big flirt, who was not gonna give up on me so soon, every syllable he spoke, felt as if somewhere deep inside he was telling me that, 'You are just safe. I have no intentions of bringing any sort of discomfort to you.' And I have no idea why I felt so.

"Ahem! I am really sorry. Sometimes, I just lose control over my tongue. Excuse me for that ma'am." He said formally, realizing that he was here for an interview and not on a date with me.

Now, I had to show some kindness. Really though?

"No. It's okay. I am not an experienced or professional interviewer anyways. So, don't really bother. " Guess I shouldn't have said that.

"So. We can be open?" He looked at me deeply with a notorious smile, and I looked into his eyes. This brought me into a big awkwardness, and left me with having no words to say. I was just........ blank.

"Umm..."

"Heyy. Its okay. I promise I won't bite." He chuckled. It was so amazing that he understood me so well, and also that he was so full of life. I could see it in his eyes. They were filled with joy. He did not think before speaking. He just said what he felt. I wish I could be like that.

"Oh god! I didn't mean that. I mean I know. But uh-"

He chuckled.

I have no idea why he chuckled at everything I said. I could say that he was just enjoying this conversation where he was allowed to OPEN FLIRT. Hmph.

Now, I felt my head ache again. It had stopped when he had made me laugh. But all that awkwardness made the head ache get reincarnated. So, I preferred to begin with the interview.

"Okay, so may we begin?"

"Yeah."

John's P.O.V.

Ten minutes back, this girl had made me shocked. As she had lifted up her head, I had dread in my eyes. And so did she. She had whispered something. And so did I. I had unknowingly blabbered her name.

"Candy?" I murmured.

Damn! She heard it. Her actual name was Ashleigh, but I, in my dreams, had called her Candice before dying. She was beautiful. Beautiful than I thought her to be. Seeing her in life was just crazier. She had deep blue eyes, and I loved it above all.

When she gave me an obvious confused reaction on being called with a name she didn't own, I was lucky enough she had a big jar of candies on her desk, and I could just change the topic. Applauds for me and my wonderful IMMEDIATE excuse!

It had been so good talking to her. I felt real. As if, I could just say everything, and she would let me express myself without being offended. Nobody except Emma has ever let me do that.

As we began with the interview, she asked me, "So. You had left your previous job?"

"No. I had been fired." I said, because I wanted to be honest. After all, nothing good can be done by making a lie as the base of anything.

"May I know the reason?"

"I had made a mistake in the gross. That would have made my company suffer a big loss, if the fault wasn't discovered at the correct time. So they had to fire me."

"Was there any specific reason for that mistake? Like, some stress or something?"

"Stress? Yes, I did have stress. But it didn't bother me. Stress and pain, they are like companions of our life. You don't have to let them bother you. You just have to move on and do what you gotta do. I won't make any excuses."

As I said that, I saw her. Her eyes were moist. When I talked about pain and stress, probably that made her think about her pain. We all have a story. It depends on us how we take it though. My words had definitely reached her heart. She could feel it. And I could feel her feel it. She was lost deep in her past. Or maybe, her present. But just something bad that had been chasing her. I looked at her face and she constantly reminded me that she wasn't doing good today; which made me want her to get home as fast as she could. So I got her back to reality.

"Miss Ashleigh?"

"Oh yeah. I am sorry." She said, coming back from her thoughts.

"So Jonathan. How many years of experience do you have?"

"Four."

"Great. Your resume?"

"Yeah." I said, handing her the resume with a slight embarrassment on thinking about her reaction after seeing the pages inside the file.

She opened it and ran her finger over the stained papers.

"That was an accident actually." I explained.

"Oh, its alright." She smiled. Thank god.

Two minutes later, after reading everything, she said, "Okay Jonathan. I will let you know if you get the job or not, by today evening. Yeah?"

"Alright. It was nice meeting you, ma'am." I winked. As I said this, she chuckled. It felt good. There were striking differences between the tired face I had seen on entering the cabin; and the blushing yet happy face I was leaving behind.

I reached down the lobby after helping myself with some good coffee from the canteen and I was about to leave, when Ashleigh came down too. She had probably been here only for the Interview and is going back home.

We waved and were about to get departed as we left the hotel towards the road. But then, I realized the necessity of telling this to her.

Ash's P.O.V.

"Miss Ashleigh." He said. It felt weird how he changed his formal and informal appearance over and over.

"You can just call me Ash when we are out of the doors of this hotel Jonathan."

"Woah! Does that mean I am selected?"

"What?!"

"Why else would we have conditions inside the hotel then?" He laughed.

"No. I mean, I am giving that a thought."

"O.....Kay....." and he stretched that long, indicating that he was gonna start with his flirting again. "So Ash. For one, your name suits you. You know, ash is supposedly hot and you..."

"Shut up Jonathan!" I said, giving a blush as usual. Why can't I just do anything else?

"You can call me John." He smiled.

"Okay... So John. Were you not saying something other than describing me?"

"Yeah, umm... last week actually. In the morning, one of your assistants or I don't know who; had given me your contact number, just in case I needed it. I was saving it and I called you by mistake. I am sorry if that brought any sort of inconvenience to you."

I had started feeling dizzy by now. As if I was going to faint. But, since this guy had been kind enough to inform me about that mistake, I had to thank him for that.... and more for doing something helpful unknowingly.

"So, you were the Mr.Unknown!" I smiled.

"Sorry what?"

"Actually I was lost deep in my wonderland, but your call brought me back to reality. And I realized I was getting late. So... I had thanked the caller by naming him... 'Mr.Unknown'."

"Oh! I see." He laughed.

For two minutes, we said nothing.

"John, If I may ask?"

"Mhmm."

"That scar on your forehead. It looks quite old. How'd you get that?"

I was about to touch it with my hand, when he pushed it away angrily.

"None of your business Ashleigh. Can you please stay out of it?" He said, his eyes burning with fire.

"John I didn't-"

"Did I ever ask you what those stitches on your head are for? Then why can you just not-"

"Why are you behaving so rude? Why can't you just- just-"

John's P.O.V.

Blood.... and then more blood. She threw blood in the middle of the road. She fell unconscious and was about to fall down. Thank Jesus I caught hold of her. I picked her up and got her in my car, straight to the hospital.

Every moment I saw her, she scared me. I had seen her in my dream. I had been spitting blood in my dream. But as a fact of the matter, she spat it now. I had died in the dream. Would she too...?

I couldn't think any further. My dream had started making sense. But I didn't want it to. I couldn't let her die. Sometime back, she had been a stranger, who was chasing me in my dreams. But now, I felt a connection with her. As if, even if I open up to her, She won't judge me. She won't let me down.

We reached the hospital and after a few check-ups and tests, the doctor said that she was now conscious. Whatever she was suffering with, would take some time to be detected, but they would soon let the both of us know.

I entered her ward and saw her on the bed. I had been really rude to her. She was just showing concern. I had to apologize.

"I am so sorry Ash. Please forgive me. I know it is difficult since I am a stranger after all. But, please?"

She turned her face to the wall as I went closer to her. I wanted her to look at me and say that it was alright. I hope she did.

Author's Note

Heyy Guyz! This was a big one as I had told. I really love the way how Jonathan is always being silly over things and manages to bring a smile on Ashleigh's face. The best thing I like about him is that he is a BIG FLIRT (Only with Ashleigh though). I am really excited about the big things that are gonna be revealed and please let me know your views about this.

And also, since my final exams have finally come to an end, I am gonna update regularly.

TPWK.
Vreha x