His Island Girl

Chapter Five

He tossed and turned on the king sized bed, not wanting to get up. The sun was up early, creating rays which penetrated through the half shielded glass window of his bedroom, producing a burning sensation in his eyes. He had heard the buzzing noise of the alarm clock which snoozed three times in the last fifteen minutes but he didn't feel like getting up or doing anything. All he wanted to do is lie down in bed and while away his sadness for as long as it'll take. He had spent the previous night thinking about a lot of things, mostly about the strange girl and how he found himself at his lowest ever since he met her. He felt too tired and frustrated at his futile attempts to find something that did not want to be found.

Her thoughts tormented him throughout the night. He just couldn't understand why his defenses were weakened by a mere human being as him, unless she was a goddess. Only a thought of her affects him that much just after a brief meeting with her.

Was she a sorceress? Had she used any magic or charm on him?

Suddenly his phone rang and it was a call from work. He had missed several phone calls from his PA. After speaking to the caller on phone, he sent a message to his PA to say he would be arriving late to work.

He finally got ready and within an hour he was at the office. He instructed his secretary not to allow anyone into the office unless he said so. He wanted some alone time and didn't want to be disturbed.

For the remaining days of the week, he tried not to think about the events that happened on the island. He buried himself in work and usually got tipsy at night time. He wanted to get his old self back.

Perhaps he was disillusioned or hallucinating on that day. Perhaps it never happened in real, maybe it was in a dream or just his imaginations. He just wanted to get his normal self back by doing everything he could and he became too engrossed at it that his best friend noticed and was always there for him.

* * * * *

Work on the island commenced yet his instincts kept telling him to abort the project or reduce its intensity just for the sake of the innocent inhabitants eventhough deep down, he knew it was because of her. But anytime he remembered that meeting her could be just an illusion, he had a change of mind.

Barry who was one of the supervisors had asked him to follow up in the inspection of the ongoing work during the weekend in order to loosen up a bit. He didn't want to be reminded of the cause of his present predicament - the Island and everything about it, so he declined. But Barry insisted and urged him to go and perhaps he could be lucky in his search this time around. Even if it didn't work out well it might be an opportunity to divert his mind from work load. So he decided to follow the team to the site on Saturday in the name of leisure.

On Saturday morning, they journeyed to the said island. Immediately he set his foot on the island, waves of emotions began to take place in his mind.

After some hours of inspection, he noticed that there were few local people who dwelled on the island. The further they went into the island to inspect the layout and foundation of the project, the more houses he saw. What he noticed can at least be called a hamlet.

During his few visits to the island, he only paid attention on the beach and forested area of the island which had little or no inhabitants apart from the traders, fishermen and tourists.

But that particular side looked like a small village with not less than 50 people inhabiting it. He was overwhelmed with this new discovery that he couldn't conceal it.

"I thought you mentioned that people only visit this place for one thing or the other and then leave. But now it is evident that there are people who dwell here." He said to Mr Gregg who has been walking ahead of him.

"Yes, actually we have-"

"There we go again" Dave scoffed before Mr Gregg could complete his statement.

"Mr Orman I thought we have passed this stage of you being sentimental and disheartened by petty reasons not linked to professionalism?" Mr Gregg said.

"No no Mr Gregg, it is you who is being unprofessional and probably blinded in your quest to be a professional. So what do we do with all these inhabitants or can't you reason that their presence on this island is already a hindrance to this project? Didn't your company meet all the conditions required to purchase this island?" He scowled at Mr Greg.

"Mr Orman are you trying to insult me here?"

"Not unless you take the truth as an insult" he reposted.

"Dave take it easy man or you're gonna make a big mistake" Barry whispered in his ears as he tapped him from behind.

"Uhm Sir I apologise on behalf of my boss here please don't take everything he says to heart" Barry apologised to Mr Gregg.

Mr Gregg adjusted his spectacles but did not respond to either Dave or Barry. His countenance was indifferent, as if to say he respected the work he came to do more than engaging in a petty unprofessional quarell.

"Oh well we've already sent them warning circulars to vacate the island before the coming month. So its a one month notice from this week and they have enough time to move else we'll demolish-"

"Wait wait hold on. When did you do this without first consulting with the management?" Dave interrupted.

"Well the board members had a meeting and they came to that decision. Were you not aware of that?" he said.

The news came as a shock to him. He was not aware that such decision was made because that was the day he decided to take a day off. After that week, he concentrated more on other things than anything partaining to this particular project simply because he wanted to get a lot off his chest. And no one filled him in on this because it is assumed that whatever decision taken by the board members stands with or without his presence.

"I wasn't" he said silently.

"Well in that case you should ask your business associates in the company" Mr Gregg finalised.

He felt broken after hearing that. That would be a huge injustice on those people who might struggle to start life anew?

He was aware of some black sheeps in the company who were not so loyal even to his father, who only wanted things to be done in their interest. But he is not his father and he is the new CEO of his father's company. It is high time he put all those people in their places before they overthrow him. He made a strong resolve in his mind to upgrade the current status of affairs in the company. He was angered at the fact that decisions are being made on the basis of huge profits to be realized without taking other things into consideration. He was too upset he had to return to the beach to calm himself.

Barry went after him. After some minutes of talking things out, they decided to get some drinks. Barry went into a stall to get the drinks while Dave waited outside. He decided to pace around slowly as he waited.

The moment he turned to check on Barry, he bumped into someone and her drink spilled on his shirt. She began to apologise as she brought out a hankie to wipe his shirt but he stilled as soon as he heard that familiar voice.

There before him stood the person he had been longing to see with her long dark hair covering some parts of her face.

"I'm really sorry Sir. I wasn't looking-"

But he took her hand in his, her right hand which was still wiping his shirt. He held her as if he didn't want to let go so soon.

With his left hand, he lifted her chin up so that her face was staring at him.

Indeed, she was the one, he thought he would never see her again.

"You?" He whispered.

"You?" She replied softly, staring back at him.

He didn't take his eyes off her, neither did she. They stood so closely, facing each other.

Only this time, they were not in the woods but on the busy beach. One of her hands was held by him and the other held her half spilled drink. His heart and mind got lost in the moment. He felt like the world stopped moving and only the two of them existed.

As he held her wrist feeling the sensation created by her smooth soft skin, he felt like taking her away with him to his house, to his office, to his bedroom and anywhere he would go, he felt like making her his possession.

"Sweetheart. Come on we're running late" a distant voice called out to her.

He looked behind him and saw an elderly man waiting with polythene bags in both hands. He could be in his late fifties or early sixties.

She tried to turn around and leave but he quickly pulled her back and his grip became more tight around her wrist. Perhaps he was afraid of letting her go and having to go through another tormenting moment of yearning for her just like the first time. But one thing was certain, he was afraid of the unknown. He just didn't want to let her go.

"Please tell me your name, your address, your contact. Anything. I-I would like to see you again, to meet with you" he said hurriedly in a low whisper.

"Er Miss? That man over there said I should call you immediately" a young woman tapped her from behind as she passed the information.

"I have to go now my Dad is waiting for me" she spoke softly and then gently released her hand from his grip.

She stared into his eyes with her angelic eyes. Her lips parted briefly as if she wanted to say something but she didn't. He found himself getting lost in her beauty as she kept looking at his face. But then just like the first time, she ran off in silence.

He stood there for a while, watching her retreating back. She was in a sleeked oversized red top, with a tight jean that was jagged just above her ankle. She caught up with her Dad and then collected one polythene bag from him. He did not look away from them until they were out of his view.

"Hey Dude. So there you are, I was beginning to think I lost a kid" Barry teased him from behind. He had been standing there for the past five minutes with the drinks in his hands.

"I've been here all along" he said as he turned to face his friend. His face and demeanor could not conceal his disappointment.

"She was the one. Wasn't she?" Barry said. His countenance revealing his concern.

"Well" was all Dave could utter as he put his hands in his pockets and lowered his head.

"Come on. Let's go and chill" Barry said as he quickly understood what his friend must be going through.

They headed to a cool spot with Barry holding the drinks in both hands.

"She's indeed beautiful" said Barry after they had settled. He handed the other drink to Dave and then opened his own.

"You think so? You saw her didn't you?" Dave replied while inserting the straw into his smoothie.

"Yeah. Especially how you nearly devoured her with your eyes and almost kissed her" he smirked and playfully punched him on the arm.

"No I didn't" Dave flushed.

"You should have seen yourself" Barry said and bursted into a deep laugh. Dave held onto his drink without drinking it as he stared into empty space waiting for Barry to calm down.

"But sincerely I think you guys are made for each other. I mean the way you both stared at each other without minding anyone was so passionate. You know what I think? I have no doubt that she also feels something for you" Barry said after his round of laughing.

"Really? You think so?" Dave's eyes brightened as he heard that.

"Yes my dear friend, I witnessed everything from the moment that man called her. And with the way she stared back at you and was gentle with you I think yes she really likes you too. A random girl would have been rude to you or even disgraced you in public. But she, she was different. She is gentle and beautiful. Now I see why you are so crazy about her. A woman has to be endowed in all aspects to be able to get into your mind"

Dave listened attentively as he was starting to enjoy the side of his friend which he loved the most.

"Now the next step is to try and impress her" Barry advised.

"How do I do that bro? I still don't know anything about her yet. No contact or address. Not even her name" he sighed in frustration.

"Why didn't you ask her about it?" Barry inquired.

"Well you said you've watched everything haven't you? So you must have watched how I dared to stop her from running away. You must have seen my lips moving right? That was when I asked about her name and all that only for her to run off again. Just like the first time" he pointed out sternly.

"So what did her Dad call her?" Barry asked.

"Sweetheart" he replied, and for the first time in weeks, he bursted into a deep and hearty laugh after he said that. He only hoped that things would start to work out greatly for him again.

"You have a big work to do if you are really serious about her Davey. Just pray you haven't upset her Dad with the way you handled his daughter publicly" Barry said and laughed once more.

Dave chuckled at his friend's lame joke, however he knew his friend was totally right. Today has stirred up something in him, something he has tried so hard to bury and for that reason, he isn't going to give up.